Personal Liberty Laws

statutes pa ed by the Northern States to protect the negroes within their borders. The first acts were pa ed about 1840, though Indiana and Connecticut had previously provided that fugitives might have a trial by jury. After the Prigg decision, many of the States pa ed Acts prohibiting the use of State jails in ‘fugitive slave cases. The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 aroused the most violent opposition in the North, and before 1856 many of the States had pa ed personal liberty acts. Beside prohibiting the use of State jails, these laws forbade State judges and officers to a ist claimants or i ue writs. Trial was to be given all alleged fugitives. Heavy penalties were provided for the violation of these laws. Such acts were pa ed in Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Ma achusetts, Michigan, Maine, Wisconsin, Kansas, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Of the Northern States, New Jersey and California alone sanctioned the rendition of fugitives.