The Fugitive Act of 1850 was a law passed in the US that was a part of the Compromise of 1850. It required that all escaped slaves would be returned to their masters and officials and citizens had the duty to cooperate with that.
Many in the Northern States resist the act because they saw this as a proof that pro-slavery had more power than anti-slavery and that elite slaveowners had influence over the US.
They did not agree with the fact that they were compelled to serve as de facto slave-catchers since they would be punished if they did not help with fugitive slaves.
