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Fugitive Slave Law In California In 1850

901 Words4 Pages

In 1850, California was admitted to the Union with the understanding that it is a free state; meaning that it did not allow the practice of slavery. That was the intention at least, to forbid the practice of slavery, but as these scholars discuss, there were varying definition of “slavery” and the different terms being used in lieu of the specific term. Morrison writes, “[During] Off-year congressional elections in 1850 and 1851 demonstrated the public’s general acceptance of the compromise .” There seemed to be a general conscious of the admittance of a free state in California, but the Southern Democrats, also known as the Chivs, did not stand for it and felt that the admission of California as a free state was a detrimental fraud to the South . …show more content…

Using this clout, they were able to bring in “slaves” and title them under different pretenses; whether it be indentured servants or apprentices. Therefore, being able to work around the federal legislation, and sometimes using the state court system to bring a portion of the south with them. The Chivs helped push through Fugitive Slave law acts against African American slaves and freed persons, exclusionary laws and practices against foreigners, especially coolies, the act of “god parenting” with Native Americans, issuance of apprenticeships and indentured servitude to a multitude of groups --in regard to the intentions of the Chiv party in California, exclusion of non-white men, these terms were all synonymous with slavery. Smith and Morrison both use these formalized exclusionary practices as a basis to their argument of the importance of California and the Civil

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