Page:Sketchesinhistory00pett.pdf/20

xiv State rights, which means that State laws are paramount to U. S. laws. But when the northern States enacted laws to protect their own citizens against kidnappers, it was found that “State Rights” applied only to slave States. As the free States persisted in protecting their citizens the slave States demanded the enactment of the Fugitive Slave Law, which was passed in 1850, establishing commissions and courts unknown to the Constitution, and was undoubtedly the most barbarous law enacted by any civilized nation in the 19th century.

The most simple act of charity to a fugitive must be kept a profound secret or a felon’s cell was the penalty. The result was a spontaneous combination of multitudes of men and women, extending from Maine to Kansas, with many a station south of Mason & Dixon’s line, which on account of its harmony of action, rapid transit and secret operation, came to be known as the “Underground Rail Road.”

The Underground R.R., extending from the interior of the slave States to Canada, and to liberty, wherever human liberty could be found, had four main lines across the State of New York, and scores of laterals. It has finished its mission, closed its operations, settled its accounts and divided the proceeds among the passengers. The immense wealth thus accumulated was invested in the purchase of large tracts of land in Canada, clearing up, stocking and cultivating farms, building dwellings, barns, churches and school houses, mills and factories.

No institution has ever existed in this country, whose