Fugitive Slave Act
...their Methodist Church, organized a Liberty Association and set up vigilante groups, the Liberty Associations helps the blacks to gain the rights. The Chicago Common Council, the cityˇ¦s legislative body, took formal action condemning the fugitive slave act as ˇ§a cruel and unjust lawˇKought to be respected by an intelligent community.ˇ¨ Chicago plays an important role during the time of the Fugitive Slave Laws were passed. The issue of fugitive slaves became one of national significance when Congress approved the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, which required Northerners to cooperate in the capture of runaways. Opposition to the act led to civil disobedience and brought the Civil War closer. The war itself saw wholesale self-liberation as thousands of slaves fled the plantations for the freedom of Union ...