Runaway Slave Laws in Border States, 1794-1846
Every southern state passed laws, sometimes called slave codes, to restrict the activities of African Americans and to prevent slave rebellions. White lawmakers in slave-holding border states, such as Maryland and Kentucky, were particularly concerned about runaway slaves who “stole themselves†by attempting escape to a northern free state. Southern slave owners’ complaints about their lost “property†eventually led to the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, a federal law which greatly increased the penalties for any person in the South or North who assisted a runaway slave.
1794, Kentucky-
Any slaves who are freed by their masters must carry a certificate of freedom.
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Any free black caught giving free papers to a slave is fined $300, and if unable to immediately pay the fine, can be sold into servitude to work off the debt.
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Slaves cannot leave a plantation without a written note from their masters.
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Slaves cannot carry any type of weapon
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Any person persuading a slave to run away, or assisting or hiding slaves on the run, faces six years imprisonment.
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No slave can work on a steamboat.
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The reward for capturing a fugitive is increased from $6 to $30 in order to encourage everyday people to help prevent runaways.
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Railroad and steamboat companies are responsible for verifying that their black passengers have certificates allowing them to travel, or face fines beginning at $500 dollars.
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There is a 10pm curfew for slaves.
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The penalty for tempting slaves to run away or rebel is imprisonment. County patrols must ride through the county on horseback at night to enforce slave laws.
Item Type | Laws/Court Cases
Cite This document | “Runaway Slave Laws in Border States, 1794-1846,” SHEC: Resources for Teachers, accessed March 29, 2024, https://shec.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/2007.