dickinson and slavery
Richard MCallister, Class of 1840
Richard MCallister, Class of 1840
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"Of the whole villainous tribe of Commissioners appointed under the Fugitive law of 1850, this McAllister is probably the worst." |
Part of the famed Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 provoked an intense struggle between abolitionist and pro-slavery forces, a contest that was waged throughout Northern cities in court houses, hearing rooms and even in the streets. Richard McAllister (Class of 1840), rose to prominence and infamy as the fugitive slave commissioner for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. As a Northern man enforcing a law protecting slavery, McAllister rapidly became unpopular, lost his standing within the Harrisburg community and was ultimately was forced to relocate to Iowa. The response McAllister met with underscores the deep sectional divide over slavery, and is essential to understanding the coming of the Civil War.
Images: "Practical Illustration of the Fugitive Slave Law," 1851, House Divided Project, [WEB]; Detail from Richard McAllister to Mrs. Charles Robinson, January 9, 1857, Territorial Kansas Online, University of Kansas [WEB].
[1] “Another Deed of Darkness,” Pennsylvania Freeman, quoted in Frederick Douglass’ Paper, December 25, 1851, Gale News Vault Database.
[1] “Another Deed of Darkness,” Pennsylvania Freeman, quoted in Frederick Douglass’ Paper, December 25, 1851, Gale News Vault Database.
