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TITLE:  Effects of the Fugitive-Slave-Law

CALL NUMBER:  PC/US - 1850.H698, no. 1 (B size) [P&P]

REPRODUCTION NUMBER:  LC-USZ62-1286 (b&w film copy neg.)
LC-USZC4-4550 (color film copy transparency)

RIGHTS INFORMATION:  No known restrictions on publication.

SUMMARY:  An impassioned condemnation of the Fugitive Slave Act passed by Congress in September 1850, which increased federal and free-state responsibility for the recovery of fugitive slaves. The law provided for the appointment of federal commissioners empowered to issue warrants for the arrest of alleged fugitive slaves and to enlist the aid of posses and even civilian bystanders in their apprehension. The print shows a group of four black men--possibly freedmen--ambushed by a posse of six armed whites in a cornfield. One of the white men fires on them, while two of his companions reload their muskets. Two of the blacks have evidently been hit; one has fallen to the ground while the second staggers, clutching the back of his bleeding head. The two others react with horror. Below the picture are two texts, one from Deuteronomy: "Thou shalt not deliver unto the master his servant which has escaped from his master unto thee. He shall dwell with thee. Even among you in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates where it liketh him best. Thou shalt not oppress him." The second text is from the Declaration of Independence: "We hold that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The print is unusually well drawn and composed for a political print of the period. The handling of both the lithographic technique and the figures betray particular skill.

MEDIUM:  1 print : lithograph on wove paper ; 33.3 x 44.3 cm. (image)

CREATED/PUBLISHED:  New York : Publ. by Hoff & Bloede, 1850.

RELATED NAMES:

Kaufmann, Theodor.
Hoff & Bloede.

NOTES:

Entered . . . 1850 by Hoff & Bloede.

Publ. by Hoff & Bloede New York 180 William Str. Corner of Spruce Str. New York.

Signed in reverse: Th. Kaufmann (Theodor Kaufmann?).

The Library's impression of the print was deposited for copyright on October 30, 1850.

Title appears as it is written on the item.

Weitenkampf, p. 101.

Reference copy in: LOT 4422-A.

Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)

Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1850-5.

SUBJECTS:

United States. Fugitive slave law (1850)
African Americans--1850.
Slavery--1850.

FORMAT:

Lithographs 1850.
Political cartoons 1850.

PART OF:  American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)

REPOSITORY:  Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print

DIGITAL ID:  (digital file from b&w film copy neg.) cph 3a05114 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3a05114
(digital file from color film copy transparency) cph 3g04550 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g04550

CONTROL #:  2008661523

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