Louisville (KY) Daily Journal, "Rendition of Fugitive Slaves from Chicago," April 10, 1861

RENDITION OF FUGITVE SLAVES FROM CHICAGO— STAMPEDE FOR CANADA— PRACTICAL ABOLISTIONIST IN KENTUCKY. — It appears, that from some cause or other, the fugitive slave law is more efficiently executed in Northern Illinois now than it was during either Pierce’s term or Buchanan’s. Few or no fugitive slaves, for instance, were returned from Chicago between the years 1853 and 1861. The consequence was that a very large number of fugitives congregated in that city, feeling themselves perfectly secure against arrest and rendition to service.

              That condition of things is now changed. A gentleman of Missouri, from whom a family of fugitive slaves had escaped to Chicago and was living there, followed them two or three weeks ago and had them arrested and taken for trial before a U.S. Judge or Commissioner appointed by President Lincoln. A trial was held before that functionary; the fugitives were found to be the property of the (illegible) gentleman who claimed them; and there were promptly committed to his charge and take back to Missouri, no attempt whatever being made to interfere with the due execution of the law. The effect of this proceeding is already striking obvious. All understand not that Chicago can no longer be a refuge for fugitives from service. The numerous fugitives that were there a few days ago are striking for Canada in all possible haste. Our telegraphic dispatches of yesterday brought intelligence of the flight of a thousand of them (illegible) soil. Every one that can be caught Southern Illinois may readily be recovered by his owners, and these has never been any difficulty in recovering those found in Southern Illinois.

              So long as the Border Slave States remain in the Union, they can safely rely upon that faithful execution of the fugitive slave law by the Border Free States. But what will be the condition of things if we of the Border Slave State secede, making the Ohio river… the dividing line between a slaveholding Republic and a non-slaveholding Republic? What will some of the fugitive slave law and its executing them? What possible change will there be covering even one of all the tens of thousand slaves enterprising enough to get from the river to other? Why up voluntarily the fugitive (illegible) its benefits, asking nothing, (illegible), receiving nothing in its place, the fugitive slave law annihilated and with a full an distinct knowledge on the part of all our slaves, that moments they cross a stream frozen in winter and dry in summer and touch the Indiana, the Ohio, or the Illinois shore, they will become as free as any of the denizens of the land, how long before every vestige of slavery will disappear from Kentucky as utterly as it has disappeared from Massachusetts? What more or less are the advocated of Kentucky succession than Kentucky abolitionists? Are they no doing more, far more, for the abolition cause, than was ever done by any of the Yankee adventurers, who for their interference with slavery, have been hung by exasperated Southern communities from the limbs of trees? How can our people bring themselves to treat these architects of mischief with even the slightest toleration or patience?