One result of the Compromise of 1850 that did not benefit the North was the implementation of the Fugitive Slave Act. This law required citizens to assist in the capture and return of escaped slaves, and allowed for the arrest and extradition of suspected fugitives without a jury trial. This provision was particularly contentious among Northern abolitionists and sympathizers, as it challenged their commitment to the principles of personal liberty and the right to oppose slavery. Many Northerners saw the Fugitive Slave Act as an infringement on their own rights and a betrayal of their anti-slavery convictions.
