stronger fugitive slave law was passed in 1850 by the united states congress, signed by president filimore. this came as a body blow to abolitionists, people involved with the anti-slavery movement considered this a very real setback. it also made many of them very, very angry, and in many ways, i believe that between 1850 and the time the civil war breaks out the effect of that fugitive slave law was to instill into abolitionists a higher degree of resolve and indeed underground railroad activity was strengthened after that. after this, the underground railroad heads out of the south in every direction. if you live in illinois, we tend to think of fugitive slaves rightfully headed northwards towards canada. in fact fugitive slaves escaped in any direction they could. they went into arkansas and texas and down into mexico. they escaped on boats into the caribbean sea, and seacraft that went up along the sea, the eastern seacoast, and some cases fugitive slaves who were taken abroad by their masters waited until they were on foreign lands to escape. fergus? >> owen, one of the nicest compli