Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution is commonly known as the Fugitive Slave Clause. It states:
"No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, shall be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due."
This clause was included in the Constitution to address the issue of fugitive slaves. It established that if a person held in bondage (as a slave or indentured servant) managed to escape to another state, they could be captured and returned to their original owner upon the claim of that owner. The clause aimed to protect the property rights of slaveholders and maintain the institution of slavery.
Here are a few key points to understand:
1. Scope: The clause applies to individuals who are "held to Service or Labour" in one state and escape to another state.
2. Legal authority: The clause recognizes that the laws of the state where the person is held in bondage have jurisdiction over them.
3. Obligation to return: The clause requires that the escaped person be returned to their owner upon the claim of that owner.
4. Controversy: The Fugitive Slave Clause became a subject of intense debate and controversy in the years leading up to the Civil War. It was a contentious issue between the northern and southern states, as northern states increasingly opposed the return of fugitive slaves.
It's important to note that the Fugitive Slave Clause was later superseded by the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude. The Fugitive Slave Clause is now a historical provision that reflects the complexities and tensions surrounding slavery in the United States.