Cincinnati, a border city, faced issues regarding slavery. Cincinnati bordered two slave states, Virginia and Kentucky. The city of Cincinnati is located on the Ohio River, the boundary separating Ohio and Kentucky. Before the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, Kentucky slaves would escape from bondage and cross the Ohio River and could live as free men and free women in Ohio, which was a free state. This was due in part by the passing of the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

The Missouri Compromise of 1820, provided “that in all that territory ceded by France to the United States, under the name of Louisiana, which lies north of 36 deg 30’ north latitude, not included within the limits of the State contemplated by this act, slavery and involuntary servitude, shall be, and is hereby forever prohibited.” However, the

In September 1850, the Compromise of 1850 became law, which meant that the Fugitive Slave Law was officially in effect throughout the United States. The Compromise of 1850 was introduced to hold off conflict between the slave states and the free states upon the admission of California as a state. Under the Compromise, California was admitted as a free state, New Mexico and Utah were organized as slave territories, and Texas had its boundaries set. Another part of the Compromise was the Fugitive Slave Act, which federalized the return of escaped slaves to their owners.

Meanwhile two slaves on the Legere’s plantation Cassy and Emmeline escaped the plantation and Uncle Tom, once again was faced to confront the cruel Simon Legere. Uncle Tom knowing the wrath of Simone Legere, refuses to tell him of the whereabouts of the two runaway slaves, and is brutally, beaten almost to death by his two slaves, Sambo and Quimbo. Uncle Tom is near death, and forgives the two slaves, and they convert to Christianity. Two days later George Shelby, son of Mr. Shelby arrives at the Legere plantation with enough money to purchase Uncle Tom’s freedom. By then it was too late, he finds Uncle Tom in a shed, arrives in time to hear some of Uncle Tom’s last words “O. Master George! Heaven has come! I have the victory! The Lord Jesus has given it to me. Glory be to his name, and with his last dying breath he murmurs to Master George ”O, Mas’r George! what a thing ‘t is to be a Christian.”

In conclusion, this book is poignantly well written and kept me interested in continuing to read. I felt every pain and shed a few tears as I was reading, that at times I had to put it down and compose myself before I continued on reading. The author made the reader feel each slaves hardship, particularly Uncle Tom’s hardships. Harriet Beatrice Stowe was a woman full of charismatic wisdom for a woman in her century. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more of the trials and tribulations associated with slavery.

Of all the bills that made up the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was the most controversial. It required citizens to assist in the recovery of fugitive slaves. It denied a fugitive’s right to a jury trial. Slaves had no rights, they were guilty by virtue of a slave-owner's say-so, there was very little burden of proof, the federal government bore most of the costs of returning escaped slaves, and non-slaves who helped fugitive slaves were subject to harsh fines and prison.

bring on nations the wrath of Almighty God!” In a sense, Harriet Beecher Stowe predicted the coming of the Civil War.

Augustine St. Clare’s wife, Marie St. Clare does not share the same sentiments that her deceased husband shared regarding the treatment of slaves, and the promise Augustine St. Clare made to Uncle Tom granting his freedom. She states to Ms. Ophelia, Augustine St. Clare’s cousin “I dare say he wants it, they all want it. Just because they are, a discontented set, always wanting what they do not have. Now I am principled against emancipating in any case. Keep a Negro under the care of a master, and he does well enough, and is respectable; but set them free, and they get lazy, and will not work, and take to drinking, and go all down to mean, worthless fellows. I have seen it tried, hundreds of times. It is no favor to set them free”. Marie St. Clare is originally from New Orleans, the South. Where sentiments and views are the same from other southerners alike, she believes that slaves are only useful for labor, and every now and then need to be whipped, in order to know their place.

The Beecher sisters as they were known, were active in many clubs, particularly the Semi-Colon Club where

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