During three months these bills were hotly debated, and threats of disunion and violence were made openly.
%381. Death of Taylor; Fillmore becomes President.%—In the midst of the debate, July 9, 1850, Taylor died, and Fillmore was sworn into office. Calhoun had died in March. Webster was made Secretary of State by Fillmore. In some respects these changes helped on the measures, all of which were carried through. Two of them were of great importance.
[Illustration: Millard Fillmore]
%382. Popular Sovereignty.%—The first provided that the two new territories, New Mexico and Utah, when fit to be admitted as states, should come in with or without slavery as their constitutions might determine; meantime, the question whether slavery could or could not exist there, if it arose, was to be settled by the Supreme Court.
%383. The Fugitive-Slave Law.%—The other important measure of the compromise was the fugitive-slave law. The old fugitive-slave law enacted in 1793 had depended for its execution on state judges. This new law of 1850
1. Gave United States commissioners power to turn over a colored man or woman to anybody who claimed the negro as an escaped slave.
2. Provided that the negro could not give testimony.
3. "Commanded" all good citizens, when summoned, to aid in the capture of the slave, or, if necessary, in his delivery to his owners.
4. Prescribed fine and imprisonment for anybody who harbored a fugitive slave or prevented his recapture.
[Illustration: %Results of the COMPROMISE of 1850%]