As Henry had warned, many northerners refused to abide by the new law. Abolitionist groups and entire jurisdictions fought back. Vigilance committees sprang up in cities that didn’t already have them, protecting Black people from arrest and organizing rescue operations when necessary. Black citizens bought guns to protect themselves and their families. In Auburn, Frances took on a new role, as Henry’s go-between, keeping him fully apprised of the political mood in New York. She wrote to Augustus, “The public opinion against Slavery is daily growing warmer—It is impossible to see when it will
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