to all persons, irrespective of race."[44]

The organization of the Anti-Slavery Society of Canada came largely as
a result of the sudden influx of Negroes after 1850 which, perhaps
more than anything else, impressed upon Canadians the great issue that
was rapidly dividing the neighboring republic. Beginning at Toronto
the anti-slavery forces in Canada were organized in the various cities
and towns of the province and continued active until the Civil War.
There was developed in Canada a marked anti-slavery sentiment which
manifested itself in part in the very large number of Canadians who
enlisted in the northern armies.[45] The Anti-Slavery Society was also
active in extending the helping hand to the fugitives, considerable
sums being raised for relief purposes and support being given to
educational and other movements designed to elevate the race.

In Canada the refugees were absolutely safe from the operations of the
Fugitive Slave Law. No loophole could be found in the Canadian law
that would permit the rendition of a slave. A famous case arose in the
Canadian courts on the eve of the Civil War when a Negro, John
Anderson, was arrested charged with the murder of a slaver named Diggs
some years before, the crime having been committed while Anderson was
trying to make his escape from slavery. Canadian opinion was much
aroused and though the first decision of the courts was that the Negro
must be extradited this finding was overruled from England and in the
end the prisoner was released on a technicality. It was made quite
clear that the British Government would view with marked disapproval
any decision in Canada that would return a refugee to slavery.

There were doubtless numerous attempts to kidnap Negroes who had
escaped to Canada, especially in the border towns, but such attempts
must have been rarely successful. An open attempt to induce a Canadian
official to act as slave catcher was exposed in the _Montreal Gazette_
of January 13, 1855, when there was published a letter written by one,
John H. Pape, of Frederick, Maryland, to Sheriff Hays, of Montreal,
proposing that the latter should use his power to arrest Negroes who
would then be turned over to Pape. The proceeds from the sale of the
captured chattels would be divided evenly, according to the plan
suggested.

Canadians took a measure of pride in the sense of security with which
their Negro immigrants could look back at their pursuers. That the
slavery