"We went to bed one night old-fashioned, conservative, Compromise Union Whigs and waked up stark mad Abolitionists" -- Amos Lawrence, 1854 1/ 
Americans have fought kidnapping carried out by their government before. 2/
They held mass meetings, protested outside of jails... 3/
They concealed those in danger and spread word when government officials and agents of slaveholders came near. 4/
They purchased people's freedom when they had to, and the most radical liberated people from jail by force. 5/
They made clear that this particular barbarism was not carried out in their name. 6/
They did not always succeed. In fact, they often failed. The forces of the state and of capital were powerful and had the "law" on their side. 7/
But they knew exceptional cruelty and injustice when they saw it. And even some of those inclined not to look at slavery squarely saw it for what it was. 8/8
