[Ditto]

And the commissioner would judge whether the owner's testimony was believable or not, and then send -- as they usually did -- the person back to slavery."

Even more than that Walt. If the commissioner found that the black was not to be sent back south, the commissioner recieved a $5 fee from the government. If he found that the black was a "fugitive" he was awarded $5 by the government AND $5 by the person claiming ownership. Bounty hunters figured pretty quickly that they could "buy" a slave in the North for five dollars and sell him in the South for $1000. Such a deal!

[WhiskeyPapa]

Even more than that Walt. If the commissioner found that the black was not to be sent back south, the commissioner recieved a $5 fee from the government. If he found that the black was a "fugitive" he was awarded $5 by the government AND $5 by the person claiming ownership. Bounty hunters figured pretty quickly that they could "buy" a slave in the North for five dollars and sell him in the South for $1000. Such a deal!

Calling these people heroes, or suggesting they represented an impulse towards freedom, is straight from "1984".

Walt