From the time that the United States declared and won its independence from Great Britain, the tensions between the North and South have tended to simmer, but not until much later did we reach “boiling point.” The North needed the South, just as the South needed the North. Both sides contributed so much to functioning of the United States as a democratic republic. The United States government recognized the need for slave labor as a standard of maintaining the growth and development of this country. There was much opposition to the use of slave labor, and in turn, many of these Northerners took part in the harboring of escaped slaves. This was done much to the dismay of Southerners.
After Linda has been living in Boston for a couple of years, she finds herself alone and unemployed. She finds Mr. Bruce in New York City, and realizes that he is remarried with a new baby. Mr. Bruce has a type of compassion for Linda, and invites her to be his new daughter’s caretaker. She accepts, but is cautious of the idea, due to her knowledge of the new act that was implemented. She is still extremely cautious of Mr. Flint, whom she knows has been looking for her. Linda is aware that no matter what the circumstances of her employment and duties that she has had bestowed upon her, that New York is a free state, and she is still the legal property of Dr. Flint. She understands the cruelty he has bestowed upon previous slaves, and she understands the consequences that she could face in being returned to him. When Linda learns that Dr. Flint is in hot pursuit of her, she escapes to New England, and remains there for several months. She does this with the help of Mrs. Bruce. Linda recalls the case of James Hamlin (Hamlet), said to be the first person arrested under the new law. She also tells a story about a slave named Luke and his cruel master, and Luke's eventual escape to Canada with his master's money. She sympathizes with Luke, and views the taking of his master’s money as...