Members of Congress were duly warned of the dangers involved in any attempt to enforce a more stringent law than the previous act which had proved a dead letter.
To those who understood the conditions, the new law also was doomed to failure.

So said Senator Butler of South Carolina.

An attempt to enforce it would be met by violence.
This prediction came true.

The twenty thousand potential victims residing in Northern States were thrown into panic.

Some rushed off to Canada; others organized means for protection.