From a purely constitutional standpoint the Fugitive Slave Act was just doubling down on language already in the Constitution, so states rights doesn’t apply.
Article IV Section 2
No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.
“State’s rights” is usually a bullshit argument unless it’s coming from an actual constitutional scholar and they’re probably not gonna use the phrase “state’s rights.” That being said, you know, fuck slavery and those who argued in its favor.
From a purely constitutional standpoint the Fugitive Slave Act was just doubling down on language already in the Constitution, so states rights doesn’t apply.
Article IV Section 2
“State’s rights” is usually a bullshit argument unless it’s coming from an actual constitutional scholar and they’re probably not gonna use the phrase “state’s rights.” That being said, you know, fuck slavery and those who argued in its favor.