 In 1860 Washburn joined in public calls for the repeal of the state 's personal liberty laws . These laws , which were designed to make enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 as difficult as possible , were characterized by their opponents as an affront to the interests of slave owners , and as a source of heightened tension between north and south . When the American Civil War broke out in 1861 , Washburn led calls for harmony in the law school , which had students from both northern and southern states . He also served , despite his relatively advanced age , in a home guard militia unit , and supported the war effort by writing , giving speeches , and donating money . 
