Senator Powell favored Kentucky's neutrality policy during the Civil War, but nationally, the conflict put him in a tenuous political situation. On one hand, he favored a strong national government and a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. On the other hand, he was an opponent of coercion, and due to Kentucky's proximity to the Southern states, maintained a more sympathetic view of the southern cause than legislators from more northern states. During his term as governor, Powell had been critical of Northern states that refused to abide by the Fugitive Slave Act.