Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-03-31
TIE CASE OF DRIED SCOTT.
Opinions Of Justice Tdneg and Justices Cl,tis
and .HcIean.

IEE CASE OF DRIED SCOTT.
/ Opinions Of Justice Taneg and Justices CARTS
and Mclean.
we suboin an extract from the opinion
OF Chief Justice TANEY, in the Dred
Scott case, in which the octorenarian
Judge falsifes history and subyerts the
fundamental principles of law in his zeal
to serve the slavery propagandists, ac-
companied by synopsis of the dissenting
opinions of Justices CURTIS and Mclean /:
CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY said: Itis true
that every person, and every class and
description of persons at the time of the
adoption of the Constitution, regarded as
citizens Of the several States, became
citizens Of this new political body, and none
other. 1t was formed for them and their
posterity, and for nobody else; and all
the rights and immunities were intended
to embrace only those of State communi-
ties, or those who became members ac-
cording 10 the principles on which the
Constitution was adopted. 1t was union
OF those who were members Of the po-
liuCai communities, whose power for GER
tain specified purposes extended over the
whole Territories Of the United States.
and gave each citizen rights outside his
State which he did not before possess. and
placed all rights of persons and property
on an equality.
1t becomes necessary, therefore, to de-
ternine who were citizens of the several
States when the Constitution was adopt
ed. In order to do this we must reCur
to the Colonies when they separated from
Great Britain, formed new communities.
aud took their place among the family of
nations. They who were recognized as
citizens Of the States declared their indie
pendence of Great Britain, and defended
it by force of arms. Another class Of
persons, who had been imported as slaves.
or their descendants, We're not recognized
or intended to be included in that memo
rabIe instrumental Declaration Of In
dcpendence It is difficult at this day to
realize the state of public opinion respect
ING that unfortunate class. with the civil
lied and enlightened portion of the world
at the time Of the Declaration Of hide
pendence and the adoption of the Consti-
tution: hut history shows they have for
more than a century, been regarded as
beings of an inferior order, and unit as
s0ciates for the white race. either socially
or politically. and had no rights which
white men were bound to respect. and
the black man might be reduced to slave
~. sold and bought, and treated as an or
dinary article of merchandise. This
opinion, at that time. was fixed and uni
yersal with the civilized portion of the
white race. 1t was regarded as an axiom
in morals. which no one thought Of dis
putting, and every one habitually acted
upon il, without doubling for a moment
the correctness of the opinion. And in
no nation was this opinion more fixed and
generally acted upon than in England
the subjects of which Government not
only seized them on the Coast of Africa,
bat took them as ordinary merchandise,
10 where they could make profit on
them. The opinion thus entertained was
universally impressed on the Colonisls
this side of the Atlantic; accordingly ne
groes Of the African race were regarded
bv them as property, and held and bought,
and sold, as such N every one Of the
thirteen Colonies which united IN the
Declaration of independence, and after
wards formed the Constitution. The doe
trine of which we have spoken was strik-
inglv enforced by the Declaration of In
dependence. 1t thus begins: q When, IN
the course of human events, 1t becomes
necessary for one people to dissolve the
political bonds which have connected them
with another. and to assume among the
powers of the earth the separate and
equal station to which the laws of nature
and of natures God entitle them, a de-
cent respect to the opinions of mankind
requires that they should declare the caus-
es which impel them to the separation" :"
and then proceeds: " We hold these
truths to be self-eyident--thata all men are
created equal that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain Inalienable
rights: that among these are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness. That to
secure these rights, Governments are IN
stituted among men, deriving their Just
powers from the consent Of the govern
ed" etc. The words before quoted would
seem to embrace the whole human fami-
( lv: and if used in similar Instrument at
this dav would be so understood. But il
| is too clear for dispute that the enslaved At
rican race was not intended to be inclu-
ded for, in that case, the acts of the distin-
ouished men who framed the Declaration
of Independence would be fagrantly
against the principle which they asserted
They who framed the Declaration Of In.
! dependence were men of too much hon.