The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-03-23
sienday Morning. March ~. 1857.

HISTORY OF tbs DRkp ScorT CAsE.-As
Dred Scott seems to have become quite distin.
suished character. and Ia likely to figure exsen.
sively for some time to come in the political con.
tests ofthe country, subjoin the following brief
history of his case, rs furnished by the washinp>
ton Union s
Scott. institwted a suit in the circnlt NOM, :,
Missouri 20 obtain discharge from ser vttnds e.
himself aud family Tn the trial IL was nso,os .o
that he had been originally slave Ia Msannri ,h.,
his master irst took him TO the military 80, ,As.
Rock Island, In Illinois, aud subseauents " Ia :.
Smelling, in Minnesota, at . pout nnr,h q, a.
Missouri compromise iine, and that ne and hi. fsr'
lily subsequently returned with him 10 M;ssnnn
II was contended in his behalf In in.smrnh -,
owner bad voluntarily tskfn him To nI.sss rh..s
slavery did rot exist by .aw both h. snI his e.
y became tree. aud remaiaed s, after re,nro;ns -
ssiavehoiding sss.e, The circuit cour, decided in
Lis favor. ~
On sPPea to the Supreme Court of the State
that troup Al held that he ami his family, on re.
<nrS'ns 20 she State, oontirued slaves. Between
ihe ~ aunctation Of the opinion of the court aud
fS Ling of Its man ufaie in the circuit court Scott
N'.untari!y dismissed his sut in the State court
thus evading the decision sgainst him; and there-
upoh Instituted another in the circuit court of the
United States la this court the question of i,,ris
dicton depended upon Lis being a citizen of Mis-
souri, and the defendant ci iZen of another State
II the court should be Of opinion that he was
citizen, then he clsimed that he was free because
his owner had takea him 10 Illinois and atso to 4
part OF ihe louisiana territory north Of the com
promise line.
The circuit court rendered final Judgment
against him. and therpupon he appealed TO the
Supreme Court Of the United States where the
same questions were raised and twice argued by
ans Counsel and also determined against him
ine caSse was last argued bv George T. Curtis
brother OF Jadoe Curtis sud Montgomery Blair
son H FRANCIS p. Blair, tor the plaintiff Scott
ane ey Senator Geyer and Reverdy Johnson for
<se oetendsnt. on the nrst srgun,en. neither Mr..
Nurilsn0r Dir. johnson took part
The tact that ths court ordered a re argument ia
ample proof of the importance of the question =
involved and the difficulty of solving them On
the last argument toe court was filled with inteIli.
gent and anxious listeners The court took time
TO deliberate spd prepare their opinions Each
lodge fofmed and expressed his own The rea.
sons sus aiaipg his Conclusions are placed upon
record py each, and bis countrymen will read
and reflect, and test them by the rules of common
secsI and every day esson. No judicial tribunal
ca reasonably obj ect to criticisms based upon such
principles Truth will never suffer By being SUBJ
jected to the standard of reason and right
From this statement II is evident that Scotts
name has been used by q class of slavery agita-
tors for political effect Having been beaten in
Missouri and in the United States Circuit and
supreme Court, they Low attempt, for the same
purpose, to appeal from the decisions of the iu-
dietary 10 political club rooms, where other consi
erafions than calm reason and sober Judgment are
expected to prevail. Time will show whether they
Lave calculated the resu. With accuracy.