The Nevada Democrat., 1857-05-27
The Original Dred scott-Hls History.

The distinguished colored individual who has
made such a noise in the world, in connection
with the celebrated case of Scott Vs. Sanford,
and who has become so tangled up with the
Missouri Compromise and other great subjects
-Dred Scott-is a resident-not citiZen-of
st. Louis. lie is well known to many of our
citizens. and may frequently be seen passing
along Third street. He is an old inhabitant,
having come to this city thirty years ago.
Dred Scott was born in Virginia, where he
belonged to Capt. Peter Blow, the father of
Henry I. Blow and Taylor Blow, of this city.
be was brought by his master to ST. Louis about
thirty years ago, and in the course of time, be-
came the property of DR.. Emerson o surgeon
in the army, whom he accompanied on trip
TO Rock Island and Fort Smelling, on the ground
of which he based his claim to freedom. The
wife of DR.. Emerson was formerly Miss Sanford.
and is now Mrs. Chaffee, the wife of Hon. Mr..
Chaffec, of Massachusetts. He has been mar
ried twice, his first wife by whom he had no
children, having been sold from him. He has
had four children by his present wife, two boys
both dead, and two girls, both living. Dred
was at Corpus Christi. at the breaking out OF
the Mexican war, as the servant of Capt. Balm
bridge, whom he speaks of as good man.
On his return from Mexico, he applied to
his mistress, Mrs Emerson, for the purchase of
his freedom, offering to pay part of the money
down, and give an eminent citizen of St Louis,
an officer in the army, as security for the pay
ment of the remainder. His mistress refused
his proposition, and being informed that he was
entitled to his freedom by the operation of the
laws regulating the Nor thwest Territory, forth
with brought suit for it. The suit was com
menced ten years ago, and has cost Drcd $500
in cash, besides labor to u nearly equal amount.
1t has given him cheap o. trouble" he says,
and If he had known that "it was gwine to last
SO long" he would not have brought it. The
| suit was defended by Mr.. John Sanford, as ex-
ecutor of DR.. Emerson's will
Dred does not appear to be at all discouraged
by the issue Of the celebrated case, although il
dooms him to slavery. He talks about the
affair with the ease of a veteran litgant, though
not in clinical language and is hugely tickled
at the dea of finding himself parsonage Of
such Importance He does not take on airs
however, but laughs heartily when talking OF
''de fu.s dey made dar in Washington, bout
de ole ngger."
! He is about ffty-fve years old, we should
think, though he does not know his own age
He is OF unmiXed African blood. and rs black
as piece of charcoal. For two or three years
past, he has been running at large, no one ex-
ercising ownership over him. or putting any
restraint on his movements. If he were dis
posed to make the attempt, he could gain his
freedom at much less cost than even one tenth
of the expense of the famous suit. He will
never do so, however, insisting on abiding by
the principles involved in the decision of the
suit He declares he will stick to his mistress
as long as he lives. His daughters, Eliza and
LiZzy, less conscientious about the matter, took
advantage of the absence of restraint on their
movements, year or two since, to disappear,
and their whereabouts remain mystery.
Dred, though iliterate, is not ignorant. lie
has travelled considerably and has improved
his stock of strong common sense by much in
formation picked up in his journeyings. He is
anxious to know who owns him, being ignorant
whether be is the property of Mrs. Cbailee, oil
Mr.. Sanford, though we presume there is nc
doubt that the former is his real owner HC
seems tired of running about with no one tc
look after him, while at the same time he is a
slave. He says grinningy, that he conld make
thousands of dollars if allowed, by travelling
over the country and telling who he is-,S
IOujS Ne,rS