Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-10-04
THE STORY OF DRIED SCOTT.
His Association with a Great constitu
tional Question.


Few negroes in this country have ever
become so famous as bred Scott yet
Scott was only an illiterate slave, his
name deriving its importance solely from
its association with a great constitution
al question. He was born a slave, and
was taken when about 25 years old, by
his master to Missouri to what was
then Wisconsin territory. There he mar
ried, and two children were born to him.
On his return to Missouri he sued for his
freedom and thai of his family, on
the ground that Il had been acquired by
residence in a Iree state. He won his
case, but his master appealed IT, and the
Missouri supreme court decided against
Scott. ON being sold to a citizen of New
York John +. a. Sanford, he again ap-
pealed to the courts for freedom, was
again adjudged a slave, and finally car
ried the case to the United states
supreme court which i'm 1856 affirmed the
judgment Of the lower tribunal
The trial attracted the attention of the
whole country, and eminent lawyers took
part in it without asking compensation.
Montgomery Blair and George r. Curtis
appeared for Scott, while opposed to him
were Reverdy Johnson and Henry S.
Geyer. Chief Justice Taney's opinion,
read two days after Buchanan's inaugu-
ration, was received by the nation with
intense interest In affirming the decision
OF the lower court. il declared that the
act Of Congress prohibiting slavery north
OF latitude SO degrees 30 minutes was I'M
constitutional and void. Thomas H. Ben
ton said that this decision made slavery
the organic law Of the land, while free
dom was the exception. Soon after the
decision was rendered the ownership of
Scott and family passed by inheritance tn
the family Of Calvin c. Chaffee. a mem
Der OF Congress from Massac husetts by
whose orders tbny. tof
pated I'm st. Louis on May %. 1857
representative Of Leslie's Weekly visited
them soon after that date and obtained
photographs. 1t was said that Scott had
refused an offer Of a large sum Of money
to travel through the North and show
himself to the abolitionists, and that by
this means he might have secured his
freedom before he was emancipated.
More excitement than that occasioned
by the bred Scott decision was caused
| In New York by the conflict between the
me uopoltau' and the municipal police
forces Of that city in June, 1857. During
| the winter Of 1857 hill was passed by
! In" state legislature depriving Mayor Fer
nando Wood OF all control Of the police
| and abolishing the municipal force The
I mayor refused To recognize the change
and the metropolitan force was organized
independently Of him and his advisers
among whom was the famous LAWYER
/ Charles O'Conor For several weeks tho
city was under the protection Of two
sets Of police guardians. the "municipals"
owing allegiance to the mayor the
'mctropoltaus" to the METROPOLITAN 20
| lice commissioners. on June H. the
mayor having refused to recognize a
new street commissioner. appointed by
the governor TO succeed Joseph : TAYLOR.
who had died In Office. an attempt was
made to arrest him, a body Of 80 metro
politans' being sent to the city hall
Armed with long clubs. they ATTEMPTED
to enter the building. which Chief Mat
sell MAD strongly garrisoucd with "muni-
cipals.' \ fierce fight onsucd. in which
the 'mctropolitans were routed. some
OF them receiving serious wounds from
the clubs Of their opponents. The recor-
der then took hand. issuing two war
! rants for Wood. one charging him with
resisting the process Of the courts and
the other with melting riot The mayor
finally submitted to arrest at the hands
or the sheriff, gave bail. and the eth
regiment which had been held in readi-
ness for putting down the riot If IL should
be called upon. WIS allowed To leave the
city Tor the Bunker hin celebration in
Boston. The cunstitutiouality Of the act
ot the legislature creating a new police
force was soon 1ftcrward affirmed and
the municipal police force passed out Of
existence. The doughty Matsell. though
for the time defeated. was made suporin-
tendont Of police when the board was re-
organized in lN13.-GLeslio's Weekly.