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The Washington University Libraries presents an online exhibit of documents regarding the Dred Scott case. American slave Dred Scott (1795?-1858) and his wife Harriet filed suit for their freedom in the Saint Louis Circuit Court in 1846. The U.S. Supreme Court decided in 1857 that the Scotts must remain slaves.

The clashes between President Abraham Lincoln and Chief Justice Roger B. Taney over slavery, secession, and the president's constitutional war powers are vividly brought to life in this compelling story of the momentous tug-of-war between these two men during the worst crisis in American history.

The Dred Scott Case: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Race and Law presents original research and the reflections of the nation's leading scholars who gathered in St. Louis to mark the 150th anniversary of what was arguably the most infamous decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision, which held that African Americans "had no rights" under the Constitution and that Congress had no authority to alter that, galvanized Americans and thrust the issue of race and law to the center of American politics. --

Excerpt from The Dred Scott Decision: Opinion of Chief Justice Taney, With an Introduction by Dr. J. H. Van Evrie; Also, an Appendix, Containing an Essay on the Natural History of the Prognathous Race of Mankind At last, then, and in conclusion, we have reached the calm nating point of the Wildest, the most senseless, the most disgusting, and Withal the most dangerous de lusion that ever afflicted an intelligent people, or threatened to destroy the peace, order, and safety of human society. Whatever the course or the legislation of sovereign States, henceforth and for ever the status of the negro, his relation to the white at zens, and the rights of the latter in respectto slave property, are now clearly defined Within the Federal jurisdiction. And this decision must be accepted and sustained by the northern masses, or there must be disunion and dismemberment of the Union for the States and people havmg this negro element tn their m.dst, cannot, even if they would, consent to any compromise in this respect, and therefore if the northern people, led astray by the agents and dupes of the enemies of Democracy, refuse to abide by it, there ts for the south no alternative but disunion and the esta blishment of a new confederacy in conformity With the wants and necessities of southern somety. It remains, then, for the honest and patriotic citizens of the North who would av0id this calamity of disnnion, and save tor their offspring the glorious institutions won by the blood and sacrifices of their fathers, to abandon the false mental habits imposed on them by the enemies of these institutions, and, accepting the fixed and immutable truths of the Dred Scott to regard as enemies to the peace of the country, and indeed to the safety of society, all those who. Under the pretence of negro liberty, would render liberty for the white man impossible. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Dred Scott Decision: Opinion of Chief Justice Taney The doctrine of 1776, that all (white) men are created free and equal, is univer sally accepted and made the basis of all our institutions, State and National, and' the relations of citizenship - the rights of the individual - in short, the status of the dominant race, is thus defined and fixed for ever. But there have been doubts. And uncertainties in regard to the negro. Indeed, many (perhaps most) American communities have latterly sought to include him in the ranks of citizenship, and force upon him the status of the superior race. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.