Dred Scott Case Dissents in the United States

Dred Scott Case: The Dissents

Introduction to Dred Scott Case Dissents

Justices John McLean of Ohio and Benjamin R. Curtis of Massachusetts issued dissenting opinions. Curtis attacked Taney’s historical arguments, showing that blacks had voted in five states at the founding of the United States. Thus, they were citizens of the nation from the beginning and could not now be denied citizenship.

Republicans also opposed the Court’s decision. In speeches and throughout his famous debates with Stephen A. Douglas, Abraham Lincoln alleged a conspiracy to nationalize slavery that had been hatched by Taney, Douglas, former U.S. president Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan, then the president of the United States (see Abraham Lincoln: Lincoln-Douglas Debates).” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Dred Scott Case Dissents in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Dred Scott Case Dissents

In this Section

Dred Scott Case, Dred Scott Case Background, Dred Scott’s Life, Dred Scott Case in the Supreme Court, Dred Scott Case Dissents and Dred Scott Case Significance.