The Debate For Freedom: The Dred Scott Decision

A Debate for Freedom: The Dred Scott Decision

The topic of slavery was a major reason for the Civil War. One of most well known trials is the Dread Scott Decision, he fought for years and had several trials before he was finally free. It takes a strong man to not give up on his dream. A dream that he would not live to see play out for many other slaves. Dred Scott was born into slavery around 1800 his first known owner was Peter Blow in 1830. Before Mr. Blow’s death in 1832, Dred Scott was sold to Dr. Emerson. In 1833 Dred Scott went with Dr. Emerson to Fort Armstrong in Illinois he was an assistant surgeon in the Army. Dr. Emerson was stationed there for three years and Dred Scott would have been entitled to sue for freedom, however
Emerson was transferred back to St. Louis but because it was winter the Mississippi River started to freeze he had to make the journey in a canoe. Dr. Emerson was forced to leave most of his possessions, which included the Scotts. They were hired out until they could join Dr. Emerson in St. Louis. This would end up being the third opportunity for Dred to obtain freedom but again he did not. Before the Scotts could join Dr. Emerson in St. Louis Dr. Emerson was transferred to Fort Jesup, Louisiana. While he was at Fort Jesup he met and married Eliza Irene Sanford. After his marriage he requested for Dred and Harriet Scott to join them in Louisiana. By joining the Emerson’s in Louisiana they knowingly returned to a slave state. Soon after the Scotts arrived in Louisiana Dr. Emerson returned to St. Louis. On the trip Harriet gave birth to Eliza Scott in free territory. On December 29th 1843 Dr. Emerson died. (Missouri Digital
Emerson thought them to be her property. (National Park Service)The Scotts were then hired out while Irene Emerson moved to live with her father, who owned four slaves of his own. Finally on April 6th 1846 Dred and Harriet separately filed to obtain their freedom from Irene Emerson. In both cases they believed they were entitled to freedom because they were residence in Illinois and Wisconsin territory, which was free territory. Both suits were under a Missouri Statue that allowed anyone wrongfully in slavery to sue for freedom. This was initially filed them permission to sue Irene Emerson for freedom. At the time the Scotts attorney was Francis Murdock, he started the freedom suits and established appropriate security for them. Murdock however moved before their trial. The children of Peter Blow decided to provide financial and legal assistance. Charlotte Blows brother in law Charles Drake help with the depositions and getting the cases ready for trial. Unfortunately he too moved away before the trial. Finally Samuel Bay represented the Scotts in trial on June 30th 1847. Judge Alexander Hamilton presided over the case and he did not support slavery. George Goode was Mrs. Emerson’s lawyer for the case. His goal was to prove that Dr. Emerson took the Scotts to Missouri and when he died Mrs. Emerson claimed them as slaves in Missouri. During the trial Henry Blow testified that his father sold Dred to Dr. Emerson.