Territory acquired from Mexico

“we went to bed one night old fashioned, conservative, Compromise Union Whigs & wakes up stark mad Abolitionists”

-- Amos Lawrence

Status of slavery in the western territories

“The Senator [Andrew Butler] from South Carolina has read many books of chivalry, and believes himself a chivalrous knight, with sentiments of honor and courage. Of course he has chosen a mistress to whom he has made his vows, and who, though ugly to others, is always lovely to him; though polluted in the sight of the world, is chaste in his sight I mean the harlot, Slavery.” – Sen. Charles Sumner

To the Hon. John M. Krum, Judge of the St. Louis Circuit Court. Dred Scott, a man of color, respectfully states to your honor, that he is claimed as a slave by one Irene Emerson, of the County of St. Louis, State of Missouri, widow of the late Dr. John Emerson, who at the time of his death was a surgeon in the United States army. … - that said Emerson is now dead, and his widow the said Irene claims petitioners services as a slave, and as his owner, but believing that under this state of fact, that he is entitled to his freedom, he prays your honor to allow him to sue said Irene Emerson in said Court, in order to establish his right to freedom + he will pray be.

his Dred X Scott

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“Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I say, let it be done”

– John Brown, November 2, 1859