The Dred Scott vs. Sanford case was a slave incident that occurred in America. In 1834 Dred Scott, a negro slave of Missouri, was taken by his master, who was a surgeon in the regular army, first into Illinois and then into Minnesota, a region from which slavery was expressly excluded by the celebrated Missouri Compromise of 1820. While in MinnesotaDred Scott was married with his master's consent, but on being brought back to Missouri in 1838, he and his wife and children were sold to another master.
Dred Scott brought action for trespass in a St Louiscourt, and a decision was made in his favour on the ground that, under the provisions of the Missouri Compromise, the negro was free. The Supreme Court of Missouri reversed this decision, and the case came before the Federal CircuitCourt in 1854. The defendant slave-holder pleaded that Dred Scott was not a citizen entitled to sue and be sued in the US Courts. The court held the contrary, but the jury's verdict decided the plaintiff still a slave. The case came before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1857. Here the judgment of the CircuitCourt was reversed, and the case dismissed on the ground that no negro, bond or free, could plead in the US Courts as a citizen. The court then, though denying its jurisdiction over the dispute, discussed the constitutional points. Dred Scott's status in Illinois was declared determined by his Missouridomicile. As regarded the Minnesota Territory the court declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and void, it being held that States alone could prohibit slavery from their boundaries. Chief Justice Taney read the opinion of a majority of the court, all slave-holders, declaring 'negroes so inferior that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect'. Justices Curtis and McLean dissented. Dred Scott was afterwards freed by his master. The decision and case roused great excitement in the North. Research Dred Scott vs. Sanford
Whisky Ring was the name applied to an American criminal association of revenue officers and distillers, formed in St Louis in 1872 to defraud the Government of the internal revenue tax on distilled liquors. By 1874 it had spread into national proportions. Distillers were often forced to enter the ring or expect ruin in their business. There were branches of the ring at Chicago, Milwaukee, Peoria, Cincinnati and New Orleans, and an agent at Washington to corrupt the Treasury agents. In 1874 about $1,200,000 of taxes were unpaid. In 1875, at the suggestion of Mr. George Fishback, editor of the St Louis Democrat the Secretary of the Treasury appointed Mr. Myron Colony, of the CottonExchange, to make a secret investigation of the frauds. Through his efforts indictments were brought against 238 persons, and the Government was shown to have been defrauded of $1,650,000 in ten months. Among those concerned was General Babcock, President Grant's private secretary, and many other Government officials. Research Whisky Ring
BARON Antoine-Jean Gros was a French historical painter. He was born in 1771 at Paris and died in 1835 by committing suicide. He studied art under David, and subsequently became a staff officer in the French army. In this position he produced his picture of the Victor of Arcola, by which he secured the favour of Napoleon. In 1804 he produced his Plague at Jaffa, tvith Napoleon visiting the sick, a work which was crowned at the Louvre. He painted various battle scenes; but his chief work is probably the Cupola of St. Genevieve at Paris, exhibiting the saint protecting the throne of France, represented by Clovis, Charlemagne, St Louis, and Louis XVIII. The artist received for it 100,000 francs and the title of baron. The rise of the romantic school deprived him of his popularity, and he drowned himself in the Seine in 1835. Research Antoine-Jean Gros
Blanche of Castile was rge daughter of Alphonso IX and the queen of Louis VIII., king of France, and mother of St Louis. She was born in 1187 and died in 1252 or 1253. On the death of Louis VIII she procured the coronation of her son, and during his minority held the reins of government in his name with distinguished success. In 1244, when St Louis left for the Holy Land, she again became regent, and gave new proofs of her abilities and firmness as a ruler. Research Blanche of Castile
Dred Scott was an American blavk slave. He was born in 1810 at Missouri and died after 1857. His suit for freedom was known as the Dred Scott case. He was afterward owned by C C Chafee, of Massachusetts. In 1857 he was emancipated in St Louis. Research Dred Scott
Duncan N Ingraham was an American sailor. He was born in 1802 and died in 1891. He entered the US navy in 1812. While commander of the 'St Louis' in the Mediterranean, in 1853, he secured the liberation of Martin Koszta, a prospective American citizen, who had been seized by Greeks at Smyrna at the instigation of Austrian officials. In 1861 he was appointed chief of ordnance, construction and repair in the Confederate navy. Research Duncan Ingraham
Elijah P Lovejoy was an American newspaper man and abolitionist. He was born in 1802 and died in 1837. He established the St Louis Observer in 1833, in which he ardently attacked slavery. He was compelled by violent pro-slavery sentiment to remove his paper to Alton, Illinois in 1836, where his establishment was three times sacked by a mob. At a fourth attack one of the mob was killed and Elijah Lovejoy was shot and killed by the remained of the mob. Research Elijah Lovejoy
Etienne Cabet was a French communist. He was born in 1788 at Dijon and died in 1856 at St Louis. He went to Paris, became an advocat, and was for some time editor of the Journal de Jurisprudence. As a result of his ideas a colony was founded at Nauvoo, Illinois of mainly Parisian working-men. Research Etienne Cabet
Abbreviations
Research Dred Scott vs. Sanford
