Struggle at the Bridge of Antietam
historical plaque at eugene field house
94
AN INSPIRING HISTORICAL FICTION DRAMA SCRIPT BASED ON SCOTT V SANFORD, THE (7-2) U.S.SUPREME COURT RULING READ BY CHIEF JUSTICE ROGER TANEY ON MARCH 6,1857 THAT STATED THAT NEGROES-WHETHER FREE OR SLAVE-ARE NOT UNITED STATES CITIZENS BY THE CONSTITUTION. ADDITIONALLY, THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1787 COULD NOT CONFER CITIZENSHIP OR FREEDOM TO NEGROES WITHIN THIS TERRITORY. AND FINALLY, THE 1820 MISSOURI COMPROMISE PROVISION DISALLOWING SLAVERY NORTH OF MISSOURI EXCEEDED CONGRESSIONAL POWER AND THUS, THIS PORTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE ACT WAS NULL AND VOID. AS A RESULT DRED AND HARRIET SCOTT WITH THEIR CHILDREN (ELIZA AND LIZZY) HAD NO JURISDICTIONAL POWER TO UTILIZE THE FEDERAL COURTS TO OBTAIN FREEDOM OR CITIZENSHIP. THIS RULING SET THE STAGE FOR THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES OF 1858 AND THE CIVIL WAR. HARRIET SCOTT’S TREMENDOUS SUPPORT OF HER HUSBAND, DRED, IN HIS FREEDOM SUIT, FIGHTING TO KEEP HER FAMILY TOGETHER, AND THE UNENDING PLIGHT TO HAVE HER DAUGHTERS LIVE”FREE”IS A REMARKABLE TRIBUTE TO WOMEN AND MANKIND. THE STORY BEGINS AT FORT SNELLING IN WISCONSIN TERRITORY IN MAY 1836 WHERE DRED AND HARRIET SCOTT ACTUALLY MEET.
political drawing showing lincoln freeing the slaves
FEBRUARY 11, 1856 HARRIET OUR OPENING ARGUMENTS WENT WELL TODAY IN WASHINGTON I HEAR. ATTORNEY NATHANIEL HOLMES, REPRESENTING THE SCOTTS AND ROSWELL FIELD, FILED OUR DOCUMENTS. DRED YES, ATTORNEY ROSWELL FIELD TELLS ME MONTGOMERY BLAIR WAS WELL PREPARED AND MADE A VERY STRONG CASE FOR UNITED STATES AND STATE CITIZENSHIP FOR THE SCOTTS. UNFORTUNATELY THESE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE BEEN REALLY ROUGH ON MR. FIELD-HE SENT HIS OLDER TWO SONS TO LIVE WITH THEIR AUNT IN AMHERSTFRANCES. HIS WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN-ALL OF WHOM I KNEW-THEODORE, BRADY, CHARLES, AND FRANCES VICTORIA-ALL DIED RECENTLY FROM CHOLERA OR SOME OTHER MALADY.
anti-abolitionist handbill
HARRIET I’M CERTAIN ROSWELL IS SICK OF BELLEFONTAINE CEMETERY-THE MEETING OF THE MISSOURI AND MISSISSIPPI RIVERS IS FILLED WITH SAD STORIES AT THIS 95
CEMETERY. THE OPPOSING SIDE-SANFORD’S-WILL BE HEARD OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. IT WILL BE A REPEAT LEGAL ARGUMENT BY GEYER OF THE MISSOURI SUPREME COURT, AS WELL AS THE CIRCUIT COURT IN ST. LOUIS I’M CERTAIN. DRED SOMEWHERE THE NUT HAS TO CRACK-I KNOW THE NEWSPAPERS OUT EAST ARE STRONGLY IN OUR FAVOR. HARRIET BUT I’VE BEEN TOLD BY READERS THAT WE HAVE A STRONG UPHILL CLIMB-VERY STEEP WITH THE MAKE UP OF THE SUPREME COURT AND CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY BEING A SOUTHERNER. Battle of Lookout Mountain
DRED BUT MAYBE THEY WILL REVIEW RACHEL V WALKER AND SEE CASE PRECEDENT-HER CASE WAS EXACTLY LIKE OURS. HARRIET BUT SHE WAS A SINGLE MOM AND MAYBE THE JUDGE JUST FELT SORRY FOR HER. THIS CASE I’M TOLD WILL INVOLVE A DEEP REVIEW OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION, 1787 NORTHWEST ORDINANCE, THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE OF 1820, AND MISSOURI STATE’S RIGHTS INCLUDING CITIZENSHIP RIGHTSBOTH FEDERALLY AND FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI. DRED WHERE DID YOU LEARN ALL THAT?
interior of eugene field house
HARRIET ELIZA AND LIZZY NOW READ-AND THEY ALL TALK ABOUT THE CASE AT THE GERMAN MANSION ON BREMEN AVENUE. IN FACT MUCH OF ST. LOUIS IS FOLLOWING THE CASE WITH INTEREST. THEY SAY BLAIR IS FROM THE FREE SOIL PARTY AND WILL LITIGATE THE SCOTTS’ CASE STRONGLY. DRED I HAVE NOTICED THAT MANY FELLOW SLAVES, FREE NEGROES, MASTERS, AND WHITES-BOTH ANTIABOLITIONISTS AND ABOLITIONISTS-LOOK AT ME DIFFERENTLY-SORT OF LIKE IN SHOCK THAT WE WENT ALL THE WAY TO WASHINGTON DC WITH THIS CASE. HARRIET WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM, DRED? DRED I TELL THEM WE ARE DOING WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS IN THEIR HEART IS THE RIGHT THING-AND WE’VE BEEN VERY
96
FORTUNATE TO FIND GOOD ATTORNEYS AND SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. THE PAMPHLET THAT WENT OUT IN 1854 REALLY HELPED OUR CAUSE NATIONALLY AS THIS WAS A PLEA FOR FREEDOM TO ALL OF THE UNITED STATES. AND ARBA CRANE REALLY HAS HELPED BACK AT ROSWELL’S OFFICE-HE’S A YOUNG ATTORNEY WHO I CLEAN FOR-AND HE SAYS IF WE LOSE THE CASE HE WILL SOMEHOW GET US MANUMITTED. HARRIET THIS MAKES ME FEEL SO GOOD INSIDE. THERE IS A GOD WHO IS JUST-HE WILL HEAL ALL-AND HE WILL HEAL OUR ENTIRE SOCIETY ONCE SLAVERY ENDS. BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME. DRED I CANNOT WAIT FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN SCRAP STEW-I WANT SOME FRESH HAM WITH POTATOES LIKE WHAT I USED TO GET TO EAT FROM THE BLOWS IN VIRGINIA.
Attack on Fort Sumter
HARRIET IT WILL COME. OUR OPENING ARGUMENTS WENT WELL WITH ATTORNEYS CURTIS AND BLAIR. HOPEFULLY WITH TIME, MY LAUNDRESS SLAVE CAREER WILL BE DONE. DRED I BET YOU’D LIKE TO HAVE YOUR OWN SHOP. HARRIET YES I WOULD-WITH MY DAUGHTERS. DRED SOUNDS GOOD-I’D LIKE TO WORK FOR A LARGE HOTEL AND LIVE OFF TIPS FROM IMPORTANT PEOPLE I MEET. IT CAN BE VERY LUCRATIVE. HARRIET THIS WILL ALL COME-WE NEED TO JUST KEEP PRAYING NIGHT AND DAY. THAT IS OUR SALVATION. THEY HAVE DELAYED THIS WHOLE TRIAL LONG ENOUGH-WELL LONG ENOUGH TO ELECT A DEMOCRAT INTO THE WHITE HOUSEJAMES BUCHANON-THIS DOESN’T BODE WELL FOR US-BUT MY FAITH IS UNINTERRUPTED-SOMEHOW WE WILL BE FREE.
Capitulation of Vicksburg
DRED I HAVE NOT STOPPED EITHER-BUT I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT OUR UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT TRIAL OF SCOTT V SANFORD. COURTS SOMETIMES SURPRISE FOLKS. MAYBE THE TIDE HAS TURNED IN THIS COUNTRY. GOODNIGHT AND LOVE.
97
LOVE.
HARRIET
MARCH 7, 1857 DRED TODAY IS OUR BIG DAY-WE SHOULD HEAR BY NOON THE JUSTICE TANEY RULING. I HAVE OUR FRIENDS AT THE HOTEL READY TO READ ME THE ST. LOUIS PAPERS. I GUESS THEY KNOW BY TELEGRAPH WHAT THE DECISION IS.
Union Soldiers
HARRIET I HAVE FRIENDS AT THE GERMAN MANSION ON BREMEN AVENUE READY TO READ OR TELL ME ANYTHING THEY’VE ACTUALLY HEARD. I CAN’T WAIT. I FEEL GOD IS WITH US. DRED NO MATTER WHICH WAY THIS GOES, HARRIET-WE STILL HAVE EACH OTHER AND THE KIDS-ELIZA AND LIZZY. HARRIET YES-THEY ARE THE BEST-AND BOTH KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON-THEY ARE VERY PROUD OF THEIR PARENTS. DRED WELL, I’M QUITE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL WIN THIS CASE AND WE WILL THEN HAVE A GATHERING NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN ST. LOUIS-I CAN’T WAIT. HARRIET IT WILL BE A CELEBRATION PARTY THAT WILL NEVER ENDNEVER.
political cartoon from the dred scott era
DRED FREEDOM WILL BE OURS-I CAN COUNT THE HOURS-NOT THE DAYS. THIS RULING BY CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY WILL HOPEFULLY BE THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR SLAVERY FOR ALL RACES AND PEOPLE WORLDWIDE. HARRIET I FULLY AGREE-I WANT THIS ATROCITY OF AN INSTITUTION PLACED ON US TO END AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I WANT THE WRITINGS BY EASTMAN THAT ARE READ TO ME FROM THE “WESTERN CITIZEN” AND BY GARRISON IN HIS “LIBERATOR” TO STAND TALL-ABOVE ALL THE UNITED STATES AS A BEACON OF FREEDOM. THESE BRAVE WRITERS DID WHAT NO ONE ELSE COULD-STAND UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS! THIS WILL BE BIGGER THAN THE ST. LOUIS FIRES FROM THE
98
“WHITE CLOUD” BOAT OR BIGGER THAN THE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC-BIGGER THAN ANYTHING. FREEDOM WILL WIN! DRED HARRIET-I’M SORRY-I FEEL THAT A WAR WILL HAVE TO DECIDE THE FREEDOM OF THE NEGRO RACE-IT WON’T COME EASY. THE SOUTHERN ECONOMY IS TOO DEPENDENT UPON SLAVERY. THE JUSTICES ARE ALL SOUTHERN-AND STATES’ RIGHTS SEEM TO BE SUPREME AT THIS TIME IN OUR COUNTRY. HARRIET YES-I FEEL THE SAME-BUT OUR CASE WILL MAKE A DENT HOPEFULLY IN THE WAR AGAINST BONDAGE-END THE LOCAL SLAVE TRADE IN DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS-GIVE FREEDOM TO OUR FELLOW NEGROES, WHITE AND INDIAN SERVANTS. IT WILL ALSO END SO CALLED MASTERS HAVING A RIGHT TO DECIDE YOUR FATE. DRED I CANNOT WAIT-I’M BUSTING INSIDE FOR THE GOOD NEWS. IT SHOULD COME AT ANY TIME. I HEARD THERE WAS A BRIEF PRONOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY AND A FULL LEGAL REVIEW TODAY BY CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY OF OUR CASE. OH, HARRIET-HERE COMES OUR KIDS-THEY ARE SPRINTING HERE-SEEMS LIKE THEY KNOW SOMETHING.
confederate dead at battle of chancellorsville, near fredericsburg, Virginia
HARRIET THEY ARE CRYING-HOPEFULLY IT’S A GOOD CRY. I’LL TALK TO THEM QUICKLY-I’LL RUN TOWARDS THEM. HARRIET!
DRED
HARRIET I’M RUNNING DRED-I CAN’T WAIT. BUT HARRIET-WAIT!
DRED
emancipation political drawing
HARRIET I’M GONE DRED! HELLO ELIZA AND LIZZY-SAY SOMETHING! DRED WHAT ARE THEY SAYING-I’M COMING ALSO. HARRIET DRED-WE LOST-I’M CRYING NOW TOO. WE LOST CONCLUSIVELY.
99
DRED WHAT?! I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT! I CANNOT BELIEVE ONE HUMAN WOULD LOCK ANOTHER UP FOR LIFE AND BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH HIMSELF. I UNDERSTAND THE LAW AND ALLBUT DAMMIT, THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE ITTHEY ARE THE HIGHEST COURT OF OUR LAND. HARRIET NO, DRED-GOD IS THE HIGHEST COURT-ONLY GOD WILL DECIDE OUR FATE AFTER WE LEAVE THE EARTH-WE AND THEY WILL BE JUDGED BY OUR ACTIONS ON EARTH. THAT’S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I NEED TO WALK ALONE AND PRAYTHOUGH IT’S DIFFICULT.
political cartoon of the era about the dred scott court case
DRED DON’T LEAVE HARRIET-PLEASE. HARRIET DRED, I NEED SOME TIME FOR MYSELF AND NO ONE ELSE. I NEED TO TALK TO GOD. I WAS REALLY READY FOR OUR FAMILY TO BEGIN A FREE LIFE. NOW THAT ISN’T POSSIBLE. ALL BECAUSE A JUDGE SAYS THAT WE HAVE KINDNESS AND BENEVOLENCE RIGHTS-THAT’S ALL-WE NEGROES ARE PROPERTY OF AN INFERIOR ORDER WITH NO STATE, TERRITORY, OR UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS. DRED BUT HARRIET-THERE IS ANOTHER WAY. HARRIET THERE IS NO OTHER WAY, DRED-I CAN ONLY RECONCILE THIS WITH GOD-I CANNOT EVEN RECONCILE THIS DECISION WITH MY FAMILY-GOD HAS DECIDED THAT THIS IS DRED, HARRIET, ELIZA, AND LIZZY SCOTT’S PLIGHT IN LIFE. WHY I DON’T KNOW-I’LL NEVER KNOW. I ONLY BELIEVE THAT IN TRUE FAITH THERE WILL BE JUSTICE IN THE END. I WILL DO ANYTHING TO KEEP OUR FAMILY TOGETHER. I’M CRYING DRED-HOLD ME BEFORE I FALL TO PIECES. I CANNOT TAKE THIS ANYMORE.
harriet beecher stowe, author of uncle tom’s cabin
DRED I WILL HOLD YOU UNTIL THE BLEEDING STOPS-EVEN IF THAT IS FOREVER. MY LOVE FOR YOU IS ETERNAL. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS SOMEHOW. I DON’T KNOW HOW-BUT I WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT OUR KIDS-ELIZA AND LIZZY WILL GROW UP FREE. I’LL NEVER FORGET THIS DAY. PLEASE COME BACK TO OUR LEAN-TO AND WE WILL SLEEP, AND THEN PRAY. OK DRED-I LOVE YOU.
100
HARRIET
LOVE YOU TOO.
DRED
AUGUST 27, 1857 HARRIET OK, DRED-WHY ARE YOU SMILING SO? LET ME GUESS-THE KIDS ARE READING AND WRITING WELL? NO-TRY AGAIN.
DRED
HARRIET WE ARE ALL BEING SHIPPED NORTH BY THE SANFORDS OR IRENE’S NEW FAMILY, THE CHAFFEES?
the missouri compromise of 1820
DRED NOT EVEN CLOSE-AND IT’S EVEN BETTER. HARRIET WELL, TELL ME THEN-I HATE BEING IN SUSPENSE-YOU KNOW THAT-I’M TOO EXCITABLE-BEDSIDES IF YOU DON’T TELL ME SOON I’M BANGING YOUR HEAD WITH THIS POT. DRED OK-GOING BACK-REMEMBER MY VERY BEST FRIENDS? HARRIET YOU MEAN THE BLOW FAMILY-ALL OF THEM? YES-ABSOLUTELY.
DRED
HARRIET WHAT? ARE THEY SUPPORTING US OR GIVING US A FAMILY JOB OR WHAT?
union soldiers
DRED WELL, YESTERDAY IRENE CHAFFEE TRANSFERRED OWNERSHIP TO TAYLOR BLOW OF THE ENTIRE SCOTT FAMILY AND . . . HARRIET AND WHAT?! KEEP GOING DRED! DRED WELL, TAYLOR BLOW SIGNED A FREEDOM BOND IN ST. LOUIS COURT-FREEING DRED, HARRIET, ELIZA, AND LIZZY SCOTT. PAID $1000. 101
WE ARE FREE?
HARRIET
DRED YES, WE ALL ARE FREE. HERE COME OUR KIDS-I TOLD THEM TO WAIT UNTIL I TOLD YOU. HARRIET I NEED TO IMMEDIATELY PRAY, DRED-THERE IS JUSTICETHE BLOW FAMILY WILL ALWAYS BE CHRIST ON EARTH-THEY HAVE ALLOWED US TO BE A FREE FAMILY. I CANNOT PRAY ENOUGH. MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN TRULY ANSWERED.
union artillery
DRED ELEVEN YEARS OF LEGAL HARDSHIP, BATTLES AND DRUDGERY. IT’S OVER. TAYLOR WILL BE OVER LATER FOR A QUIET CELEBRATION AND . . . AND WHAT DRED?
HARRIET
DRED I HAVE A NEW JOB AS PORTER AT THE BARNUM HOTEL ON CARR STREET. WE MAY BE ABLE TO STAY THERE FOR THE TIME BEING.
slave auction scene
HARRIET IN LIGHT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND OUR COUNTRY WHAT WITH PEOPLE I DON’T EVEN KNOW TELLING ME ABOUT LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS SAYING THERE IS A HOUSE DIVIDED IN WASHINGTON, AND CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY’S REVOLTING DECISION ABOUT US, AND THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE NOW DECLARED ILLEGAL . . . WELL, THERE IS JUSTICE BECAUSE FROM OUR CASE AND THE REACTION BY THE NORTHERN NEWSPAPERS, LEGAL AUTHORITIES AND ESPECIALLY THE PUBLIC, FREDERICK DOUGLAS SAYS NEGROES’ HOPES ARE BRIGHTER THAN EVER BEFORE. DRED WE MAY GO THROUGH A TOUGH TIME AS A COUNTRY BEFORE THIS GETS FINALLY SETTLED AND THIS INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY ENDS. BUT SLAVERY WILL END HOPEFULLY SOME DAY SOON -AND OUR RIGHTS WILL BE THAT OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS COMPLETELY. HARRIET I FULLY AGREE-YOU HAVE GIVEN ME THE COURAGE TO GO THROUGH THIS, DRED-I KNOW THERE WERE TIMES WHEN YOU WANTED TO STOP THE CASE AND LEAVE-BUT IF THERE IS ANYTHING I LEARNED FROM YOU IT IS TO NEVER EVER QUIT, NO MATTER WHAT.
102
DRED I ALWAYS FELT THE BLOWS MIGHT COME THROUGH-BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. I GUESS WHEN YOU MAKE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS AS KIDS-THOSE FRIENDS WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU. HARRIET THANK GOD IT IS OVER FOR US-OUR KIDS, ELIZA AND LIZZY, WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL-THEY KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WENT THROUGH AS A FAMILY. DRED WELL, HARRIET-JUST SEEING YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME AT FORT SNELLING GAVE ME THE STRENGTH TO PUSH OUR FREEDOM CASE TO ITS LENGTH-THOUGH WE LOST OUR FREEDOM CASE IN THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURTWE REALLY WON AS THE SCOTT FAMILY STAYS TOGETHER FOREVER-AND WE WON THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF ALL AMERICA-NORTH AND SOUTH ALIKE. THE STRENGTH I GAINED FROM YOU HARRIET IS SO STRONG AND ETERNAL. WE REALLY HAVE TRUE LOVE-SO GOODNIGHT AND LOVE.
newsclipping announcing the dred scott supreme court decision
HARRIET I’M STILL CLINGING TO MY PEARLS. GOODNIGHT AND LOVE. THE END.
emancipation related political drawing from the period
103