Chief Justice Taney finds against martial law and orders the release of John Merryman

John Merryman, a southern sympathizer, has been arrested on suspicion of leading a secessionist company operating in Maryland. Taney, sitting in U.S. District Court, ssue a writ of habeas corpus directing General Cadwalader to bring Marryman before him, but Calwalader refuses to comply, stating that since Lincoln has declared martial law, he only needs to produce the prisoner if Lincoln so directs him. Taney finds that, first, the President cannot constitutionally suspend the right to habeas corpus and that second, all prisoners not subject to the rules of war must be turned over to the civil authorities.   (By Joanne Williams)
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Roger Taney issues decision in Ableman v. Booth

Sherman M. Booth, a Wisconsin abolitionist, had helped a runaway slave and was imprisoned under federal law.  He had appealed to the Wisconsin supreme court for a writ of habeas corpus on the grounds that the Fugitive Slave Law was unconstitutional.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed and nullified the Fugitive Slave Law. Chief Justice Taney, however, ruled that the Wisconsin court had no right to nullify federal laws nor to release a federal prisoner.   (By Joanne Williams)
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Roger Taney issues decision in Dred Scott Case

Chief Justice Taney finds that Dred Scott, a slave who sued for his freedom because one of his previous masters had taken him to live for a short time in a free state, has no constitutional right to sue in federal court. Taney reasons that slaves are not citizens and thus cannot sue in federal court. Furthermore, Taney finds that the Missouri Compromise is unconstitutional and that, since blacks are inferior to whites, they do not enjoy all the rights which the constitution guarantees to citizens because the founders meant for only whites to be considered citizens when they wrote the constitution. This finding will inflame already existing tension between the North and the South. (By Joanne Williams)
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Supreme Court finds in favor of The Schooner Amistad

A Spanish slave ship, the Amistad, had been captured off the coast of Connecticut by the U.S. Navy. The slaves were captured in Africa and illegally sold in Havana. The schooner Amistad was transporting them to another port in Cuba when the slaves revolted and attempted to force sailors to take them back to Africa. Under the pretense of sailing towards Africa, the crew actually sailed for the United States. Now, the Supreme Court finds in favor of the captured Africans, stating that existing treaties with Spain cannot dictate their return to their Spanish masters because the slave trade is illegal in the United States and no U.S. treaty can deprive free Africans of their liberty.  (By Joanne Williams)
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