Outside Influences on the Court
-Congress had always turned a blind eye on the issue over slavery, starting with the Constitution where they could not come to an agreement on the issue of slavery
-Just like during the Constitutional Convention, the politicians of Congress wanted to keep their hands clean of the issue and instead let the Supreme Court deal with the issue, thus preserving each Congressman's support
-The upcoming presidential elections were all about the issue of slavery; the candidates did not want to choose a particular side without knowing the outcome of the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision
-President-elect James Buchanan wanted to say something about slavery in his inaugural address that March, so he sent a letter to Taney, that February Taney replied with the "probable result" of the case
-Just like during the Constitutional Convention, the politicians of Congress wanted to keep their hands clean of the issue and instead let the Supreme Court deal with the issue, thus preserving each Congressman's support
-The upcoming presidential elections were all about the issue of slavery; the candidates did not want to choose a particular side without knowing the outcome of the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision
-President-elect James Buchanan wanted to say something about slavery in his inaugural address that March, so he sent a letter to Taney, that February Taney replied with the "probable result" of the case
