p in while traveling with Emerson. Emerson took Dred Scott to
             the upper Mississippi River, which was part of the Louisiana Purchase.
             Therefore, under the laws set forth by the Missouri Compromise slavery was
             illegal in this area.[iv] Dred Scott was later given to John Sanford
             (Emerson's brother in law) and a legal battle ensued over Scott's right to
             At the time that Buchanan came into power the question of slavery was
             a topic of much debate. The Dred Scott Case had already reached the
             Supreme Court and was about to be decided. At the time of his inauguration
             "that the decision of the Court would settle all these questions and
             eventually restore harmony among the States. Accordingly, in his
             Inaugural Address, he had declared that to this decision, whatever it
             might be, he should, in common with all good citize
             ...