31

DreD scott’s grave in st louis

view of scott’s living area at fielD museum

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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.

february 6, 1838

HARRIETmy god, dred, I’m really tIred. I don’t lIke It here In fort jesup, louIsIana. and you have been kIllIng yourself constantly at work.

DREDwIth no rewards for hard work-maybe a lIttle eXtra food that you are allowed to cook In a common kettle for all the slaves.

HARRIETwell, I know what you are thInkIng-but I don’t want to go there.

DREDoh, you can at anytIme go there. you know I want my freedom and some day you wIll be as spIrIted as I am to have freedom. thIs has to end-I cannot work 16 hours a day In the fIeld and not get paId. I can’t provIde for my famIly eIther.

cHancellorsville,

Harriet’s grave marker

33

HARRIETyes, dred-I know It Is morally wrong-and at least half the unIted states feels that slavery or bondage Is wrong altogether.

DREDbut If we escape . . .

HARRIETno, dred! the natIonal fugItIve slave laws protect masters-even In free states. I don’t want to deal wIth thIs-some slaves have been treated quIte poorly followIng theIr capture. not everyone up north Is an abolItIonIst. and not everyone down south Is a slavery advocate. these underground raIlroads for slaves may backfIre If you are caught up north. and I don’t want lIfelong welts on my back.

DREDI fully understand that. heck! there are free slaves who wIsh they were stIll slaves because It Is such a rough go for negroes-even If you are free.

HARRIETso now you understand why we are stIll better off even In louIsIana, than some free slaves up north. we are just caught In thIs mess, whIch we all know wIll end but probably not In our lIfetIme.

DREDbut back up In IllInoIs there were plenty of abolItIonIst folks who would always be on our sIde.

HARRIETuntIl there were legal costs assocIated wIth slave freedom.

DREDwell, . . . I stIll feel we need to fInd a slave attorney who would be wIllIng to loan us the money to buy our freedom. I know the blows would If they had the money, but they’ve hIt hard fInancIal tImes also.

HARRIETand I know you contInue to ask dr. emerson for your freedom-but he refuses. and I don’t thInk It Is hIm that Is unwIllIng to let us go-I feel It’s hIs new wIfe, Irene.

fort snelling, minnesota territory

court House, st louis, missouri

34

DREDshe Isn’t the frIendlIest of sorts-In fact she wants to work us both to death. he couldn’t have marrIed

a worse woman.

HARRIETwell, at tImes she’s not that bad to me, but I know she has a temper whIch I know dr. emerson cannot stand. I’ve heard them arguIng-and he usually loses.

DREDall men lose In arguments wIth theIr wIves-that’s a fundamental fact of lIfe: If the male dIsputes It, your marrIage wIll end.

HARRIETI agree! now that we have that straIght, we do agree that louIsIana Isn’t for us. and I dId recently hear that dr. emerson may be transferred back to fort snellIng whIch . . .

DREDwould be much better than louIsIana, eXceptIng the weather. It Is so unbelIevably cold up there. I now know why ducks and geese fly south for the wInter. and they do It freely.

HARRIETbut at least you can get some rest In the north-some very good rest.

DREDI agree-I wIll dIe In that fIeld If I don’t rest-I’ve already seen ten very good healthy slaves get all kInds of Illness and just dIe.

HARRIETthey get consumptIon-tb, gallbladder dIsease, appendIcItIs, pneumonIa, cancer-everythIng-and they don’t get doctors-just don’t-they come home and just dIe.

DREDwhere dId you learn all those medIcal terms harrIet?

HARRIETwell, Irene makes me work at the hospItal here at tImes and the nurses tell me all about dIsease. many of the whIte people survIve dIseases that the negroes don’t sImply because they have no access

eugene fielD ‘s House

tHe fielD’s sons

35

to doctors or the doctors are all too busy. It’s very sad.

DREDwell-I guess you thInk thIs Is all ok too, harrIet.

HARRIETno, I do not, dred. we should all be treated equally. but what can we do? If we run we’ll be whIpped-If we sue In court for freedom lIke rachel dId-well, we are at the whIm of a judge and we don’t have money to go to court-none-unless we steal It-and If we are caught-we dIe.

DREDyes, I know, but I wIll as long as I lIve not accept my posItIon-I want my freedom.

HARRIETbelIeve me, dred: If I could get you freedom, I would do It now, even If It kIlled me. I told you at fort snellIng that I was happy. now I may not be happy If you are not happy. what about our marrIage-doesn’t that eXcIte you?

DREDyes, I realIze you gave up an opportunIty for freedom to be wIth me-eXtremely lovIng and honorable.

HARRIETI should say so! my god, I knew the stakes. but love conquers all. I accept my plot In lIfe-I can lIve wIth It-you cannot. I don’t know If I can lIve wIth you any longer harpIng about freedom constantly. that Is lIke wantIng to lIve on the moon. I’m sorry-accept that you are a slave.

DREDok-I’m slave for lIfe-my kIds wIll be slaves for lIfe and never get an educatIon, work for themselves, thInk for themselves, or come and go when and where they want. that Is what you are sayIng harrIet.

HARRIETyes I am-that Is how It Is. you just wIll have to accept thIs and we won’t dIscuss thIs any further. you and I cannot by ourselves change thIs world.

surrenDer of fort Donelson, tennessee

slave auction litHograpH

36

DREDok-and I’m goIng to bed. maybe tomorrow wIll be brIghter. love you!

HARRIETgood nIght and love.

february 20, 1838

DREDdId you hear the good news, harrIet?

HARRIETno, I dId not-I have been feelIng awful. In fact I’ve felt awful for weeks.

DREDnot only that-you’ve gaIned weIght, your mood Is really up and down and you go to the bathroom constantly.

HARRIETyes, dred-I am pregnant and In no mood for any changes.

DREDbut thIs Is a good change! In a few weeks we wIll be movIng back to fort snellIng, away from fort jesup, louIsIana. Isn’t that great?

HARRIETmy god, dred! I cannot even walk across the room, let alone move back to wIsconsIn terrItory. are you crazy? thIs Is bad news.

DREDno!! It’s good news! we won’t have to work as hard-you won’t be sweatIng all the tIme. It wIll be much better. you’ll see.

HARRIETdred-you don’t get It! we are havIng a baby-we cannot go north untIl the baby Is born. It’s that sImple.

DREDbut If the master says go, we go-even you saId to accept our lIves as slaves-and that Is what I’m doIng. but you wIll be on a boat-a steamshIp-you

roswell fielD

sign to fielD House, moDern Day

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won’t have to row north. I know that. maybe It won’t be so bad.

HARRIETbut I wIll get seasIck, nauseated, and throw up constantly on a boat for weeks steamIng up the mIssIssIppI. I won’t survIve. dred, we are havIng a baby-thIngs wIll change Immensely.

DREDwe wIll stIll be under the master’s control, as wIll the baby. we are all the master’s property-remember? there won’t be any change. you keep sayIng accept thIs as our lIfe and that Is what I’m doIng.

HARRIETbut havIng a baby Is way too much for us-we are workIng constantly. when wIll we have the tIme to care for the baby?

DREDI thInk the master wIll be ok wIth the baby. he owns the baby sInce he owns us, and all thIngs related to slaves IncludIng chIldren belong to a master. that Is the law.

HARRIETok, I see. so he wIll own elIza.

DREDelIza! Is that the baby’s name? what If It Is a boy?

HARRIETIt won’t be-I can tell-one male In a famIly Is plenty enough. even god would only want to have one dred on earth.

DREDso when do you thInk we are goIng to have the baby?

HARRIETcan’t be soon enough-the nurses say probably In about 3 months.

DREDthat wIll probably be rIght In the mIddle of the trIp back north to fort snellIng. well, maybe If we luck out-If the baby Is born In a free state-eIther the wIsconsIn terrItory, IllInoIs, or even Iowa terrItory-we could make a claIm that elIza wIll be free.

Battle of malvern Hill, virginia

st louis courtHouse toDay

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HARRIETI don’t know, dred-that may be stretchIng the law-most slaves I know won’t have the opportunIty for theIr chIldren’s freedom?

DREDwhy? they deserve It!

HARRIETwell, It has to do wIth permanent resIdence-and If dr. emerson who owns us Isn’t permanently resIdIng In the free terrItory-well, we won’t obtaIn freedom.

DREDso we’d have to go to court and fIght! rIght?

HARRIETsame thIng all over agaIn-It won’t happen-just won’t. we don’t have the money or frIends or . . .

DREDa master that would just let us go our own way-and now sInce Irene, the doctor’s wIfe, Is In the pIcture-well, we’ll never get our freedom because one thIng that congress has agreed on Is the slave fugItIve law-all slave escapees go back to theIr masters.

HARRIETthat Is why I just don’t fIght thIs, dred-It Is too much. I’m off to bed. good nIght and love.

DREDgood nIght and much love.

MaY 31, 1838

HARRIETIt Is so hot, dred. I don’t thInk I can take another day on thIs steamshIp they call”gypsy.”

DREDwell, soon we wIll be up north at fort snellIng In wIsconsIn terrItory-we wIll have It good up there. the baby wIll be born In free terrItory and It wIll be cool weather for you.

Historical plaque at eugene fielD House

struggle at tHe BriDge of antietam

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HARRIETIt wIll stIll be a hot summer. who wIll delIver elIza?

DREDdr. emerson saId he would-he lIkes us . . . and lIkes us so much-well, he never wants us to leave hIs famIly . . . but he dId say some day he wIll consIder gIvIng us freedom.

HARRIEThow many tImes have you asked to buy our freedom?

DREDonly three thIs month. that Is enough to keep It In hIs mInd wIthout botherIng hIm too much.

HARRIEToh-I get It. we have to plead for our freedom-Is that what thIs Is all about?

DREDyes-that Is how It’s done-and then the master feels good about hImself, even though he knows deep down InsIde he’s commItted a past bIg sIn In god’s eyes.

HARRIETmakes me angry, dred.

DREDbut I thought you were just acceptIng of our fate and the kIds fate also as slaves?

HARRIETI have-but now that I’m havIng elIza-I’ve been thInkIng-oh, forget It-It would be too much trouble.

DREDno, what Is It? what troubles you?

HARRIEToh-I guess If we worked on Irene emerson-the wIfe-well, maybe she would understand-I mean woman to woman.

DREDno-I don’t thInk that Is a good Idea-she has roots, hIgh socIety, and a place In present day mIssourI-a slave state-even If she wanted to gIve us our freedom-well, she never would -It Isn’t acceptable to do that yet In most cIrcles around st. louIs-In

political Drawing sHowing lincoln freeing tHe slaves

anti-aBolitionist HanDBill

40

fact I’ve heard we are movIng to st. louIs after fort snellIng.

HARRIETthere are more slave trades and famIly breakups In st. louIs than anywhere else In the western unIted states. we’ll lose our kIds for sure If we go back there.

DREDyes, I know-and that Is what I’ve been tellIng you for two and a half years. but you won’t lIsten untIl now-now that we’re havIng a baby.

HARRIETdred, I’m goIng to bed below-I just don’t feel good. I thInk I’m havIng early labor. good nIght and love.

DREDlove and good nIght.

june 2, 1838

HARRIETdred, wake up! I’m havIng the baby soon-I’ve been In labor all nIght-my contractIons hurt every two mInutes -I cannot take thIs-I’m about to jump off the boat!

DREDthIs Is good-we’ll have elIza-and I hope It’s a gIrl-and then we’ll ask dr. emerson If we can strIke a deal for freedom.

HARRIETmy god dred-I’m havIng a baby-pay attentIon to what Is goIng on-you are off dreamIng agaIn In the mIddle of thIs labor-oh, my god! my water broke-there Is no turnIng back.

DREDshould I get dr. emerson? he saId he would help.

HARRIEThe wIll be much better than you-get hIm quIck.

DREDhere he comes-and wIth forceps-I’ve seen hIm use these Instruments.

Battle of lookout mountain

interior of eugene fielD House

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HARRIETthose are lIke claws-they wIll squIsh the baby.

DREDhe knows what he Is doIng-let hIm manage the labor.

HARRIEToh, my god! thanks, dr emerson-that downward pressure helps wIth the paIn. you saId I’m almost delIvered-great.

DREDdr. emerson: they say thIs Is IllInoIs on the east sIde and Iowa terrItory on the west.

HARRIETdred! just shut up and let hIm delIver the baby-here It comes-I’m pushIng-hold my hand . . . what relIef.

DREDelIza Is beautIful-looks just lIke mom. maybe a lIttle of me In there. here, you hold her-I thInk she wants the breast-she won’t quIt cryIng.

HARRIETdred, she Is so beautIful-I can see a lIttle of you In her-just enough to make her a bIt sassy. she feeds so well.

DREDI agree-she’s really cute and she’s ours-well, I guess she’s ours for now.

HARRIETwhat do you mean by that, dred?

DREDlook, harrIet-you are the very smartest woman I know-and I respect thIs. but you realIze that elIza-as beautIful as she Is-she may be sold at a young age sInce many men-maybe masters-wIll be attracted to her. that Is just the facts.

HARRIETthat Is dIsgraceful, dred-eXtremely dIsgraceful. so much so that now that I thInk about It-well, I’m wIllIng to fIght for our famIly’s freedom If one should ever break us up. I never want to be away from elIza-she Is my world-we wIll be the closest mother and daughter ever. and we . . .

attack on fort sumter

capitulation of vicksBurg

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DREDI get the poInt harrIet-but we wIll have to deal wIth Irene emerson most lIkely. I thInk she Is the boss In dr. emerson’s famIly. you’ll have to get to her. maybe you can convInce Irene to gIve us our freedom. I know dr. emerson mIght-especIally after hIs mIlItary career ends shortly.

HARRIETI’m eXhausted, dred. can you wrap elIza up and put her In bed? there’re some blankets In the back room of the boat. besIdes, In a couple of days we’ll be back at fort snellIng-and you can get myself some more pearls sInce you have such an In wIth the lakota and dakota IndIans. good nIght and love.

DREDelIza says good nIght and love also.

end of CHapter 2, Beloved Harriet.

union solDiers

political cartoon from tHe DreD scott era