The opinion of Justice Peter V. Daniel of the United States Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case.

To the Declaration in this case the Defendant below, who is also the Defendant in error, pleaded in abatement that the Court could not take cognizance of the cause, because the Plaintiff was not a Citizen of the State of Missouri as averred in the declaration, but was a negro of African descent, and that his Ancestors were of pure African blood, and were brought into this Country and sold as [struck: Slaves] negro slaves... After the decision sustaining the Demurrer, the Defendant in pursuance of a previous agreement between Counsel, and with the leave of the Court, pleased in bar of the action, 1st Not Guilty. 2ndly That the Plaintiff was a negro slave the lawful property of the defendant: and as such, the Defendant gently laid his hands upon him & thereby had only restrained him as the Defendant had a right to do so. 3rdly That with respect to the wife and daughters of the Plaintiff, in the second and third courts of the Declaration, [struck: the] mentioned; the Defendant had as to them, only acted in the same manner, and in virtue of the same legal right.