Home

AAH Index Page

AAW Index Page

GAH Index Page

Perspective Articles

Black History Month

BlackPast.org: The United States

BlackPast.org and the World

Digital Archives

Genealogy

Black National Anthem

Barack Obama Page

101 African American Firsts

Major Black Office Holders

LGBTQ Page

Users Guide

Site Map

?

Awards and Distinctions

Mission Statement

F.A.Q.

BlackPast Video

Board of Directors

Academic Advisory Board

International Advisory Board

Teacher Advisory Board

Volunteer Content Contributors

Volunteer Staff

Fact Sheet

Support Team

History

Funders

News About BlackPast.org

BlackPast.org on Wikipedia

Contact

March 1, 1842, Decided

OPINION: Mr. Justice STORY delivered the opinion of the Court.

This is a writ of error to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, brought under the 25th section of the judiciary act of 1789, ch. 20, for the purpose of revising the judgment of that Court, in a case involving the construction of the Constitution and laws of the United States.

The facts are briefly these: The plaintiff in error was indicted in the Court of Oyer and Terminer for York county, for having, with force and violence, taken and carried away from that county to the state of Maryland, a certain negro woman, named Margaret Morgan, with a design and intention of selling and disposing of, and keeping her as a slave or servant for life, contrary to a statute of Pennsylvania, passed on the 26th of March, 1826. That statute in the first section, in substance, provides, that if any person or persons shall from and after the passing of the act, by force and violence take and carry away, or cause to be taken and carried away, and shall by fraud or false pretence, seduce, or cause to be seduced, or shall attempt to take, carry away, or seduce any negro or mulatto from any part of that commonwealth, with a design and intention of selling and disposing of, or causing to be sold, or of keeping and detaining, or of causing to be kept and detained, such negro or mulatto as a slave or servant