It was the exclusive province of each State, by its Legislature or courts of justice, to determine this question for itself.

This determined, the Federal courts were bound to follow the State's decision.

The Supreme Court of Missouri had decided Dred Scott to be a slave.

In two cases tried since, the same judgment had been given.

Though former decisions had been otherwise, this must now be admitted as "the settled law of the State," which, he said, "is conclusive of the case in this court." This very narrow treatment of the points at issue, having to do with the mere lifeless machinery of the law, was strikingly criticised in the dissenting opinion afterwards read by Justice McLean, a part of which, by way of anticipation, may properly be quoted here.