Who Is Roger Taney

Roger Taney: The Fifth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court

Roger Taney served as the fifth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1836 until his death in 1864. During his tenure, he presided over many contentious and significant cases, including the infamous Dred Scott decision. In this article, we will explore Taney’s life and contributions to the Supreme Court. We will also examine some of the key cases he oversaw and discuss their impact on the US legal system and politics. Additionally, we will provide 10 interesting facts about Roger Taney and his time as Chief Justice.

Background and Early Career

Roger Brooke Taney was born on March 17, 1777, in Calvert County, Maryland. He was educated at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and studied law in Annapolis, Maryland. Taney began his legal career in 1799, and he quickly gained a reputation as a skilled lawyer and advocate. In 1811, he was appointed Attorney General of Maryland, a position he held until 1827. He was later appointed Secretary of the Treasury by President Andrew Jackson in 1833.

Appointment as Chief Justice

In 1836, President Jackson nominated Taney to succeed Chief Justice John Marshall, who had died earlier that year. Taney was confirmed by the Senate and took his oath of office on March 28, 1836. He served as Chief Justice for nearly 28 years, until his death in 1864.

Major Cases and Contributions to the Legal System

During his tenure as Chief Justice, Taney presided over many important and contentious cases, several of which had a significant impact on the US legal system and politics. One of his most controversial decisions was his role in the Dred Scott case, which we will examine in greater detail later in this article. However, Taney also presided over several other pivotal cases, including several related to states’ rights and federalism.

In Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee (1816), for instance, the Court held that the Supreme Court had the power to review and overturn state court decisions, a significant development in the history of American law. The decision established the principle of federal supremacy, a critical constitutional doctrine that would become increasingly important in the years to come.

Taney was also involved in several cases related to the constitutional limits of federal power. In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), for example, the Court held that the federal government had the authority to create a national bank, despite objections from states like Maryland that opposed the bank’s creation. The decision helped to establish the principle of implied powers, which holds that the federal government has the power to undertake any action necessary to carry out its explicit constitutional powers, even if those actions are not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution.

10 Interesting Facts about Roger Taney

1. Taney was the first Catholic to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court, and the first Catholic Chief Justice.

2. Taney was a strong advocate for states’ rights and federalism, opposing efforts by the federal government to exert too much power over the states.

3. Taney was involved in several cases related to slavery and slaveholding, including the infamous Dred Scott decision.

4. Taney was a personal friend of many political leaders of his time, including Presidents Jackson and Polk.

5. Taney’s approach to constitutional interpretation was different from that of his predecessor, John Marshall, emphasizing states’ rights and a limited federal government.

6. Taney’s tenure as Chief Justice coincided with a period of rapid industrialization and social change in the United States.

7. Taney presided over several important cases related to federal power, including McCulloch v. Maryland and Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee.

8. Despite his reputation as a conservative jurist, Taney made several decisions related to individual rights and protections, including the right to trial by jury and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.

9. Taney’s role in the Dred Scott case contributed to his negative reputation among some historians and legal scholars, who view him as a racist and defender of slavery.

10. Taney’s impact on the US legal system and politics was significant, and his legacy remains a subject of debate and discussion among legal scholars and historians.

The Dred Scott Case

The Dred Scott case is one of the most controversial and significant cases in American legal history, and it has had a lasting impact on the US legal system and race relations. The case involved a slave named Dred Scott, who had been taken by his owner, an army doctor, from Missouri (a slave state) to Illinois (a free state). Scott sued for his freedom on the grounds that he had lived on free soil, arguing that he should be considered a free man.

The case was heard by the Supreme Court in 1857, at a time when tensions over slavery and states’ rights were rapidly escalating. In a 7-2 decision, the Court ruled against Scott, holding that he was not entitled to his freedom because he was not a citizen of the United States. The decision further held that the Missouri Compromise, which had prohibited slavery in some western territories, was unconstitutional.

Taney played a key role in the decision, writing the majority opinion and framing the issue as a question of states’ rights and federalism. He argued that states had the right to determine their own laws related to slavery, and that the federal government had no authority to intervene. Additionally, Taney claimed that Africans (regardless of whether they were slaves or free) could not be considered US citizens, and therefore could not sue in federal court.

The decision sparked outrage among abolitionists and anti-slavery activists, who saw it as a defense of slavery and an attack on basic constitutional principles like equal protection under the law. The decision also further polarized the nation along sectional lines, leading to increased tensions and ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the Civil War just a few years later.

Impact on the US Legal System and Politics

The Dred Scott decision had a significant impact on the US legal system and politics, cementing Taney’s reputation as a conservative defender of states’ rights and contributing to the outbreak of the Civil War. The decision was widely criticized by legal scholars and politicians alike, with many arguing that it had exceeded the Court’s authority and undermined basic constitutional principles.

Moreover, the decision helped to escalate tensions over slavery and contributed to the political polarization that would ultimately lead to the Civil War. The decision was seen by many as a victory for the South and a defeat for the forces of abolition and anti-slavery sentiment in the North.

In the years following the Civil War, the Supreme Court would gradually move away from the view of constitutional interpretation espoused by Taney and his contemporaries, emphasizing instead the importance of individual rights and protections. However, the legacy of the Dred Scott decision has continued to resonate in American legal and political discourse, and it remains one of the most controversial and significant cases in American legal history.

Conclusion

Roger Taney was a prominent legal and political figure in the history of the United States Supreme Court, serving as Chief Justice for nearly 28 years. While he presided over several important cases related to federalism and constitutional interpretation, including McCulloch v. Maryland and Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee, his role in the Dred Scott decision has perhaps had the greatest impact on the US legal system and politics. Despite his reputation as a conservative, pro-states’ rights jurist, Taney made significant contributions to the development of American law, and his legacy remains a subject of debate and discussion among legal scholars and historians today.

Roger Taney was the fifth Chief Justice to the Supreme Court, reigning from 1836-1864. He is documented as being the first Roman Catholic to oversee the Supreme Court of the United States, and also served as a United States Attorney General.

Today he would be considered as one of the more controversial political officers of his time, promoting African Americans as an inferior race unworthy of mixing with the white race, which ultimately leads to the ruling of African Americans not being worthy of citizenship. As far as governmental practices he is also remembered for his ruling in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case.

Different from other Chief Justices that ruled before Roger B. Taney focusing on Federal laws, Taney showed favoritism towards the powers of State governments. It was documented from earlier cases that the rulings of Roger B. Taney were more concentrated on the developmental powers of the states regarding slavery, rather than implementing or enforcing Federal regulations. Most of his rulings left it up to the states to regulate commerce which was already passed as Federal law.

Roger Taney’s unfair and impractical rulings went without much criticism until the case of Dred Scott v. Sanford came about in 1857. The ruling in the case of Dred Scott is documented as the indirect cause of the Civil War. Although the actual lawsuit against Dred Scott was set to be dismissed, Roger Taney wrote the actual ruling over the case of Dred Scott, representing his version of United States governance.

In this ruling, Roger Taney declared that Congress had no right to prevent the spread of slavery from reaching Federal territories, and any attempt to restrict the practice of slavery was unconstitutional. This bizarre ruling of Roger B. Taney lead to two refusals of the Federal Government: the first being the resignation of another Supreme Justice member, Benjamin Curtis. Another major occurrence due to the rulings of Roger Taney was the opposition of this ruling by many members, fighting for the abolishment of slavery. The language Roger Taney used to express his rulings only further angered those in opposition to slavery, which started with his referral to African Americans as an ” unfortunate race”.

Many people found the ruling of the Dred Scott v. Sanford case and the original view of Roger B. Taney towards slaves contradictory. In earlier years, Roger Taney was known for emancipating his own slaves as well as providing pensions to his slaves that were too old to work. It is a question as to why Roger B. Taney’s views on slavery changed over time.

Earlier observations would show his disapproval of the practice and spread of slavery. However, his ruling in the Dred Scott case proved otherwise, only strengthening the beliefs Northerners had of slavery being abolished. It was thought that Taney was determined to make the emancipation of slavery unconstitutional. However, the occurrence of the American Civil War prevented that from happening. Ironically Roger Taney passed away in 1864, during the time that slavery was abolished in his home State of Maryland.