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在最高法院裡，瑞佛迪‧強森贏得「德瑞得—史考特」一案的勝利
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瑞佛迪‧強森 (Reverdy
Johnson) 生於1796年5月21日
雖然強森自己反對奴隸制度，他在「德瑞得—史考特」一案 (Dred
Scot Case) 中，卻代表蓄奴主人一方的辯護律師。美國最高法院在經過審理後，判決奴隸乃是主人財產的一部份，因此不能成為美國的公民。法院的判決讓北方反奴的情緒更加高漲，同時也點燃了內戰的戰火。儘管馬里蘭州的立場是支持奴隸制度，但是在內戰期間，瑞佛迪‧強森卻讓馬里蘭州繼續留在北方聯盟裡。這在戰略上是相當重要的。如果你看看下一頁的地圖，你可能就知道為什麼了。
Although he personally opposed slavery, Johnson represented the slave-owning defendant in the 1857 Dred Scot case. The U.S. Supreme Court decided in this case that slaves were property and thus could not be citizens of the United States. The court's decision increased antislavery sentiment in the North and fed the fire that sparked the Civil War. Despite the state's support of slavery, Reverdy Johnson helped to keep Maryland in the Union during the war. This was of great strategic importance. If you look at the map on the next page, you might guess why.
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