Irrelevant since that isn't the question. In his Scott v. Sanford decision, Chief Justice Taney wrote, "In the opinion of the court, the legislation and histories of the times, and the language used in the Declaration of Independence, show that neither the class of persons who had been imported as slaves nor their descendants, whether they had become free or not, were then acknowledged as a part of the people, nor intended to be included in the general words used in that memorable instrument." Lincoln disagreed with that, saying on more than one occasion that free blacks were entitled to the same rights outlined by the Declaration of Independence that free whites were, and in that respect free blacks and free whites were equal. Chief Justice Taney disagreed with that and believed that free blacks were never intended to enjoy the same rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Do you agree with Lincoln or with Taney?
I agree and disagree with both.
Chief Justice Taney overreached with his pronouncement regarding Free Blacks, but his overall point remained valid. I believe Lincoln is correct in his assertion that the Declaration was intended to apply to "Free Blacks", but Dred Scott was not a "free black". He was in fact a slave.
Lincoln is correct regarding "free blacks" but wrong regarding slaves. Taney is correct regarding slaves, but wrong regarding "free blacks."
They are both overreaching. As John Godfrey Saxe said:
And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong!