Buchanan said that the Dred Scott decision was proof that the South had no reason for secession, and that the Union "was intended to be perpetual", but that "The power by force of arms to compel a State to remain in the Union" was not among the "enumerated powers granted to Congress".
Buchanan je tvrdio da je odluka suca Dreda Scotta bila dokaz da Jug nema razloga za odcjepljenje te da je Unija "stvorena s namjerom da bude trajna", ali da "snaga oružja koje će prisiliti državu da ostane u Uniji" nije bila među "nabrojanim ovlastima koje odobrava Kongres."