Final answer:
The passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford raises questions about the status of Black people and their rights as citizens. The counterclaim to the passage suggests that Taney's statements lack evidence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is Social Studies, specifically the Dred Scott v. Sandford case. In this case, the question of whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of the people and are constituent members of the sovereignty is being addressed. The excerpt from Justice Taney's opinion in the Supreme Court ruling provides his perspective on the matter.
The counterclaim to the claim in this passage is that Taney fails to provide any actual evidence for his statements that Black people were universally considered inferior. This argument suggests that the opinion lacks factual support and may be based on biased assumptions rather than concrete evidence. Further examination and research would be necessary to fully evaluate the validity of Taney's claims.
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