Inhabitants of Medway v. Inhabitants of Natick
Cases that cite this one
2 later published cases cite this decision.
- Doe on the demise of Lafontaine v. Avaline (Ind. 1856)
- Thurman v. State (Ala. 1850)
This list shows which later cases cite this one. It does not say how they treated it, and no review of that has been done. Not a substitute for Shepard’s or KeyCite — verify before relying.
Opinion of the Court
Two questions are referred to our [ * 89 ] decision in this case.— 1. Whether the legislature had authority, within the constitution, (the parties probably intending the declaration of rights prefixed to the constitution,) to declare a marriage of a white person with a mulatto to be absolutely null and void. It is unnecessary for us to declare any opinion we may have formed upon this question; as our opinion upon the second question, viz. whether the pauper is a mulatto, is sufficient for the decision of this action. And it is our unanimous opinion, that a mulatto is a person begotten between a white and a black. This is the definition given by the best lexicographers, and we believe it also to agree with the popular use of the term. The pauper’s father, in this case, was a mulatto, and her mother was a white woman. The pauper is then not a mulatto. According to the agreement of the parties, there must be judgment for the plaintiffs.
Defendants defaulted.
[In Spanish mulato, and in French mulatre, have the same meaning. — Ed.]
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.