United States v. Hart

Supreme Court of the United States
United States v. Hart, 73 U.S. 770 (1868)
18 L. Ed. 914; 6 Wall. 770; 1867 U.S. LEXIS 1027

United States v. Hart

Opinion

Mr. Justice NELSON

delivered the opinion of tne court.

The Supreme Court in reversing the judgment below, held, that the a'ct in question did not extend to, or embrace proceedings under the act of 17th of July, 1862, providing for confiscation of the property of persons engaged in, or aiding and abetting the rebellion, of the correctness of which decision we can entertain no doubt.

If the District Court below could have, under any circumstances, jurisdiction of the case, according to the practice as settled in the cases of the Union Insurance Company v. United States, Armstrong's Foundry and the St. Louis Street Foundry, * decided at the present term, as it has been tried on the admiralty side of the court, the proper disposition of it would *773 be to reverse the decree, and remand the cause to the court below, with directions to enter a decree remittiug it to the District Court that it might be tried ou the common law side with a jury, the seizure having been made on laud, aud not on waters navigable from the 'sea. But, as the Supreme Court of the Territory has reversed the decree of confiscation for the want of jurisdiction, in the correctness of which judgment we concur, the proper disposition of it will be to affirm the decree, as this reach cs directly the right conclusion in the case.

Note. Like decrees were made in the similar cases of United States v Crosby, and United States •». G-illet, as governed by this one.

*

The last preceding three cases.

Reference

Status
Published
Syllabus
The act of Congress of 3d March, 1863, giving to the District Court for the Territory of New Mexico jurisdiction over all cases which should arise in the collection district of Paso del Norte, in the administration of the revenue laws, does not warrant proceedings against lands in El Paso, Texas, under the “ Act to suppress insurrection, to punish treason and rebellion, to seize and confiscate the property of rebels, and for other purposes,” approved July 17th, 1862 (12 Stat. at Large, 589).