United States v. Bennett

Supreme Court of the United States
United States v. Bennett, 82 U.S. 660 (1872)

United States v. Bennett

Opinion of the Court

Mr. Justice STRONG,

having stated the case, delivered the opinion of the court.

It is very obvious, we think, that this case is not the case of an entire repeal of a former act which imposed a penalty. The act of 1868 repealed former acts only so far as they were inconsistent with its provisions. It is needful, therefore, to note carefully what its provisions were. Plainly, it had no reference to spirits that had been withdrawn from a bonded warehouse for transportation to another before its enactment. It provided a system for the future, and looked exclusively to that. It regulated conduct from and after its passage, and declared that thereafter no spirits should be removed without payment of the- full tax. It was only as the prior acts might affect spirits in bonded warehouses after its enactment that they could be inconsistent with its provisions. So far those acts were repealed. But spirits which had been removed before were not in its purview. We are unable to perceive how provisions respecting transportation in 1867 can be inconsistent with regulations respecting custody in 1868. The subjects are not the same, and the statutes are rules of action intended for different times. We think, therefore, that in their application to removals of distilled spirits in 1867, the acts of Congress of 1862,1866, and 1867 were unaffected by the act of 1868, and consequently that the plea of the defendants was no sufficient answer to the plaintiffs’ declaration. Hence the demurrer should have been sustained.

Judgment reversed, and the cause remitted for further proceedings

In conformity with this opinion.

Reference

Cited By
1 case
Status
Published
Syllabus
The act of Congress of the 11th of January, 1868, which enacted that from, and after its passage no distilled spirits should be withdrawn or removed from any warehouse for the purpose of transportation, &c., until the full tax on such spirits had been duly paid to the collector of the proper district, and repealed all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with its provisions, had no reference to distilled spirits which had been withdrawn from a bonded warehouse for transportation before its enactment. Hence, when prior acts authorized the removal for the purpose of trans- . portation of distilled spirit without payment of duties on giving bond, ■ and enacted also that in case any such bond should become forfeited by breach of any of its obligations, the obligors in it should pay full duties and 60. per cent, on them besides: held, that the statute of 11th January, 1868, was not operative to prevent a recovery on a bond given before its passage, on a removal of spirits made when the bond was given.