Joseph P. Bradley

“ Now, we have repeatedly held that the construction of State statutes belongs to the State courts, and is not a Federal question which we can revise in a writ of error to a State court. It is true, if the State court gives such a construction to a State statute as to make it conflict with the Constitution or laws of the United States, and sustains its validity after giving it such construction, and thereby deprives a party of his rights under the said Constitution or laws, then a Federal question is raised, and we can review the decision on the point of the validity of the statute. ”

“ The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals concurred in refusing to issue a peremptory mandamus. The opinion of the Supreme Court is before us, and places the case upon the ground that these 'certificates of indebtedness' were not exempt from taxation. ”