“ But can we force ourselves to believe, that the legislature could have been so unjust and oppressive as to add to the sufferings of the patriot soldier, consigned, after fighting the battles of his country, to a long captivity, by making him pay for fetters which he had worn in the service of his country, or for want of means, to undergo a second loss of liberty? ”

“ The supremacy of the legislature need not be called into question; if they think fit positively to enact a law, there is no power which can control them. When the main object of such a law is clearly expressed, and the intention manifest, the judges are not at liberty, although it appears to them to be unreasonable, to reject it ”

“ Our Union, as has been properly observed, is known and legalized in our Constitution, and adopted as a fundamental law in the first Act of our Legislature. The federal compact hath vested Congress with full and exclusive powers to make peace and war. This treaty they have made and ratified, and rendered its obligation perpetual. ”

“ The authorities which have been cited on the part of the defendant, not only establish this general principle, but bring forward a number of judicial decisions, wherein the courts of justice have exercised that power.
On the other side, the uncontrollable power of the legislature, and the sanctity of its laws, have been earnestly pressed by the counsel for the plaintiff; and a great number of authorities have been quoted to establish an opinion, that the courts of justice in no case ought to exercise a discretion in the construction of a statute. ”

“ There is not a tittle in the treaty to which the statute is repugnant. The amnesty is constructive, and made out by reasoning from the law of nations to the treaty.
The repeal of the law of nations, or any interference with it, could not have been in contemplation, in our opinion, when the legislature passed this statute; and we think ourselves bound to exempt that law from its operation: first, because there is no mention of the law of nations, nor the most remote allusion to it, throughout the whole statute ”

“ Upon the whole, it is the opinion of this court, that the plea of the defendant as to the occupancy of the plaintiff's brew-house and malt-house, between the 28th day of September, 1778, and the last day of April, 1780; and the last plea of the defendant as to the whole of the trespass, charged in the plaintiff's declaration, are insufficient in the law; and that only the plea of the defendant in justification of the occupancy between the last day of April, 1780, and the 17th day of March, 1783, is good and sufficient in the law. ”

“ We cannot but express the pleasure which we have received, in seeing young gentlemen, just called to the Bar, from the active and honorable scenes of a military life, already so distinguished as public speakers, so much improved in an arduous science. ”

“ In a long and learned opinion, the court answers the first question in the affirmative, and the second and third in the negative. As regards, however, the act of the commander-in-chief in giving possession from April, 1780, to March, 1783, unlike the previous act of the commissary-general, it was held that it had relation to the war and was according to the laws of war, and was covered by the amnesty implied in making the treaty; and that as regards this period the plaintiff could not recover. ”

“ By this compact these States are bound together as one great independent nation; and with respect to their common and national affairs, exercise a joint sovereignty, whose will can only be manifested by the acts of their delegates in Congress assembled. As a nation they must be governed by one common law of nations ”

“ However contradictory these authorities may appear to superficial observers, they are not only capable of being reconciled, but the result of the whole will appear to be wise, suited to human imperfection and easily explained. ”

“ That by reason of the invasion of the enemy, she the said Elizabeth afterwards, to wit, the said tenth day of September, in the year aforesaid, left her said place of abode, to wit, in the ward aforesaid and within, &c. ”