Samuel Nelson

“ I speak now of the free and unobstructed navigation of the river, and according to this general or public law, the right of navigation exists over every party of it. No principle is better settled or more generally admitted. ”

“ The bridge spans the entire stream. As I understood the opinion, it neither denies nor admits the obstruction, but places the decision upon the ground, that the jurisdiction of the Court is incompetent to reach or deal with the question. ”

“ One moiety, therefore, of the bed of this river is embraced within the local jurisdiction of this Court for the District of Iowa and the other moiety within the jurisdiction of the Court for the District of Illinois. Neither Court possess any local jurisdiction over the entire river, and hence the idea that neither Court is competent or equal to deal with the obstruction ”