Stephen Johnson Field,
Curtner v. United States/Dissent Field…
“ In that case the orginal claimant had rested on the action of the land department, and sought the assistance of the United States only after the lapse of nearly half a century, and it was held that the interference of the government, after such a lapse of time, was simply a proceeding to avoid the laches of the claimant, and to give to him the benefit of its exemption from them. But it declared that a suit of the United States would lie to set aside a patent where the government was under an obligation respecting the relief invoked. ”
