by John Marshall Harlan

“ Any other view would lead to the conclusion that parties who voluntarily brought in and delivered to the United States captured and abandoned property were entitled, as upon implied contract, to be compensated for their services; for the services rendered by Camp, under an arrangement with an assistant special agent, who had no authority whatever to bind the United States in respect of compensation, presents no stronger case, in law, for compensation as upon implied contract, than if they were voluntarily rendered without such previous arrangement. ”

“ We find in the record no evidence of any purpose, or agreement, upon the part of the secretary of the treasury to make compensation to claimant beyond that already allowed; and to say that the court may award such compensation as it deems just and proper, is to impose upon the government the obligations of a contract, in respect of captured or abandoned property, which, under the acts of congress, only the secretary of the treasury, or such agents of the department as he designated for that purpose, had anthority to make. ”