by John Marshall

“ They, perhaps, manifest the opinion of the legislature, that the jurisdiction was in the Circuit Courts; but ought, we think, to be construed to give it, if it did not previously exist. Any other construction would destroy the effect of those words. The District Court cannot take cognizance concurrent with the Circuit Courts, unless the Circuit Courts can take cognizance of the same suits. For one body to do a thing concurrently with another, is to act in conjunction with that other; it is equivalent to saying, the one may act together with the other. ”

“ The money belonged to the nation, not to the individual by whose agency it was to be brought into the treasury. The whole course of opinion, and of legislation, on this subject, is, that, although for convenience, and to save expense to the debtors, recourse may be had to the State Courts for the recovery of small sums, yet a right to resort to the Courts of the Union in suits for money due to the United States, was never intended to be relinquished. If the effect of any provision in a statute be to abolish this jurisdiction, it must be an effect which was neither intended nor foreseen. ”

“ There is always difficulty in extending the operation of words beyond their plain import; but the cardinal rule of construction is, that where any doubt exists, the intent of the legislature, if it can be plainly perceived, ought to be pursued. It is also a rule, that the whole law is to be taken together, and one part expounded by any other, which may indicate the meaning annexed by the legislature itself to ambiguous phrases. The words describing the power and duty of the Post Master General, may be expounded by other parts of the act showing the legislative opinion as to their extent ”