Lavalette v. United States

Casey, Ch. J.,

delivered the opinion of the Court.

By the 9th article of the treaty made with Spain on the 22d day of February, A. D. 1819, it was provided that the United States would cause satisfaction to be made for the losses sustained by Spanish officers and citizens in consequence of the operations of the United States army in 1814. In pursuance of this treaty Congress passed an act, which was approved on the 3d of March, 1S23, to carry this article of that treaty into effect. By the 1st section of this act it was provided that the judges of the superior courts established at St.…