United States v. Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway Co.
Supreme Court of the United States
ERROR TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE UNITED ’ STATES FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE. This action was brought July 6, 1880, in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Middle District of Tennessee upon coupons, owned and held by the United States, for interest payable at different dates from July 1, 1861, to January 1, 1866, on bonds made and delivered by the defendant to the State of Tennessee on July 1, 1851, and July 1, 1852, and payable to bearer in thirty years…
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ERROR TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE UNITED ’ STATES FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE. This action was brought July 6, 1880, in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Middle District of Tennessee upon coupons, owned and held by the United States, for interest payable at different dates from July 1, 1861, to January 1, 1866, on bonds made and delivered by the defendant to the State of Tennessee on July 1, 1851, and July 1, 1852, and payable to bearer in thirty years after date. The defendant filed two pleas: First. That the United States held the coupons, not in i'ts own right as the…
1Opinion of the Court
Me. Justice G-bay,
after stating the case as above reported," delivered the opinion of the court.
It is settled beyond doubt or controversy — upon the foundation of the great principle of public policy, applicable to all governments alike, which forbids that the public interests should be prejudiced by the negligence of the officers or agents to whose care they are confided — that the United States, asserting rights vested in them as a sovereign government, are not bound by any statute of limitations, unless Congress has clearly manifested its intention that they should be so bound. Lindsey v.…
2Cases cited13 opinions
- Van Brocklin v. TennesseeSupreme Court of the United States · 1886
- Gibson v. ChouteauSupreme Court of the United States · 1872
- United States v. ThompsonSupreme Court of the United States · 1879
- Cooke v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1875
- United States v. Bank of the MetropolisSupreme Court of the United States · 1841
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3Cited by211 opinions
- Phillips v. CommissionerSupreme Court of the United States · 1931
- United States v. SummerlinSupreme Court of the United States · 1940
- Guaranty Trust Co. v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1938
- Brock v. Pierce CountySupreme Court of the United States · 1986
- United States v. WurtsSupreme Court of the United States · 1938
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