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Keywords

plaintiffdefendantstatuteregulation
plaintiffdefendantstatuteregulation

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Smith v. Turner, see Passenger Cases

Facts

The instant action involved two cases which dealt with state statutes authorizing the state to collect a tax on all passengers who arrived in a state port by vessel from a foreign port. The plaintiff in error was master of the British ship Henry Bliss, which landed two hundred and ninety steerage passengers in New York in June 1841. The defendant in error brought an action of debt against the plaintiff to recover one dollar for each passenger, leading to a demurrer on the grounds that the statute was a regulation of commerce and conflicted with the Constitution.

The instant action involved two cases which dealt with state statutes authorizing the state to collect a tax on all passengers who arrived in a state port by vessel from a foreign port. The plaintiff in error was master of the British ship Henry Bliss, which landed two hundred and ninety steerage passengers in New York in June 1841. The defendant in error brought an action of debt against the plaintiff to recover one dollar for each passenger, leading to a demurrer on the grounds that the statute was a regulation of commerce and conflicted with the Constitution.

Issue

Is the power of Congress to regulate commerce an exclusive power? Is the statute of New York a regulation of commerce?

Is the power of Congress to regulate commerce an exclusive power? Is the statute of New York a regulation of commerce?

Rule

The power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several States is vested exclusively in Congress, and no State can regulate foreign commerce.

The power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several States is vested exclusively in Congress, and no State can regulate foreign commerce.

Analysis

The court applied the rule by examining the nature of the statutes in question, determining that they constituted regulations of foreign commerce. The court referenced previous cases to support the conclusion that the power to regulate commerce is complete and acknowledges no limitations other than those prescribed in the Constitution. The court emphasized that allowing states to impose taxes on foreign commerce would undermine the federal authority granted to Congress.

The court applied the rule by examining the nature of the statutes in question, determining that they constituted regulations of foreign commerce. The court referenced previous cases to support the conclusion that the power to regulate commerce is complete and acknowledges no limitations other than those prescribed in the Constitution. The court emphasized that allowing states to impose taxes on foreign commerce would undermine the federal authority granted to Congress.

Conclusion

The Court reversed and held that state statutes authorizing the state to collect a tax on all passengers arriving in state port by vessel from a foreign port were unconstitutional because the state did not have the constitutional authority to pass the statutes since the statutes constituted tax acts and regulated foreign commerce.

The Court reversed and held that state statutes authorizing the state to collect a tax on all passengers arriving in state port by vessel from a foreign port were unconstitutional because the state did not have the constitutional authority to pass the statutes since the statutes constituted tax acts and regulated foreign commerce.

Who won?

The plaintiffs prevailed in the case as the Supreme Court found the state statutes unconstitutional, affirming that the regulation of foreign commerce is exclusively a federal power.

The plaintiffs prevailed in the case as the Supreme Court found the state statutes unconstitutional, affirming that the regulation of foreign commerce is exclusively a federal power.

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