1. Edye V. Robertson.docx

Edye v. Robertson Facts: The suit is brought to recover from Robertson, collector of the port of New York, sum of money he received from the plaintiffs, on account of their landing in that port, passengers not citizens of the United States. The collection was based on the act of Congress entitled “An act to regulate immigration” on August 3, 1882. The act provides that there shall be levied, collected, and paid a duty of 50 cents for each and every passenger, not a citizen of the United States, who shall come by steam or sail vessel from a foreign port to any port within the United States. The said duty shall be paid to the collector of customs of the port where the passenger shall come. The plaintiffs are partners in trade in the city of New York under the firm name Funch, Edye & Co. involved in the business of transporting passengers and freight upon the high seas between Holland and the United States of America as consignees and agents. On October 2, 1882, it sailed to the port of New York and carried 382 persons not citizens of United States and among said persons, there were 20 severally under age of one year and 59 were severally between the ages of one year and eight years. On this account, Robertson, the collector of the said port, decided that the plaintiffs must pay a duty of 191 dollars for the said passengers costing 50 cents for each of the 382 passengers before they be permitted to land. The plaintiffs paid and protested against the payment. The circuit court rendered judgment in favor of the defendant and which is called upon review. Issue: Whether the act of Congress violates treaties by the Unites States with friendly nations. Ruling: No. A treaty is a compact between independent nations, which depends for its enforcement upon the interest and honor of the governments that are parties to a treaty. Treaties that regulate the mutual rights of citizens and subjects of the contracting nations are in the same category as acts of Congress. When these rights are of such a nature as to be enforced by a court of justice, the court resorts to the treaty as it would to a statute. However, a constitution gives a treaty no superiority over an act on congress. In short, so far as a treaty made by the United States with any foreign nation can become the subject of judicial cognizance in the courts of this country, it is subject to such acts as Congress may pass for its enforcement, modification, or repeal.