United States v. Lynde

APPEAL from the District Court of the United States for the District of Louisiana.

The heirs of John Lynde filed a petition in the court below, the object of the suit having been to obtain the recognition and confirmation, as against the United States, of a claim for 32,025 arpents of land in Louisiana, under the provisions of an act of Congress, entitled, 'An act for the final adjustment of Private Land Claims in the States of Florida, Louisiana, and Missouri, and for other purposes.' Approved June 22, 1860.

The petitioners claimed title under a grant by Juan Ventura Morales, Spanish intendant of West Florida, to John Lynde, their ancestor, on the 12th day of July, 1806, in pursuance of an application made by Lynde on the 26th day of September, 1803, and regular surveys thereon. The lands were situated east of the river Mississippi, and south of the 31st parallel of latitude, in a direction nearly north of Baton Rouge, and were a part of the disputed territory, which, after the cession of Louisiana to the United States in 1803, was claimed by them as part of Louisiana, and by Spain as a part of West Florida. The cause of this contention between the claimants under the Spanish grant and the United States, originated in the various treaties of cession which had been made respecting these territories.

The court below decided in favor of the claim, and the United States brought the case here. It was submitted on briefs of Mr. Akerman, Attorney-General, and Mr. C. H. Hill, Assistant Attorney-General, for the United States, and of Mr. Louis Janin, contra, for the claimant.

Mr. Justice BRADLEY stated the history and nature of the title on both sides, and delivered the opinion of the court.