United States v. Mercantile Company/Opinion of the Court

'In the first place, the great object of the suit is to enjoin and stop litigation in the state courts, and to bring all the litigated questions before the circuit court. This is one of the things which the Federal courts are expressly prohibited from doing. By the act of March 2, 1793, it was declared that a writ of injunction shall not be granted to stay proceedings in a state court. This prohibition is repeated in § 720 of the Revised Statutes, and extends to all cases except where otherwise provided by the bankrupt law.'

Without stopping to consider any other questions presented by counsel, this is sufficient to sustain the ruling of the Circuit Court, and the decree is affirmed.