Ludington v. The Nucleus

15 F. Cas. 1094
CourtDistrict Court, D. Wisconsin
DecidedJanuary 15, 1850
StatusPublished

This text of 15 F. Cas. 1094 (Ludington v. The Nucleus) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ludington v. The Nucleus, 15 F. Cas. 1094 (wisd 1850).

Opinion

MILLER, District Judge.

The demand of these libellants is for materials furnished in the building of this vessel. It appears in evidence that the vessel was launched in the month of June, 1S4S; and that a very small portion of the materials were furnished after that date. The libellants furnished the materials, from their store in Milwaukee, to the builders of the vessel at the same place, at different times, from the month of Nov. 1847, to the month of Oct.. 1848. The vessel was enrolled and licensed, in the month of Oct..her. 1848. and made her first voyage in the spring of 1849: and before the filing of tills libel. The claimant, in his answer, denies that, at the time the cause of action accrued, this vessel was enrolled and licensed for the coasting trade, and was employed in business of commerce and navigation, as set forth in the libel. By the law of this state boats and vessels used in navigating the waters of the state, are liable for the materials used and labor bestowed, in their construction; and a party can file his claim and proceed, in the courts of the state, against the boat or vessel by name. Contracts for marine service, in building, repairing and supplying ships, are cognizable in courts of admiralty, as maritime and appertaining to commerce and navi[1095]*1095gation; and when a lien is given by the local law, they may he enforced by admiralty process. The Gen. Smith, 4 Wheat. [17 U. S.] 438; The St. Jago de Cuba, 9 Wheat. [22 U. S.] 409; Peyroux v. Howard, 7 Pet. [32 U. S.] 324; The Orleans v. Phoebus, 11 Pet. [36 U. S.] 175; The Jerusalem [Case No. 7,294]; Adm. Rule 12. Demands for materials fur-•nislied and labor bestowed in the construction of vessels not launched, are decided to be within the admiralty jurisdiction, where the local law gives a lien; provided such vessels are intended or designed for maritime business upon the high seas, or tide waters. Read v. Hull of a New Brig [Case No. 11,609]; Davis v. A New Brig [Id. 3,643]; Harper v. The New Brig [Id. 6,090]; Stevens v. The Sandwich [Id. 13,409]. As the employment of these vessels was to be maritime, the contracts for labor and materials were for maritime purposes. The contracts were such as touched rights and duties appertaining to commerce and navigation; and were enforced by admiralty process against vessels, which from their location and construction were designed, or intended for the employment of commerce and navigation upon the high seas, or tide waters. From these authorities it appears, •that this court might entertain jurisdiction of this cause, if jurisdiction co-extensive with the admiralty jurisdiction of the national courts, has been extended to the lakes.

The only act of congress, conferring upon this court jurisdiction, similar to the admiralty jurisdiction possessed by district courts,' in pursuance of the constitutional provision, Is “an act extending the'jurisdiction of the district courts, to certain cases, upon the lakes, or navigable waters connecting the same;” approved Feb. 20, 1845. By this act. “the district courts of the United States shall have, possess and exercise, the same jurisdiction in matters of contract and tort, arising in, upon, or concerning steamboats and other vessels of twenty tons burden and upwards, enrolled and licensed for the coasting trade, and at the time employed in business of commerce and navigation, between ports and places in different states and territories, upon the lakes and navigable waters connecting the said lakes, as is now possessed and exercised by the said courts, in cases of the like steamboats and other vessels employed in navigation and commerce, upon the high seas, or tide waters, within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States; and in all suits brought in such courts, in all such matters of contract, or tort, the remedies and the forms of process, and the modes of proceeding shall be the same as are. or may be used by such courts in eases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; and the maritime law of the United States, so far as the same is or may be applicable thereto, shall constitute the rule of decision in such courts in the same manner. and to the same extent, and with the same equities as it now does in cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction.” “The object of ' this act appears to be, first, to bring these cases within the cognizance of the district courts, without regard to the citizenship of the parties, as cases arising under a law of the United States, (that is to say, under the act itself;) and, secondly, as far as it could constitutionally be done, to apply to them the same rules, both of procedure and of decision, as if they had pertained to ocean instead of inland navigation, and so been strictly of admiralty jurisdiction; or in other words, to subject them to the operation of the admiralty law of the United States.” Conk. Adm. 6. In the construction of statutes generally, “everything which is within the intention of the makers of the act, is as much within the act, as if it were within the letter; Stowel v. Zouch, 1 Plow. 366. The meaning of the legislature may be extended beyond the precise words used in the law, from the reason, or motive, upon which the legislature proceeded, from the end' in1 view, or the purpose which was designed.” U. S. v. Freeman, 3 How. [44 U. S.] 556. Upon these rales, it is plausibly argued, that this case falls within the act in spirit and intent. But this is an act to extend the jurisdiction of courts, not of inferior, but of limited jurisdiction, created by law. In the exposition of such a statute every part is to be considered, and the intention of the legislature extracted from the whole. Such intention must be apparent on the face of the statute. Wilkinson v. Leland, 2 Pet. [27 U. S.] 627; U. S. v. Fisher, 2 Cranch. [6 U. S.] 358.

The jurisdiction of courts, of limited jurisdiction, created by statute, should be made affirmatively to appear, for “the fair presumid tion is, that a case is without the jurisdiction until the contrary appears.” And it is “necessary, inasmucli as the proceedings of no court can be deemed valid further than its jurisdiction appears, or can be presumed to set forth upon the record, the facts or circumstances which give jurisdiction, either expressly. or in such manner as to render them certain by legal intendment.” Turner v. Bank of America, 4 Dall. [4 U. S.] 11, 1 Cond. R. 205. Courts, which are created by written law, and whose jurisdiction is defined by written law, cannot transcend that jurisdiction. These rules have been rigorously adhered to by the courts of the United States, at all times and under all circumstances. Kemp v. Kennedy, 5 Cranch [9 U. S.] 185; McCormick v. Sullivant, 10 Wheat. [23 U. S.] 192; Ex parte Bullman and Ex parte Swartwout, 4 Cranch [8 U. S.] 75, 96; Grignon v. Astor, 2 How. [43 U. S.] 319; and many other eases. It is well understood that the federal courts do only possess and exercise jurisdiction. conferred by the constitution and laws of the United States; and that such jurisdiction must be shown by facts, or circumstances properly pleaded. Before this court can possess, or exercise the quasi admiralty ju[1096]

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Bluebook (online)
15 F. Cas. 1094, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ludington-v-the-nucleus-wisd-1850.