United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Bell v. Hearne, 60 U.S. 19 How. 252 252 (1856)

Bell v. Hearne

60 U.S. (19 How.) 252

Syllabus

The act of Congress of 1820 and regulations of the General Land Office of 1831 direct the manner in which purchases of public land shall be authenticated by the registers and receivers of the land offices.

Where the receiver gave a receipt in the name of John Bell, and the register made two certificates of purchase, one in the name of John Bell and the other in the tame of James Bell, the circumstances of the case show that the latter was an error which was properly corrected by the commissioner of the General Land Office in the exercise of his supervisory authority, and he had a right to do this, although a patent had been issued to James Bell, which had been reclaimed from the register's office and returned to the General Land Office to be cancelled.

The Supreme Court of Louisiana having decided against the validity of the patent issued to John Bell, this Court has jurisdiction under the twenty-fifth section of the Judiciary Act to review that judgment, and the ground of the decision of the state court sufficiently appears upon the record.

The facts in the case are stated in the opinion of the Court.

Page 60 U. S. 259