U.S.

Supreme Court
Whitney v. Robertson, 124 U.S. 190 (1888)
Whitney v. Robertson
Arue! "e#ember 1$%14, 188&
"e#i!e! '(nu(ry 9, 1888
124 U.S. 190
ERROR TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE UNITED
STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
Syllabus
The Treaty of February 8, 8!, "#th the Do$#%#&a% Re'ubl#& (art) *+ 'ro,#-es that
.No h#/her or other -uty shall be #$'ose- o% the #$'ortat#o% #%to the U%#te- states of a%y art#&le the /ro"th, 'ro-u&e, or
$a%ufa&ture of the Do$#%#&a% Re'ubl#&, or of her f#sher#es, tha% are or shall be 'ayable o% the l#0e art#&les the /ro"th,
'ro-u&e, or $a%ufa&ture of a%y other fore#/% &ou%try or of #ts f#sher#es).
The Co%,e%t#o% of 1a%uary 23, 454, "#th the K#%/ of the Ha"a##a% Isla%-s 'ro,#-es for the #$'ortat#o% #%to the U%#te-
States, free of -uty, of ,ar#ous art#&les, the 'ro-u&e a%- $a%ufa&ture of those #sla%-s (a$o%/ "h#&h "ere su/ars+, #%
&o%s#-erat#o% of &erta#% &o%&ess#o%s $a-e by the K#%/ of the Ha"a##a% Isla%-s to the U%#te- States) Hel- that th#s 'ro,#s#o%
#% the treaty "#th the Do$#%#&a% Re'ubl#& -#- %ot author#6e the a-$#ss#o% #%to the U%#te- States, -uty free, of s#$#lar su/ars,
the /ro"th, 'ro-u&e, or $a%ufa&ture of that re'ubl#& as a &o%se7ue%&e of the a/ree$e%t $a-e "#th the K#%/ of the Ha"a##a%
Isla%-s, a%- that there "as %o -#st#%&t#o% #% 'r#%&#'le bet"ee% th#s &ase a%- 8artra$ ,) Robertso%, 99 U) S) !)
8y the Co%st#tut#o% of the U%#te- States, a treaty a%- a statute are 'la&e- o% the sa$e foot#%/, a%- #f the t"o are
#%&o%s#ste%t, the o%e last #% -ate "#ll &o%trol, 'ro,#-e- the st#'ulat#o% of the treaty o% the sub:e&t #s self;e<e&ut#%/)
Th#s "as a% a&t#o% to re&o,er ba&0 -ut#es alle/e- to ha,e bee% #lle/ally e<a&te-) =er-#&t for the -efe%-a%t a%- :u-/$e%t o%
the ,er-#&t) The 'la#%t#ffs sue- out th#s "r#t of error)
>R) 1USTICE FIE?D -el#,ere- the o'#%#o% of the Court)
The 'la#%t#ffs are $er&ha%ts -o#%/ bus#%ess #% the C#ty of Ne" Yor0, a%- #% Au/ust, 889, they #$'orte- a lar/e 7ua%t#ty
@a/e 9A U) S) *
of .&e%tr#fu/al a%- $olasses su/ars,. the 'ro-u&e a%- $a%ufa&ture of the Isla%- of Sa% Do$#%/o) These /oo-s "ere s#$#lar
#% 0#%- to su/ars 'ro-u&e- #% the Ha"a##a% Isla%-s, "h#&h are a-$#tte- free of -uty u%-er the treaty "#th the K#%/ of those
#sla%-s a%- the a&t of Co%/ress 'asse- to &arry the treaty #%to effe&t) They "ere -uly e%tere- at the &usto$ house at the 'ort
of Ne" Yor0, the 'la#%t#ffs &la#$#%/ that by the treaty "#th the Re'ubl#& of Sa% Do$#%/o, the /oo-s shoul- be a-$#tte- o% the
sa$e ter$s ;; that #s, free of -uty ;; as s#$#lar art#&les the 'ro-u&e a%- $a%ufa&ture of the Ha"a##a% Isla%-s) The -efe%-a%t,
"ho "as at the t#$e &olle&tor of the 'ort, refuse- to allo" th#s &la#$, treate- the /oo-s as -ut#able art#&les u%-er the a&ts of
Co%/ress, a%- e<a&te- -ut#es o% the$ to the a$ou%t of B9,*2!) The 'la#%t#ffs a''eale- fro$ the &olle&torCs -e&#s#o% to the
Se&retary of the Treasury, by "ho$ the a''eal "as -e%#e-) They the% 'a#-, u%-er 'rotest, the -ut#es e<a&te-, a%- brou/ht
the 'rese%t a&t#o% to re&o,er the a$ou%t)
The &o$'la#%t set forth the fa&ts as to the #$'ortat#o% of the /oo-sD the &la#$ of the 'la#%t#ffs that they shoul- be a-$#tte-
free of -uty, be&ause l#0e art#&les fro$ the Ha"a##a% Isla%-s "ere thus a-$#tte-D the refusal of the &olle&tor to allo" the &la#$D
the a''eal fro$ h#s -e&#s#o% to the Se&retary of the Treasury, a%- #ts -e%#al by h#$, a%- the 'ay$e%t, u%-er 'rotest, of the
-ut#es e<a&te-, a%- &o%&lu-e- "#th a 'rayer for :u-/$e%t for the a$ou%t) The -efe%-a%t -e$urre- to the &o$'la#%t, the
-e$urrer "as susta#%e-, a%- f#%al :u-/$e%t "as e%tere- #% h#s fa,orD to re,#e" "h#&h the &ase #s brou/ht here)
The treaty "#th the K#%/ of the Ha"a##a% Isla%-s 'ro,#-es for the #$'ortat#o% #%to the U%#te- States, free of -uty, of ,ar#ous
art#&les, the 'ro-u&e a%- $a%ufa&ture of those #sla%-s, #% &o%s#-erat#o%, a$o%/ other th#%/s, of l#0e e<e$'t#o% fro$ -uty o%
the #$'ortat#o% #%to that &ou%try of su%-ry s'e&#f#e- art#&les "h#&h are the 'ro-u&e a%- $a%ufa&ture of the U%#te- States) *
Stat) !94) The la%/ua/e of the f#rst t"o art#&les of the treaty, "h#&h re&#te the re&#'ro&al e%/a/e$e%ts of the t"o &ou%tr#es,
-e&lares that they are $a-e #% &o%s#-erat#o%
@a/e 9A U) S) *9
.of the r#/hts a%- 'r#,#le/es,. a%- .as a% e7u#,ale%t therefor,. "h#&h o%e &o%&e-es to the other)
The 'la#%t#ffs rely for a l#0e e<e$'t#o% of the su/ars #$'orte- by the$ fro$ Sa% Do$#%/o u'o% the %#%th art#&le of the treaty
"#th the Do$#%#&a% Re'ubl#&, "h#&h #s as follo"sE
.No h#/her or other -uty shall be #$'ose- o% the #$'ortat#o% #%to the U%#te- States of a%y art#&le, the /ro"th, 'ro-u&e, or
$a%ufa&ture of the Do$#%#&a% Re'ubl#&, or of her f#sher#es, a%- %o h#/her or other -uty shall be #$'ose- o% the #$'ortat#o%
#%to the Do$#%#&a% Re'ubl#& of a%y art#&le, the /ro"th, 'ro-u&e, or $a%ufa&ture of the U%#te- States, or the#r f#sher#es, tha%
are or shall be 'ayable o% the l#0e art#&les, the /ro"th, 'ro-u&e, or $a%ufa&ture of a%y other fore#/% &ou%try, or #ts f#sher#es).
4 Stat) A54)
I% 8artra$ ,) Robertso%, -e&#-e- at the last ter$, 99 U) S) !, "e hel- that bro"% a%- u%ref#%e- su/ars, the 'ro-u&e a%-
$a%ufa&ture of the Isla%- of St) Cro#<, "h#&h #s 'art of the -o$#%#o%s of the K#%/ of De%$ar0, "ere %ot e<e$'t fro$ -uty by
for&e of the treaty "#th that &ou%try, be&ause s#$#lar /oo-s fro$ the Ha"a##a% Isla%-s "ere thus e<e$'t) The f#rst art#&le of
the treaty "#th De%$ar0 'ro,#-e- that the &o%tra&t#%/ 'art#es shoul- %ot /ra%t .a%y 'art#&ular fa,or. to other %at#o%s #%
res'e&t to &o$$er&e a%- %a,#/at#o% "h#&h shoul- %ot #$$e-#ately be&o$e &o$$o% to the other 'arty, "ho shoul- .e%:oy
the sa$e freely #f the &o%&ess#o% "ere freely $a-e, a%- u'o% allo"#%/ the sa$e &o$'e%sat#o% #f the &o%&ess#o% "ere
&o%-#t#o%al). Stat) 5*) The fourth art#&le 'ro,#-e- that %o .h#/her or other -ut#es. shoul- be #$'ose- by e#ther 'arty o% the
#$'ortat#o% of a%y art#&le "h#&h #s #ts 'ro-u&e or $a%ufa&ture #%to the &ou%try of the other 'arty tha% #s 'ayable o% l#0e
art#&les, be#%/ the 'ro-u&e or $a%ufa&ture of a%y other fore#/% &ou%try) A%- "e hel- #% the &ase $e%t#o%e- that
.Those st#'ulat#o%s, e,e% #f &o%&e-e- to be self;e<e&ut#%/ by the "ay of a 'ro,#so or e<&e't#o% to the /e%eral la" #$'os#%/
the -ut#es, -o %ot &o,er &o%&ess#o%s l#0e those $a-e to the Ha"a##a% Isla%-s for a ,aluable &o%s#-erat#o%) They "ere
'le-/es of the t"o &o%tra&t#%/ 'art#es, the U%#te- States a%- the K#%/ of
@a/e 9A U) S) *2
De%$ar0, to ea&h other that, #% the #$'os#t#o% of -ut#es o% /oo-s #$'orte- #%to o%e of the &ou%tr#es "h#&h "ere the 'ro-u&e
or $a%ufa&ture of the other, there shoul- be %o -#s&r#$#%at#o% a/a#%st the$ #% fa,or of /oo-s of l#0e &hara&ter #$'orte- fro$
a%y other &ou%try) They #$'ose- a% obl#/at#o% u'o% both &ou%tr#es to a,o#- host#le le/#slat#o% #% that res'e&t, but they "ere
%ot #%te%-e- to #%terfere "#th s'e&#al arra%/e$e%ts "#th other &ou%tr#es fou%-e- u'o% a &o%&ess#o% of s'e&#al 'r#,#le/es).
The &ou%sel for the 'la#%t#ffs $eet th#s 'os#t#o% by 'o#%t#%/ to the o$#ss#o% #% the treaty "#th the Re'ubl#& of Sa% Do$#%/o of
the 'ro,#s#o% as to free &o%&ess#o%s, a%- &o%&ess#o%s u'o% &o$'e%sat#o%, &o%te%-#%/ that the o$#ss#o% 're&lu-es a%y
&o%&ess#o%, #% res'e&t of &o$$er&e a%- %a,#/at#o%, by our /o,er%$e%t to a%other &ou%try "#thout that &o%&ess#o%Cs be#%/ at
o%&e e<te%-e- to Sa% Do$#%/o) We -o %ot th#%0 that the abse%&e of th#s 'ro,#s#o% &ha%/es the obl#/at#o%s of the U%#te-
States) The %#%th art#&le of the treaty "#th that re'ubl#&, #% the &lause 7uote-, #s substa%t#ally l#0e the fourth art#&le #% the treaty
"#th the K#%/ of De%$ar0, a%- as "e sa#- of the latter, "e $ay say of the for$er ;; that #t #s a 'le-/e of the &o%tra&t#%/
'art#es that there shall be %o -#s&r#$#%at#%/ le/#slat#o%, a/a#%st the #$'ortat#o% of art#&les "h#&h are the /ro"th, 'ro-u&e, or
$a%ufa&ture of the#r res'e&t#,e &ou%tr#es, #% fa,or of art#&les of l#0e &hara&ter #$'orte- fro$ a%y other &ou%try) It has %o
/reater e<te%t) It "as %e,er -es#/%e- to 're,e%t s'e&#al &o%&ess#o%s, u'o% suff#&#e%t &o%s#-erat#o%s, tou&h#%/ the #$'ortat#o%
of s'e&#f#& art#&les #%to the &ou%try of the other) It "oul- re7u#re the &learest la%/ua/e to :ust#fy a &o%&lus#o% that our
/o,er%$e%t #%te%-e- to 're&lu-e #tself fro$ su&h e%/a/e$e%ts "#th other &ou%tr#es "h#&h $#/ht #% the future be of the
h#/hest #$'orta%&e to #ts #%terests)
8ut #%-e'e%-e%tly of &o%s#-erat#o%s of th#s %ature, there #s a%other a%- &o$'lete a%s"er to the 'rete%s#o%s of the 'la#%t#ffs)
The a&t of Co%/ress u%-er "h#&h the -ut#es "ere &olle&te- author#6e- the#r e<a&t#o%) It #s of /e%eral a''l#&at#o%, $a0#%/ %o
e<&e't#o% #% fa,or of /oo-s of a%y &ou%try) It "as 'asse-
@a/e 9A U) S) *A
after the treaty "#th the Do$#%#&a% Re'ubl#&, a%-, #f there be a%y &o%fl#&t bet"ee% the st#'ulat#o%s of the treaty a%- the
re7u#re$e%ts of the la", the latter $ust &o%trol) A treaty #s 'r#$ar#ly a &o%tra&t bet"ee% t"o or $ore #%-e'e%-e%t %at#o%s, a%-
#s so re/ar-e- by "r#ters o% 'ubl#& la") For the #%fra&t#o% of #ts 'ro,#s#o%s, a re$e-y $ust be sou/ht by the #%:ure- 'arty
throu/h re&la$at#o%s u'o% the other) Whe% the st#'ulat#o%s are %ot self;e<e&ut#%/, they &a% o%ly be e%for&e- 'ursua%t to
le/#slat#o% to &arry the$ #%to effe&t, a%- su&h le/#slat#o% #s as $u&h sub:e&t to $o-#f#&at#o% a%- re'eal by Co%/ress as
le/#slat#o% u'o% a%y other sub:e&t) If the treaty &o%ta#%s st#'ulat#o%s "h#&h are self;e<e&ut#%/ ;; that #s, re7u#re %o le/#slat#o%
to $a0e the$ o'erat#,e ;; to that e<te%t they ha,e the for&e a%- effe&t of a le/#slat#,e e%a&t$e%t) Co%/ress $ay $o-#fy su&h
'ro,#s#o%s so far as they b#%- the U%#te- States, or su'erse-e the$ alto/ether) 8y the Co%st#tut#o%, a treaty #s 'la&e- o% the
sa$e foot#%/, a%- $a-e of l#0e obl#/at#o%, "#th a% a&t of le/#slat#o%) 8oth are -e&lare- by that #%stru$e%t to be the su're$e
la" of the la%-, a%- %o su'er#or eff#&a&y #s /#,e% to e#ther o,er the other) Whe% the t"o relate to the sa$e sub:e&t, the &ourts
"#ll al"ays e%-ea,or to &o%strue the$ so as to /#,e effe&t to both, #f that &a% be -o%e "#thout ,#olat#%/ the la%/ua/e of e#therD
but #f the t"o are #%&o%s#ste%t, the o%e last #% -ate "#ll &o%trol the other, 'ro,#-e- al"ays the st#'ulat#o% of the treaty o% the
sub:e&t #s self;e<e&ut#%/) If the &ou%try "#th "h#&h the treaty #s $a-e #s -#ssat#sf#e- "#th the a&t#o% of the le/#slat#,e
-e'art$e%t, #t $ay 'rese%t #ts &o$'la#%t to the e<e&ut#,e hea- of the /o,er%$e%t a%- ta0e su&h other $easures as #t $ay
-ee$ esse%t#al for the 'rote&t#o% of #ts #%terests) The &ourts &a% affor- %o re-ress) Whether the &o$'la#%#%/ %at#o% has :ust
&ause of &o$'la#%t or our &ou%try "as :ust#f#e- #% #ts le/#slat#o% are %ot $atters for :u-#&#al &o/%#6a%&e) I% Taylor ,) >orto%, 9
Curt#s A4A, A4*, th#s sub:e&t "as ,ery elaborately &o%s#-ere- at the &#r&u#t by >r) 1ust#&e Curt#s of th#s Court, a%- he hel- that
"hether a treaty "#th a fore#/% so,ere#/% ha- bee% ,#olate- by h#$D "hether the &o%s#-erat#o% of a 'art#&ular st#'ulat#o% of the
treaty ha- bee% ,olu%tar#ly "#th-ra"% by
@a/e 9A U) S) *4
o%e 'arty so that #t "as %o lo%/er obl#/atory o% the otherD "hether the ,#e"s a%- a&ts of a fore#/% so,ere#/% ha- /#,e% :ust
o&&as#o% to the le/#slat#,e -e'art$e%t of our /o,er%$e%t to "#thhol- the e<e&ut#o% of a 'ro$#se &o%ta#%e- #% a treaty, or to
a&t #% -#re&t &o%tra,e%t#o% of su&h 'ro$#se "ere %ot :u-#&#al 7uest#o%sD that the 'o"er to -eter$#%e these $atters ha- %ot
bee% &o%f#-e- to the :u-#&#ary, "h#&h has %o su#table $ea%s to e<er&#se #t, but to the e<e&ut#,e a%- le/#slat#,e -e'art$e%ts of
our /o,er%$e%t, a%- that they belo%/ to -#'lo$a&y a%- le/#slat#o%, a%- %ot to the a-$#%#strat#o% of the la"s) A%- he :ustly
obser,e- as a %e&essary &o%se7ue%&e of these ,#e"s that #f the 'o"er to -eter$#%e these $atters #s ,este- #% Co%/ress, #t
#s "holly #$$ater#al to #%7u#re "hether by the a&t assa#le- #t has -e'arte- fro$ the treaty or %ot, or "hether su&h -e'arture
"as by a&&#-e%t or -es#/%, a%- #f the latter, "hether the reaso%s "ere /oo- or ba-)
I% these ,#e"s "e fully &o%&ur) It follo"s, therefore, that "he% a la" #s &lear #% #ts 'ro,#s#o%s, #ts ,al#-#ty &a%%ot be assa#le-
before the &ourts for "a%t of &o%for$#ty to st#'ulat#o%s of a 're,#ous treaty %ot alrea-y e<e&ute-) Co%s#-erat#o%s of that
&hara&ter belo%/ to a%other -e'art$e%t of the /o,er%$e%t) The -uty of the &ourts #s to &o%strue a%- /#,e effe&t to the latest
e<'ress#o% of the so,ere#/% "#ll) I% Hea- >o%ey Cases, 9 U) S) 483, #t "as ob:e&te- to a% a&t of Co%/ress that #t ,#olate-
'ro,#s#o%s &o%ta#%e- #% treat#es "#th fore#/% %at#o%s, but the Court re'l#e- that so far as the 'ro,#s#o%s of the a&t "ere #%
&o%fl#&t "#th a%y treaty, they $ust 're,a#l #% all the &ourts of the &ou%try, a%- after a full a%- elaborate &o%s#-erat#o% of the
sub:e&t #t hel- that
.so far as a treaty $a-e by the U%#te- States "#th a%y fore#/% %at#o% &a% be the sub:e&t of :u-#&#al &o/%#6a%&e #% the &ourts of
th#s &ou%try, #t #s sub:e&t to su&h a&ts as Co%/ress $ay 'ass for #ts e%for&e$e%t, $o-#f#&at#o%, or re'eal).
1u-/$e%t aff#r$e-)