Source: https://www.legalcrystal.com/case/84934/lee-vs-johnson
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 10:53:47+00:00

Document:
a decree was rendered dismissing the suit. On appeal to the supreme court of the state, the decree was reversed and the circuit court directed to enter a decree in favor of the plaintiff for the relief prayed in the bill of complaint. The circuit court having complied with the mandate of the supreme court by entering that decree, the defendant sued out the writ of error from this Court to review it. The writ was directed to the judge of the circuit court because the final decree was entered and the record of the suit remained there. Atherton v. Fowler, 91 U. S. 143 ; Gelston v. Hoyt, 3 Wheat. 246.
the evidence. It is not enough, however, that fraud and imposition have been practiced upon the department or that false testimony or fraudulent documents have been presented; it must appear that they affected its determination which otherwise would have been in favor of the plaintiff. He must in all cases show that, but for the error or fraud or imposition of which he complains, he would be entitled to the patent; it is not enough to show that is should not have been issued to the patentee. It is for the party whose rights are alleged to have been disregarded that relief is sought, not for the government, which can file its own bill when it desires the cancellation of a patent unadvisedly or wrongfully issued. Bohall v. Dilla, 114 U. S. 47 ; Sparks v. Pierce, 115 U. S. 47 .
Without going into any detail of the evidence presented to the Commissioner and Secretary of the Interior, but taking the general statement of its nature which we have given, it is clear that their attention was drawn by it to the character of the settlement of Johnson, and that they considered whether his entry was made to acquire a home for himself or for his son-in-law, whether his residence had been sufficiently personal and continuous to save and perfect any right, if in fact he had ever initiated any, and whether or not he had abandoned the land. The findings of the Secretary upon any of these matters must be taken as conclusive in the absence of any fraud and imposition such as we have mentioned. Upon this point it is only necessary to refer to the cases where this conclusive character of the action of the department upon matters of fact cognizable by it has been expressly affirmed. Johnson v. Towsley, 13 Wall. 72; Shepley v. Cowan, 91 U. S. 330 , 91 U. S. 340 ; Moore v. Robbins, 96 U. S. 530 , 96 U. S. 535 ; Quinby v. Conlan, 104 U. S. 420 , 104 U. S. 426 ; Smelting Co. v. Kemp, 96 U. S. 636 , 96 U. S. 640 ; Steel v. Smelting Co., 106 U. S. 447 , 106 U. S. 450 .
While there are no formal pleadings in such cases, it is undoubtedly true as a general rule that in contested matters before the Land Department, as in those before the courts, the decision should be confined to the questions raised by the allegations of the respective parties; but this rule has its exceptions. If in any case it appears from the evidence that the claim of the complaining or moving party is against public policy or the law, so that in no event could he recover a final judgment or decision, whatever be the nature or extent of the testimony upon the point at issue, the tribunal should not hesitate to dismiss the suit or the proceeding. An illustration of this rule is found in Oscanyan v. Arms Co., reported in 103 U. S. 261 . There, a large sum was claimed from the vendor of firearms as commissions on sales that through the influence of the plaintiff had been made to the Turkish government, of which he was then an officer. The defendant pleaded the general issue, and it was contended that the illegality of the contract could not be noticed, because not affirmatively pleaded. But the Court held that, assuming the contract to be a corrupt one, forbidden by morality and public policy, the objection to a recovery could not be obviated or waived by any system of pleading, or even by the express stipulation of the parties; that it was one which the Court itself was bound to raise in the interest of the due administration of justice. 103 U.S. 103 U. S. 268 .

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