In the case of Alexander v. United States (1890), the U.S Supreme Court ruled that a federal law prohibiting lottery tickets from being transported across state lines was constitutional. The court held that Congress had broad power to regulate interstate commerce and could use this authority to suppress lotteries, which were seen as harmful or immoral activities. This decision upheld an earlier ruling by a lower court, which found Mr. Alexander guilty of violating this law and sentenced him to pay a fine and serve time in jail for his involvement in selling Louisiana State Lottery tickets outside of Louisiana's borders.

In the dissenting opinion for Alexander v. United States, Justice Lamar disagreed with the majority's interpretation of the law and its application to this case. He argued that while Congress has broad powers to regulate commerce among states, it does not have unlimited power over all aspects of trade or business within a state. In his view, Congress had exceeded its authority by imposing a tax on lottery tickets sold within individual states as part of an effort to suppress lotteries nationwide. He contended that such regulation was beyond federal jurisdiction and should be left up to individual states under their police powers. Furthermore, he expressed concern about potential abuses if Congress were allowed unchecked power in regulating interstate commerce without clear constitutional limits.