Beecher v. Wetherby was a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of a contract between two parties. The plaintiff, Beecher, had entered into a contract with the defendant, Wetherby, to purchase a certain amount of lumber. The contract stated that the lumber was to be delivered to Beecher within a certain time frame. However, Wetherby failed to deliver the lumber within the specified time frame. Beecher then sued Wetherby for breach of contract. The Supreme Court held that Wetherby was liable for breach of contract. The Court reasoned that the contract was clear and unambiguous, and that Wetherby had failed to fulfill his obligations under the contract. The Court also held that Beecher was entitled to damages for the breach of contract. In conclusion, the Supreme Court held that Wetherby was liable for breach of contract and that Beecher was entitled to damages for the breach. The Court's decision established that parties to a contract must fulfill their obligations under the contract or face legal consequences.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Beecher v. Wetherby, arguing that the majority had erred in its interpretation of a contract between two parties. He argued that while it was true that one party had failed to perform their obligations under the agreement, this did not necessarily mean they were liable for damages as there was no evidence of any damage being caused by their failure to act. Furthermore, he argued that even if there had been some kind of harm done due to non-performance, it would have been impossible for either party to prove what those damages might be and thus neither should be held responsible for them. Finally, Justice Field noted that since both parties agreed on all terms at the time they entered into the contract and could not reasonably foresee any potential issues arising from non-performance at such an early stage in proceedings; therefore neither should be held liable for any resulting losses or damages incurred later down the line.