The case of In re Lehigh Mining and Manufacturing Company, 1894, involved the petitioner's request for a writ of mandamus to compel the Secretary of Treasury to issue bonds in exchange for legal tender notes. The Supreme Court denied this petition on grounds that it lacked jurisdiction over such matters. The court stated that it could not interfere with discretionary powers vested by law in heads of departments or officers belonging to the executive branch unless there was clear violation or neglect of duty. Furthermore, they noted that even if they had jurisdiction, no right existed under any act of Congress entitling anyone to demand from the Secretary an exchange between bonds and legal tender notes at par value. This decision reinforced separation-of-powers principles within U.S government structure.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Lehigh Mining and Manufacturing Company, 1894, argued that the court majority had erred in its interpretation of the law. The dissenters believed that a corporation could not be considered a citizen for purposes of diversity jurisdiction under Article III Section 2 of the U.S Constitution. They contended that corporations were artificial entities created by state law and did not possess inherent rights or privileges like natural persons do. Therefore, they should not enjoy constitutional protections meant for individuals such as access to federal courts based on diversity jurisdiction. This view was contrary to the majority's decision which held that corporations are citizens within their states of incorporation and can therefore invoke diversity jurisdiction just like any other citizen would do so.