The U.S. Supreme Court case In re Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company in 1890 revolved around the issue of whether a railroad company could be compelled to operate its cars on Sundays, despite claiming that it was not profitable for them to do so. The court ruled against the railroad company, stating that as they were operating under a public charter granted by Congress, they had an obligation to provide service seven days a week. This decision was based on the principle that when private entities are given special privileges or franchises by government bodies, they must fulfill all obligations associated with those privileges even if some aspects may not be financially beneficial.

The dissenting opinion in the case of In re Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company argued that the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction over this matter. The justice contended that it was a local issue, specifically related to the District of Columbia's regulations on street railways, which should be handled by local courts rather than being elevated to the federal level. Furthermore, they disagreed with imposing an obligation on private companies to provide services without compensation or clear legal mandate. They believed such actions could potentially infringe upon property rights protected under constitutional law. Therefore, they dissented from the majority ruling ordering Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company to run cars every fifteen minutes during certain hours without additional remuneration.