This Supreme Court case involves Thomas M. League, the plaintiff in error, and John De Young, surveyor for the District of Galveston, and Samuel P. Brown, his deputy. The dispute arose when League claimed that he had purchased a tract of land from one William Hurdle on June 1st 1845 but was unable to obtain title because it was part of an area surveyed by De Young and Brown as public lands belonging to the United States government. He argued that since he made payment before they conducted their survey then he should be allowed to keep possession of said land even though it is now considered public property due to their findings. The court ultimately ruled against him stating that although his purchase may have been valid at the time it does not supersede any subsequent surveys or claims made by other parties after such date which would render all prior transactions invalid regardless if money has already exchanged hands or not.

In the dissenting opinion of Thomas M. League v. John De Young, Surveyor for the District of Galveston and Samuel P. Brown, Deputy, Justice McLean argued that Congress had no authority to pass a law which would grant exclusive rights to an individual in navigable waters belonging to all citizens alike. He maintained that it was unconstitutional for Congress to give away public property without compensation or due process as this violated both natural justice and the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause which states “nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation”. Furthermore he argued that if such a law were allowed then it could lead to further abuses by granting individuals exclusive privileges over other citizens who have equal right under common law principles established by English jurisprudence since Magna Carta in 1215 CE . In conclusion Justice McLean stated his belief that any laws passed by Congress must conform with constitutional limits set forth in order protect citizen's rights from being infringed upon unjustly or arbitrarily