In the case of Lessee of Amos Binney v. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a lessee had an obligation to pay rent for land that he leased from another party when it became impossible for him to use or enjoy the property due to circumstances beyond his control. In this particular case, Amos Binney had leased some land along a canal route owned by The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company (C&O). When C&O began construction on its canal project, it blocked access to Binney's property making it unusable. As such, he argued that he should not be required to pay rent since he could not make any use of the land during this time period. Ultimately, however, the court ruled in favor of C&O finding that even though Binney could not physically occupy or utilize his leasehold estate during construction on their project; as long as they were willing and able to provide him with possession upon completion then they were entitled collect payment according their agreement regardless if there was actual occupancy at all times or not.

In this case, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a canal company had the right to raise its tolls on goods transported through it. The majority opinion held that they did have such authority, but Justice Story dissented from this decision. He argued that while Congress had granted the company certain powers in their charter, these powers were limited and could not be used as justification for raising tolls without consent of those affected by them. Furthermore, he asserted that if companies like these were allowed to increase rates at will then it would lead to an abuse of power and create monopolies which would harm consumers who rely on transportation services provided by canals. In conclusion, Justice Story believed that any changes in rates should only take place with approval from Congress or other governing bodies so as not protect citizens from unfair practices and ensure fair competition among businesses operating within a given industry.