Myers v. Swann was a United States Supreme Court case that addressed the issue of whether a state court had the authority to issue a writ of mandamus to a federal officer. The case involved a dispute between the state of Maryland and the federal government over the ownership of a parcel of land. The state of Maryland had granted the land to a private individual, but the federal government had subsequently acquired the land for use in the construction of a lighthouse. The state of Maryland sought to regain control of the land and filed a petition for a writ of mandamus in the state court. The writ of mandamus was a legal order that required the federal officer to surrender the land to the state. The federal officer argued that the state court did not have the authority to issue the writ of mandamus because it was a federal matter. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the federal officer, holding that the state court did not have the authority to issue the writ of mandamus. The Court reasoned that the writ of mandamus was a federal matter and that the state court did not have the authority to interfere with the federal government's authority over the land. The Court also noted that the writ of mandamus was a legal order that could only be issued by a federal court.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Myers v. Swann, arguing that Congress had no authority to pass a law which would interfere with an individual's right to contract and dispose of their property as they saw fit. He argued that this was a fundamental right protected by the Constitution and could not be taken away without due process of law. Furthermore, he noted that if Congress were allowed to pass such laws it would lead to arbitrary interference with private rights and undermine public confidence in government institutions. Justice Field concluded his dissent by stating that while he did not dispute the power of Congress over certain matters, it should never be used for purposes which are contrary to constitutional guarantees or deprive individuals of their natural rights without due process of law.