The Adela was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1867. The case involved a dispute between the owners of the Adela, a British vessel, and the owners of the cargo it was carrying. The cargo owners had sued the vessel owners for damages, claiming that the vessel had been negligently managed and that the cargo had been damaged as a result. The Supreme Court held that the vessel owners were liable for the damages, as they had failed to exercise due care in the management of the vessel. The Court noted that the vessel had been inadequately manned and that the crew had not been properly trained. The Court also noted that the vessel had been inadequately supplied with necessary equipment and that the vessel had been inadequately maintained. The Court held that the vessel owners were liable for the damages, as they had failed to exercise due care in the management of the vessel. The Court noted that the vessel had been inadequately manned and that the crew had not been properly trained. The Court also noted that the vessel had been inadequately supplied with necessary equipment and that the vessel had been inadequately maintained. The Court concluded that the vessel owners had breached their duty of care and were liable for the damages caused to the cargo.

In The Adela, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a vessel that had been seized by the United States Navy during the Civil War could be sold to pay for damages caused by its crew. In an 8-1 decision, Justice Field delivered a dissenting opinion arguing that Congress did not have authority under existing law to order such a sale. He argued that while it may be true that Congress has broad powers over naval vessels and their crews, this power does not extend so far as to allow them to seize private property without due process of law or compensation for those affected. Furthermore, he noted that even if Congress did have such authority in this case, they failed to exercise it properly since no notice was given prior to seizure and no opportunity provided for contesting the action taken against them. As such, Justice Field concluded there were insufficient grounds on which the court could uphold the sale of The Adela's cargo and urged his colleagues on the bench to reverse their ruling accordingly.