The Davis is a landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of federal control over the nation's waterways. The case involved a dispute between the state of Mississippi and the federal government over the use of the Mississippi River. The state of Mississippi had granted a private company the right to build a dam on the river, but the federal government argued that the dam would interfere with navigation and commerce on the river. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the federal government, holding that the federal government had the power to regulate the use of navigable waterways. The decision established the principle of federal control over the nation's waterways, which has been upheld in subsequent cases. The Davis case is an important precedent in the area of federalism and the power of the federal government to regulate interstate commerce.

In the case of Davis v. Gray, Justice Field delivered a dissenting opinion arguing that Congress did not have the power to pass legislation which would grant patents for inventions and discoveries in areas of science and art. He argued that this was an area traditionally left to state law, as it had been since the founding of our nation. Furthermore, he asserted that if Congress were allowed to pass such laws then they could also potentially interfere with other matters traditionally reserved for state law such as contracts or property rights. In conclusion, Justice Field believed that allowing Congress to regulate these areas would be unconstitutional and infringe upon states' rights under the 10th Amendment.