The Eagle was a Supreme Court case from 1869 that dealt with the issue of whether a state could tax a federally chartered corporation. The case was brought by the Eagle Insurance Company, a federally chartered corporation, against the state of New York. The company argued that the state's taxation of its property was unconstitutional because it violated the supremacy clause of the Constitution. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Eagle Insurance Company, holding that the state's taxation of the company's property was unconstitutional. The Court reasoned that the supremacy clause of the Constitution prohibited states from taxing federally chartered corporations. This decision established the principle that states cannot tax federally chartered corporations, and it has been cited in numerous cases since then. The Eagle case is an important precedent in the area of federalism and the relationship between the federal government and the states.

In The Eagle, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a contract between two parties that had been partially performed could be enforced. Chief Justice Chase wrote the dissenting opinion, arguing that contracts should not be enforced if they are illegal or immoral. He argued that it is wrong to enforce an agreement when one of the parties has already received some benefit from it and then seeks to avoid its obligations by claiming illegality or immorality. Furthermore, he noted that such agreements often lead to injustice because those who have already benefited can use them as leverage against those who have yet to receive their due compensation. In conclusion, Chief Justice Chase believed contracts should only be enforced if they are legal and moral in nature; otherwise, justice would not prevail for all involved parties.