The Jonquille was a Supreme Court case in which the court ruled that an American vessel could not be seized by French authorities for carrying goods from England to France. The ship had been stopped and searched by French officials, who claimed it violated their Navigation Act of 1778. However, the US argued that its Neutrality Proclamation of 1811 exempted them from such searches and seizures. The court ultimately sided with the US, ruling that since they were neutral in this conflict between France and England, they should not be subject to either country's laws or regulations while on international waters. This decision established a precedent for protecting American vessels against foreign interference when sailing internationally.

In The Jonquille, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a French vessel that had been captured by an American privateer during the Napoleonic Wars could be considered a prize of war. In his dissenting opinion, Justice Story argued that under international law and treaties between France and America at the time, such vessels were not subject to capture as prizes of war. He noted that although Congress had passed laws authorizing captures in certain circumstances, these laws did not apply to this case because they only applied when there was no treaty or other agreement between two nations governing such matters. Furthermore, he argued that even if Congress' laws did apply in this situation, they would still be invalid since they violated both international law and existing treaties between France and America. Ultimately Justice Story concluded that it would have been unjust for the court to allow a seizure which violated both domestic legislation as well as established principles of international law.