In The Pearl, the United States Supreme Court ruled that a vessel found to be carrying contraband goods could not be seized by the government. The court held that since no law prohibited such an act, it was illegal for the government to seize and confiscate property without due process of law. This ruling established a precedent in which vessels were protected from seizure unless they had violated some specific statute or regulation. Furthermore, this decision set forth the principle that private property should only be taken with just compensation when authorized by Congress or state legislatures. In sum, this case affirmed citizens' right to their own personal property and ensured protection against arbitrary seizures by governmental authorities without legal authority.

In The Pearl, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the defendant. Justice Field wrote a dissenting opinion arguing that Congress had exclusive authority to regulate commerce on navigable waters and that state laws could not interfere with this power. He argued that if states were allowed to pass such laws, it would lead to confusion and conflict between federal and state regulations. Furthermore, he noted that allowing states to pass such laws would be an unconstitutional interference with interstate commerce as well as an infringement upon Congress' exclusive right under the Constitution's Commerce Clause. In conclusion, Justice Field believed that allowing states to pass their own navigation acts was contrary both to congressional intent and constitutional principles of federalism.