The St. Jago de Cuba, Vinente and Others Claimants case was a dispute between the United States and Spain over ownership of certain lands in Florida that had been granted to Spanish citizens by the King of Spain prior to 1819. The Supreme Court held that although the grantees were entitled to their property rights under Spanish law, they could not assert those rights against the United States because it had acquired sovereignty over Florida through its treaty with Spain in 1819. Furthermore, any claims made by individuals who received grants from Spain after this date would be invalid as well since they would have no legal basis for asserting them against American authority. In conclusion, all land titles issued by Spain before or after 1819 were nullified when Florida became part of the United States due to its acquisition via treaty with Spain in 1819.

In The St. Jago de Cuba, Vinente and Others Claimants case, the dissenting opinion was that Congress had no authority to pass a law granting land titles to individuals in Florida. The majority of justices argued that Congress did have such power under the Constitution's Property Clause which grants it the ability to dispose of public lands as it sees fit. However, Justice Johnson disagreed with this interpretation and argued that since Florida was not yet part of the United States when Congress passed its law granting land titles there, then it could not be considered "public lands" within the meaning of the Property Clause. He further stated that if Congress wanted to grant these titles they should do so through an act specifically authorizing them for Florida rather than relying on a general statute applicable throughout all territories acquired by America after 1783.