The Tombigbee Railroad Company v. William H. Kneeland was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that a railroad company could not be sued for damages caused by its negligence, unless it had been incorporated under state law and given authority to operate as such. The court found that since the Tombigbee Railroad Company had not been legally incorporated, it did not have any legal capacity to sue or be sued in this matter and thus could not be liable for damages resulting from its alleged negligence. This decision established an important precedent regarding corporate liability and set forth guidelines on when corporations can be held responsible for their actions or omissions.

In the case of The Tombigbee Railroad Company v. William H. Kneeland, Justice McLean delivered a dissenting opinion in which he argued that the majority's decision was not supported by precedent or law and would lead to an unjust result for both parties. He noted that while it is true that the railroad company had been granted certain rights under its charter, those rights were limited and did not include any right to take private property without just compensation as required by the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Furthermore, he argued that even if such a right existed under state law, it could not be enforced against citizens who are protected by federal laws like this one unless Congress specifically authorized it through legislation or other means. Finally, Justice McLean concluded his dissent with a reminder that courts should always strive to reach decisions based on justice rather than technicalities when dealing with matters involving fundamental constitutional principles like this one does.