Obadiah B. Brown was the plaintiff in error in a case brought before the United States Supreme Court. The case revolved around an act of Congress that allowed for citizens to bring claims against the government if they had been wrongfully deprived of their property by any officer or employee of the United States. In this particular instance, Brown alleged that he had been wrongfully deprived of his property when certain officers and employees seized it without due process and sold it at public auction for less than its value. The Supreme Court ultimately found in favor of Brown, ruling that he should be compensated for his losses as provided under federal law. This decision set a precedent allowing citizens to seek compensation from the government when their rights have been violated by federal officials or employees acting on behalf of the U.S., thus protecting individuals from unjust treatment by those who are supposed to serve them best - their own government representatives and agents

Obadiah B. Brown, plaintiff in error, argued that the United States had no jurisdiction to try him for a crime committed on board of an American vessel while it was within the waters of a foreign country. The Court held that Congress has power to punish offenses committed by citizens or others upon vessels belonging to citizens of the United States when such vessels are found in foreign countries and subject only to their laws; and therefore affirmed the judgment below. Justice McLean dissented from this opinion stating that he did not believe Congress had authority under any circumstances over acts done beyond its territorial limits unless they were connected with some offense against its own laws which could be punished within those limits. He believed there was no law authorizing punishment for crimes committed on board an American vessel while it is outside our territorial jurisdiction and thus concluded that Obadiah B. Brown should have been acquitted as charged by indictment before trial court since his actions occurred outside US territory where US courts lacked jurisdiction over them .