United States v. Hamilton was a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of whether a defendant could be convicted of a crime if the indictment failed to allege the essential elements of the offense. The defendant, Hamilton, was charged with the crime of embezzlement, but the indictment failed to allege the essential elements of the offense. The Supreme Court held that the indictment was insufficient and that Hamilton could not be convicted of the crime. The Court reasoned that the indictment must allege all of the essential elements of the offense in order to be sufficient. The Court noted that the indictment failed to allege the essential elements of the offense, such as the fact that Hamilton had taken the money with the intent to defraud the United States. The Court held that the indictment was insufficient and that Hamilton could not be convicted of the crime. The Court's decision in United States v. Hamilton established the principle that an indictment must allege all of the essential elements of the offense in order to be sufficient. This principle has been applied in subsequent cases and is still used today.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in United States v. Hamilton, arguing that the majority's decision was incorrect and should be reversed. He argued that Congress had no authority to pass a law prohibiting citizens from selling liquor on Indian reservations without first obtaining permission from tribal authorities. According to Justice Field, this violated both the Constitution and federal statutes which gave exclusive jurisdiction over Indian affairs to tribes themselves. Furthermore, he noted that such laws were not necessary for public safety or morality since they did not prohibit Indians from consuming alcohol on their own land; thus it could only serve as an infringement upon their rights of self-government and autonomy. In conclusion, Justice Field maintained that Congress' attempt at regulating commerce with Native Americans was unconstitutional because it interfered with tribal sovereignty and infringed upon individual liberty without any legitimate purpose or justification.