The United States brought a case against William Linn and others for the illegal sale of public lands. The Supreme Court held that the defendants had no right to sell these lands, as they were not authorized by Congress or any other competent authority. Furthermore, it was found that all sales made by them were void and could not be enforced in court. This decision established an important precedent regarding the power of Congress over public land sales, affirming its exclusive authority to regulate such transactions. It also set forth clear guidelines on how private individuals may acquire title to government-owned property through legal means only.

In the United States v. William Linn and Others, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a certain piece of land in Oregon Territory belonged to the United States or to private individuals who had purchased it from Native Americans. The majority opinion held that since Congress had never passed any laws governing ownership of this particular parcel, it must remain with its original owners—the Native Americans. However, Justice McLean dissented from this ruling on two grounds: firstly, he argued that although Congress may not have passed specific legislation regarding this parcel of land, they did pass general laws which gave them authority over all lands within their territories; secondly, he maintained that even if these general laws were insufficient for establishing title in favor of the US government, then at least they should be allowed access to use part or all of it as needed for public purposes such as roads and military posts. In conclusion Justice McLean believed that either way—through congressional action or through common law principles—the US government should have some form of control over this disputed territory in Oregon Territory