Williams v. Conger was a Supreme Court case decided in 1871. The case involved a dispute between two parties over a contract for the sale of a steamboat. The plaintiff, Williams, had contracted to purchase the steamboat from the defendant, Conger, for $2,000. However, Conger refused to deliver the boat, claiming that the contract was invalid because it had not been signed by both parties. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Williams, finding that the contract was valid and enforceable. The Court held that a contract does not need to be signed by both parties in order to be valid and enforceable. The Court reasoned that the parties had agreed to the terms of the contract, and that the lack of a signature did not invalidate the contract. The Court's decision in Williams v. Conger established an important precedent in contract law. It established that a contract does not need to be signed by both parties in order to be valid and enforceable. This precedent has been followed in numerous cases since then, and is still applicable today.

In the Supreme Court case of Williams v. Conger, Justice Harlan delivered a dissenting opinion in which he argued that the majority's decision was too narrow and failed to consider important facts about the case. He noted that while it is true that Congress has authority over public lands, this does not mean they can take away an individual's property rights without due process or just compensation. In this particular instance, he argued that there were sufficient facts presented to suggest that Mrs. Williams had acquired title by adverse possession prior to her death and thus should have been entitled to compensation for her estate when Congress took control of the land she occupied. Furthermore, Justice Harlan believed it was wrong for Congress to be able use its power over public lands as a way of avoiding paying individuals who may have valid claims against them; such actions could lead people with legitimate interests in land being taken away from them without any recourse whatsoever.