Robertson v. Baldwin

Citations

• 165 U.S. 275
• 17 S. Ct. 326
• 41 L. Ed. 715
• 1897 U.S. LEXIS 1968

Syllabus

<p>Section 4598 of the Revised Statutes is not unconstitutional by reason of its authorizing justices of the peace to issue warrants to apprehend deserting seamen, and deliver them up to the roaster of their vessel.</p> <p>The judicial power of the United Statesjs defined by the Constitution, and does not prevent Congress from authorizing state officers to tafee affidavits, to arrest and commit for trial offenders against the laws of the United States, to naturalize aliens, and to perform such other duties as may be regarded as incidental to the judicial power, rather than a part of it;</p> <p>Section 4598 and 4599, in so far as they require seamen to carry out the contracts contained in their shipping articles, are not in conflict with the Thirteenth Amendment forbidding slavery and'involuntary servitude; and it cannot be open to doubt that the provision against involuntary servitude was never intended to apply to such contracts. • ■</p> <p>The contract of a sailor has always been treated as an exceptional one, and involving to a certain extent the surrender of his personal liberty ■ during the life of the contract.</p>