United States v. First Nat. Bank of Detroit

Citations

• 234 U.S. 245
• 34 S. Ct. 846
• 58 L. Ed. 1298
• 1914 U.S. LEXIS 1146

Syllabus

<p>The natural and usual signification of plain terms is to be adopted as the legislative meaning in the absence of clear showing that something else was meant.</p> <p>The rule that words in treaties with, and statutes affecting, Indians, must be interpreted as the Indians understood them is not applicable where the statute is not in the nature of a contract and does not require the consent of the Indians to make it effectual.</p> <p>The after facts have but little weight in- determining the meaning of legislation and cannot overcome the meaning of plain words used in a statute; nor can the courts be influenced in administering a law by the fact that its true interpretation may result in harsh consequenies.</p> <p>The responsibility for the justice and wisdom of legislation rests with Congress and it is the province of the courts to enforce, not to make, the laws.</p> <p>The policy of the Government in enacting legislation is often an uncertain thibg as to which opinions may vary and it affords an unstable ground of statutory construction.</p> <p>Congress has on several occasions put full blood Indians in one class and all others in another class.</p> <p>If á given construction was intended by Congress, which it would have been easy to have expressed in apt terms, other terms actually used will not be given a forced interpretation to reach that result.</p> <p>While the early administration of a statute showing the departmental construction thereof does not have the same weight which a long observed departmental construction has, it is entitled to consideration . as showing the construction placed upon the statute by competent men charged with its enforcement.</p> <p>Courts may not supply words in a statute which Congress has omitted; nor can such course be induced by any consideration of public policy or the desire to promote justice in dealing with dependent people.</p> <p>The Clapp Amendments of June 21, 1906, 34 Stat. 325, 353, and March 1, 1907, Id. 1015,. 1034,