OKAL ARGUMENT OF CHRISTOPHER ROBINSON, Q. C. 617 



Mr. President, to give us the reference. The point will probably become 

 unimportant from the point of view of my friend Mr. Phelps, but inas- 

 much as reference to it was made, it is important that the Tribunal 

 should know, and liave on the record, the whole facts with regard to it. 



The District Court, as Mr. Carter told us — was established by the 

 Act of 1884. And the reference to that will be found, as Mr. Carter 

 said, on page 431 of the First volume of the Eevised Statutes of the 

 United States. 



Section 3 of Chapter 53 (1884) 48th Congress, is as follows. — 



That there shall be, and hereby is, established a district court for said district, 

 with the civil and criminal jurisdiction of district courts of the United States, and 

 the civil and criminal, jurisdiction of district courts of the United States exercising 

 the jurisdiction of circuit courts, and such other jurisdiction, not in consistent with 

 this act, as may be established law. 



Then Mr. Carter read one Section only, (saying there were others), 

 from the definition of the jurisdiction of the District Courts. I desire 

 that the others should be read, because as w^as surmised by several 

 members of the Tribunal, the Court has a variety of jurisdictions, and 

 from this section read it will be seen that there is not any foundation 

 for the suggestion that the Court, was acting as a Prize Court. 



The section is 563 of the Revised Statutes giving jurisdiction to the 

 District Courts, and these are the jurisdictions: 



The following is the text of section 563, of chapter 3, title XIII: 



The Judiciary. 



The district courts shall have jurisdiction as follows. 



First. Of all crimes and offences cognizable under the authority of the United 

 States, committed within their respective districts, or upon the high seas, the jiuuish- 

 nient of which is not ca])ital, exce])t in the cases mentioned in section hfty-four 

 hundred and twelve. Title " Crimes ". 



Second. Of all cases arising under any act for the punishment of piracy, when 

 no circuit court is held in the district of such court. 



Third. Of all suits for penalties and forfeitures incurred under any law of the 

 United States. 



Fourth. Of all suits at common law brought by the United States, or by any 

 officer thereof authorized by law to sue. 



Fifth. Of all suits in equity to enforce the lien of the Uuiti'd States upon any real 

 estate for any interual-revenue tax, or to subject to the payment of any such tax 

 any real estate owned by the delinquent, or in which he has any right, title, or 

 interest. 



Sixth. Of all suits for the recovery of any forfeiture or damages under section 

 thirty-four hundred and ninety, Title "Debts due by or to the United States"; 

 and such suits may be tried and determiued by any district court within whose 

 jurisdictional limits the defendant may be found. 



Seventh. Of all causes of action arising under the postal laws of the United 

 States. 



Eighth. Of all civil causes of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; saving to 

 suitors in all cases the right of a common law remedy, where the common law is com- 

 petent to give it; and of all seizures on land and on waters not within admiralty 

 and maritime jurisdiction. Andsucli jurisdiction shall be exclusive, except in the 

 particular cases where jurisdiction of such causes and seizures is given to the circuit 

 courts. [And shall have original and exclusive cognizance of all prizes brought 

 into the Uuitid States, except as provided in paragraph six of section six hundred 

 and twenty-nine.] 



Ninth. Of all proceedings for the condemnation of property taken as prize, in 

 pursuance of section fifty-three hundred and [_seventy-six,'} [eight,] Title "Insur- 

 rection". 



Tenth. Of all suits by the assignee of any debenture for drawback of duties, 

 issued under any law for the collection of duties, against the person to whom such 

 debeuture was originally granted, or against any iudorser thereof, to recover the 

 amount of such debeuture. 



Eleventh. Of all suits authorized by law to be brought by any person for the 

 recovery of damages on account of any injury to his person or property, or of the 

 deprivation of any right or privilege of a citizen of the United States by any act 



