his case involved a conflict of jurisdiction between
the federal courts and the authorities of the State of Pennsylvania over
the distribution of some prize money. Marshall's decision was a strong
assertion of the federal jurisdiction and power. The Governor of
Pennsylvania, under sanction of the state legislature, called out the
state militia to resist enforcement of the judgment of the Court.
Matters were tense for a time and bloodshed seemed imminent but the
state finally backed down.

[Footnote 1: 1 Cranch, 137.]

[Footnote 2: 5 Cranch, 115, decided in 1809.]

In the following year (1810) came the case of _Fletcher v. Peck_,[1] in
which for the first time a statute of a state was held by the Supreme
Court to be void as repugnant to the Federal Constitution. The State of
Georgia had sought by statute to destroy rights in lands acquired under
a previous act. It was held that the statute was unconstitutional as
impairing the obligation of contracts within the meaning of the
Constitution.

[Footnote 1: 6 Cranch, 87.]

In _Martin v. Hunter's Lessee_[1] was asserted the right of the Federal
Supreme Court to overrule the judgment of a state court on questions
arising under the Federal Constitution. The State of Virginia had denied
that right and the Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the Virginia
Court of Appeals.

[Footnote 1: 1 Wheat., 304 (1816.)]

In _McCulloch v. State of Maryland_,[1] a case involving an attempt by
the State of Maryland to tax the Bank of the United States, Marshall's
doctrine of implied powers was elaborated, and the judgment of the state
court upholding the tax was reversed.

[Footnote 1: 4 Wheat., 316 (1819).]

In the _Dartmouth College case_[1] the doctrine of the inviolability of
contracts against attack by state legislation was further developed. An
act of the state legislature of New Hampshire had sought to alter the
charter of Dartmouth College, and the New Hampshire courts had upheld
the legislature. The Supreme Court reversed the state court and declared
the statute unconstitutional under the clause of the Constitution which
declares that no state shall make any law impairing the obligation of
contracts.

[Footnote 1: _Dartmouth College v. Woodward_, 4 Wheat., 518 (1819).]

In the great case of _Gibbons v. Ogden_[1] the Court asserted the
paramount jurisdiction of the National Government over interstate
commerce. This was one of the most important and far-reaching of all