Doyle v. Continental Insurance Company/Opinion of the Court

by Ward Hunt

United States Supreme Court

94 U.S. 535

Doyle  v.  Continental Insurance Company

The case of Insurance Company v. Morse, 20 Wall. 445, is the basis of the bill of complaint in the present suit. We have carefully reviewed our decision in that case, and are satisfied with it. In that case, an agreement not to remove any suit brought against it in the State courts of Wisconsin into the Federal courts had been made by the company, in compliance with the Wisconsin statute of 1870. The company, nevertheless, did take all the steps required by the United States statute of 1789 to remove its suit with Morse from the State court into the Federal courts. Disregarding that action, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin allowed the action in the State court to proceed to judgment against the company, as if no transfer had been made. When the judgment thus obtained was brought into this court, we held it to be illegally obtained, and reversed it. It was held, first, upon the general principles of law, that although an individual may lawfully omit to exercise his right to transfer a particular case from the State courts to the Federal courts, and may do this as often as he thinks fit in each recurring case, he cannot bind himself in advance by an agreement which may be specifically enforced thus to forfeit his rights. This was upon the principle that every man is entitled to resort to all the courts of the country, to invoke the protection which all the laws and all the courts may afford him, and that he cannot barter away his life, his freedom, or his constitutional rights.

As to the effect of the statutory requirement of the agreement, the opinion, at page 458 of the case as reported, is in these words:--

'On this branch of the case the conclusion is this:--

'1st, The Constitution of the United States secures to citizens of another State than that in which suit is brought an absolute right to remove their cases into the Federal court, upon compliance with the terms of the act of 1789.

'2d, The statute of Wisconsin is an obstruction to this right, is repugnant to the Constitution of the United States and the laws in pursuance thereof, and is illegal and void.

'3d, The agreement of the insurance company derives no support from an unconstitutional statute, and is void, as it would be had no such statute been passed.'

The opinion of a court must always be read in connection with the facts upon which it is based. Thus, the second conclusion above recited, that the statute of Wisconsin is repugnant to the Constitution of the United States and is illegal and void, must be understood as spoken of the provision of the statute under review; to wit, that portion thereof requiring a stipulation not to transfer causes to the courts of the United States. The decision was upon that portion of the statute only, and other portions thereof, when they are presented, must be judged of upon their merits.

We have not decided that the State of Wisconsin ha not the power to impose terms and conditions as preliminary to the right of an insurance company to appoint agents, keep offices, and issue policies in that State. On the contrary, the case of Paul v. Virginia, 8 Wall. 168, where it is held that such conditions may be imposed, was cited with approval in Insurance Company v. Morse. That case arose upon a statute of Virginia, providing that no foreign insurance company should transact business within that State until it had taken out a license, and had made a deposit with the State treasurer of bonds varying in amount from $30,000 to $50,000, according to the amount of its capital. This court sustained the power of the legislature to impose such conditions, and sustained the judgment of the State court, convicting Paul upon an indictment for violating the State law, in issuing policies without having first complied with the conditions required.

Ducat v. Chicago, 10 Wall. 410, decided that the statute of the State of Illinois, requiring a license to be taken out by foreign insurance companies, for which six dollars each should be paid, and the filing of an appointment of an attorney, with power to accept service of process, was a legal condition; and a requirement, that, when such company was located in the city of Chicago, it should also pay to the treasurer of that city two dollars upon the one hundred dollars upon the amount of all premiums received, was held to be legal.

In Lafayette Insurance Co. v. French, 18 How. 404, the court say:--

'A corporation created by Indiana can transact business in Ohio only with the consent, express or implied, of the latter State. 13 Pet. 519. This consent may be accompanied by such conditions as Ohio may think fit to impose; and these conditions must be deemed valid and effectual by other States and by this court, provided they are not repugnant to the Constitution or laws of the United States, or inconsistent with those rules of public law which secure the jurisdiction and authority of each State from encroachment by all others, or that principle of natural justice which forbids condemnation without opportunity for defence.' Neither did Insurance Company v. Morse, supra, undertake to decide what are the powers of the State of Wisconsin, in revoking a license previously granted to an insurance company, for what causes or upon what grounds its action in that respect may be based. No such question arose upon the facts, or was argued by counsel or referred to in the opinion of the court.

The case now before us does present that point, and with distinctness.

The complainant alleges that a license had been granted to the Continental Insurance Company, upon its executing an agreement that it would not remove any suit against it from the tribunal of the State to the Federal courts; that in the case of Drake it did, on the tenth day of March, 1875, transfer his suit from the Winnebago circuit of the State to the Circuit Court of the United States; that Drake thereupon demanded that the defendant, who is secretary of State of Wisconsin, should revoke and annul its license, in accordance with the provisions of the act of 1872; that it is insisted that he has power to do so summarily, without notice or trial; that the complainant is fearful that he will do so, and that it will be done simply and only for the reason that the complainant transferred to the Federal court the case of Drake, as above set forth.

The cases of Bank of Augusta v. Earle, Ducat v. Chicago, Paul v. Virginia, and Lafayette Insurance Co. v. French, establish the principle that a State may impose upon a foreign corporation, as a condition of coming into or doing business within its territory, any terms, conditions, and restrictions it may think proper, that are not repugnant to the Constitution or laws of the United States. The point is elaborated at great length by Chief Justice Taney in the case first named, any by Mr. Justice Field in the case last named.

The corre ative power to revoke or recall a permission is a necessary consequence of the main power. A mere license by a State is always revocable. Rector v. Philadelphia, 24 How. 300; People v. Roper, 55 N. Y. 629; People v. Commissioners, 47 N. Y. 50. The power to revoke can only be restrained, if at all, by an explicit contract upon good consideration to that effect. Humphrey v. Pegues, 16 Wall. 244; Tomlinson v. Jessup, 15 id. 454.

A license to a foreign corporation to enter a State does not involve a permanent right to remain, subject to the laws and Constitution of the United States. Full power and control over its territories, its citizens, and its business, belong to the State.

If the State has the power to do an act, its intention or the reason by which it is influenced in doing it cannot be inquired into. Thus, the pleading before us alleges that the permission of the Continental Insurance Company, to transact its business in Wisconsin, is about to be revoked, for the reason that it removed the case of Drake from the State to the Federal courts.

If the act of an individual is within the terms of the law, whatever may be the reason which governs him, or whatever may be the result, it cannot be impeached. The acts of a State are subject to still less inquiry, either as to the act itself or as to the reason for it. The State ow Wisconsin, except so far as its connection with the Constitution and laws of the United States alters its position, is a sovereign State, possessing all the powers of the most absolute government in the world.

The argument that the revocation in question is made for an unconstitutional reason cannot be sustained. The suggestion confounds an act with an emotion or a mental proceeding, which is not the subject of inquiry in determining the validity of a statute. An unconstitutional reason or intention is an impracticable suggestion, which cannot be applied to the affairs of life. If the act done by the State is legal, is not in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States, it is quite out of the power of any court to inquire what was the intention of those who enacted the law.

In all the cases where the litigation of a State has been declared void, such legislation has been based upon an act or a fact which was itself illegal. Thus, in Crandall v. Nevada, 6 Wall. 35, a tax was imposed and collected upon passengers in railroad and stage companies.

In Almy v. State of California, 24 How. 169, a stamp duty was imposed by the legislature upon bills of lading, for gold or silver transported from that State to any port or place out of the State.

In Brown v. The State of Maryland, 12 Wheat. 419, a license, at an expense of $50, was required before an importer of goods could sell the same by the bale, package, or barrel.

In Henderson v. Mayor of New York, 92 U.S. 265, the statute required the master to give a bond of $300 for each passenger, conditioned that he should not become a public charge within four years, or to pay the sum of $1.50.

In the Passengers' Case, 7 How. 572, the requirement was of a like character.

In all these cases, it was the act or fact complained of that was the subject of judicial injury, and upon the act was the judgment pronounced.

The statute of Wisconsin declares that if a foreign insurance company shall remove any case from its State court into the Federal courts, contrary to the provisions of the act of 1870, it shall be the duty of the secretary of State immediately to cancel its license to do business within the State. If the State has the power to cancel the license, it has the power to judge of the cases in which the cancellation shall be made. It has the power to determine for what causes and in what manner the revocation shall be made.

It is said that we thus indirectly sanction what we condemn when presented directly; to wit, that we enable the State of Wisconsin to enforce an agreement to abstain from the Federal courts. This is an 'inexact statement.' The effect of our decision in this respect is that the State may compel the foreign company to abstain from the Federal courts, or to cease to do business in the State. It gives the company the option. This is justifiable, because the complainant has no constitutional right to do business in that State; that State has authority at any time to declare that it shall not transact business there. This is the whole point of the case, and, without reference to the injustice, the prejudice, or the wrong that is alleged to exist, must determine the question. No right of the complainant under the laws of Constitution of the United States, by its exclusion from the State, is infringed; and this is what the State now accomplishes. There is nothing, therefore, that will justify the interference of this court.

Decree reversed, and cause remanded with instructions to dismiss the bill.

MR. JUSTICE BRADLEY, with whom concurred MR. JUSTICE SWAYNE and MR. JUSTICE MILLER, dissenting.

Notes