Marbois, Franco is

de Barbe-, Marquis de (1745-1837), was sent drom France to the United States as secretary of legation in 1779, and remained until 1785. When appointed to cede Louisiana to the United States in 1803, he secured 30,000,000 francs more than the French administration had demanded. He wrote ‘‘Complot d’Arnold et Sir Henry Clinton contre les Etats-Unis d’Amérique,” and “ L’His to ire de la Louisiane et de la Ce ion.”” Marbury vse. Madison. William Marbury and others, having been appointed justices of the peace in the District of Columbia by President Adams, with the consent of the Senate, and having, on President Jefferson’s acce ion, failed to receive their respective commi ions of appointment, moved the Supreme Court to i ue a mandamus to James Madison, Secretary of State, commanding him to deliver their several commi ions, The court decided that Marbury was legally entitled to his commi ion, but that the Constitution did not invest it with the authority to i ue a mandamus in such a case. The rule was discharged February, 1803. Thus the court declared unconstitutional a portion of an Act of Congre , the Judiciary Act of 1789, which purported to grant such authority. This was the first important case in which the Court set aside an act of Congre because of conflict with the Constitution. 433