Slaughter-House Cases
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| Slaughter-House Cases | |
| Court | |
|---|---|
| Citation | 83 U.S. (16 Wall.) 36 (1873) |
| Date decided | 1873 |
Facts
The Louisiana legislature gave a monopoly in the livestock landing and slaughterhouse business to Crescent City Livestock company. The law required that the company allow any person to slaughter animals in the slaughterhouse for a fixed fee. Several butchers brought suit challenging the monopoly.
Issues
Whether the state grant of a monopoly violates the Constitution by creating involuntary servitude, or denying due process.
Holding
The monopoly is valid.
Rule
The privileges and immunities relied on in the argument are those which belong to citizens of the States as such, and that they are left to the State governments for security and protection, and not by this article placed under the special care of the Federal government.
