▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁states . ▁The ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁accomplished ▁this ▁by ▁use ▁of ▁a ▁principle ▁known ▁as ▁select ive ▁incorpor ation ; ▁in ▁M app ▁this ▁involved ▁the ▁incorpor ation ▁of ▁the ▁prov isions , ▁as ▁interpreted ▁by ▁the ▁Court , ▁of ▁the ▁Four th ▁Am end ment ▁which ▁is ▁applicable ▁only ▁to ▁actions ▁of ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁into ▁the ▁Four teenth ▁Am end ment ▁due ▁process ▁clause ▁which ▁is ▁applicable ▁to ▁actions ▁of ▁the ▁states . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Leg al ▁history ▁ ▁The ▁Four th ▁Am end ment ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Constitution ▁provides : ▁" The ▁right ▁of ▁the ▁people ▁to ▁be ▁secure ▁in ▁their ▁persons , ▁houses , ▁papers , ▁and ▁effects , ▁against ▁un reason able ▁searches ▁and ▁se iz ures , ▁shall ▁not ▁be ▁viol ated   .... " ▁ ▁But ▁from ▁the ▁Constitution ' s ▁establishment ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 9 ▁until ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁Americans ' ▁only ▁legal ▁rem ed ies ▁in ▁cases ▁where ▁government ▁officers ▁viol ated ▁their ▁rights ▁under ▁the ▁Four th ▁Am end ment ▁were ▁private ▁law su its ▁against ▁the ▁officers ▁involved , ▁either ▁in ▁tres pass ▁to ▁recover ▁dam ages ▁or ▁in ▁re ple vin ▁to ▁recover ▁seized ▁goods ▁or ▁property . ▁However , ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁un anim ously ▁ruled ▁in ▁We eks ▁v . ▁United ▁States ▁that ▁any ▁evidence ▁obtained ▁by ▁federal ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁officers