Shreveport semi-weekly news. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1865-18??, 1865-09-05
The English ViCe-ChanCellOr'S De-
cisiOn that the United states
succeeds 10 Property Ofthe late
Confederate states subject to the
Contracts of the Latter.


ul,., has the following:
A case of considerable interest.
arising out OF the late American war,
was incidentally mentioned a; the
Dock Board yesterday. The board
were only concerned with the qur--
ton to whom they We're to Civ" up
certai.. cotton in their hands; but
the subiec, had carried the parties
into the Court of Chancery, and the
board were liberated from all rr~pon-
sibility in th. matter by a decision
which had been given on n previous
day by Vice Chancellor Page Wo,d.
The motion before n. Vic" Chan
cellor was to restrain Mr.. Prl"l-au.
of the firm OF Messrs. Fraser. Tren-
holm & Co, from parting wi'h or dis
posing of freight of cotton, en-
sis,ing OF some 800 bales. which
had been shipped from Havana 10
him. AZ Confederate agent, to be
turned into money for the purposes
o.; the rebel Government.
Tn. United States "a plaintiffs
claimed the property; but the de-
PENDANT insisted that his til" a. u
successful runner Of thu. b,"ck adj. was
"A good one, and that even il this did
uol hold good. he had a prior claim
10 the United States, in con>id-ra-
ton OF the fac, that h. had lost ego,
900 by the Confederate Government.
The Vic. Inanc-l!or's decision APP
pears To have been very clear. He
ia ,.,,,l 1 h.. ,l,,,,,. -
til. nited States We're entitled to
the cotton; but a. TO the force of thu
agreement between the Southern
Government and Mr.. Prioi-au that
was Il most serious matter. since Il
was a transaction " between n Gov
eminent dc fuCfo and . citizen # "a
country who'll unconnectcd withthe
rebel and dc juys Governments. l.
could not b.. doubted thu, " hen he
transaction was entered upon the
cotton was til" property OF the 49,
called Confederate States. they hav-
ing bought it with money levied ~
taxes.
Iii. question then Wa, in what
character tn. Southern Government
mus. be- regarded Ike held that il
could not be d.rm-d mere band OF
.naraud-rs, bu, must be- presumed TO
have been an c;ual dc f0cto Govern
men, exercising Authority and r"s"iv-
ing submission. W hat. then, h..
asked, h-catn" of i, when it, power
terminated. and lis functions were
resumed by th,. ni,-d States? The
! VIC hanc-ior considered that here
could be no difficulty rs 10 tn. law
/ applicable to this state f thing for
( international law had settled that
/ when Il dc tUcto Government came t"
/ an end, it. property became that OF
Il succ~7Sor-. He considered. how
ever. that Object to any argument
to br hereafter adducrd, when the
cause was thoroughly heard. th,.s.
succ, ssors TO such Dr. fdcfo Govern
rnrnt we're bound by the agreement
a: thos.. to whom they -uccrrd-I
This view had been anticipated in
'hr arguments before him, and il had
b" II s,:up in oppoSit on - It that
Mr. Priolrau. or Nr~-r- Fraser. Ir-u-
holm Il Co., had taken pos-rssiun II
TINS cotton. knowing that he received
it from people who We're substantial
rebels. and conscious 1t the same
timr of III, n gifts 81 the lnitcd STATE,
as lawful governors OF tia" -p-CHl!-d
Confederate territory. The We"
Chancellor considered tina, thi- prov
I'd too much, II II We're correct the
United States might ut any time dur.
ing rh,. war have restrained thu d"pur.
,urc of any vcs~r! acting a. Il prlva-
trcr agaiu-; the nited States. when
ever such vessel happr,.d to be IN a
British port, simply by filing a bin
in thaucrrN.
H. pu, very torcibi ~ the argurn "nt
. that the toni-drrat" Government
must be held 10 be Government ~,
racio. and not mere band "t ban
dl,ti. because i, they had been m"rr
banditti. there would have. been no
rights against them in III" United
States, but only III the private midi.
=, viduai- whose property had been
;, pluud,r-d. He considered, there.
= fore. tina, the United States mus;
;, take the cotton subject to fulfilling
the agreement made between thr
= Confederate Government and Mr.
!. P.iolrau; but a. much disput" would
-. arise in negotiating the settl"nc. O,
= the affair. and rs one half Of tn" cot.
ton appeared to be pretty certainly
! the property of tn. detunct Govern
d ment, under the agreement, and not
Y Mr.. Prioieau's, he ordered tina. Mr.
L. "aushould be appointed receiver
h him to dispose Of the cotton and pay
all proper charges, he giving srcur
y for 100000, the amount whi Ct
IS would probably b" found absolutely
!. the property ofthe United ~tat-.
4, We need not tell our readers tha
y. this suit is one of a very iuiercstin Il.