Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-09-13
90
From the London. ExsloineT.
Are the United States Bound hyRebci
Contracts;

A case Of singular importance 10 The inter
ests both OF Great Britain ard America was
heard last week before Sir Page Wood, whose
opinion. did rot excite quite the attention it
deserved The point nominally raised was
whether anv properly ci The Mie Coniede
rate govern nneni existing ln Eng: aud hao"g'
ed to the Uailed States. bu: it irvolgcl the
far more in por,ant point whether list gov
eminent was liable for Confederate nciisa-
tions. Does the claim 10 property ;iSo!vc
the obligation OF paving debts :o i 1t DO
creditors o!,he Soutl may SEIZE cash yia;b!y
aelougina to the Washington government.
By means of taxation and voluntary contr-
buttons the Southern cunf,dcraey came into
possession of quantity ii ooi!cn, nos. 'hc
contribution ci. any pGrticlta! Stale, but the
!, ,orertv Of iriiyidua! cieizci'S. In order TO
make this cotton available tac government
entered into contracts with Ie.pGci to II with
merchants in Easlany', 40 had already sup
p!ed the Confederate government with ships,
g. as to enable them 10 carry Gil tie wal,
al 4 who were wiling 10 run tae Tx OF The
l.'ockade. and obtain whatever pr"iit they
cold out of the cargo ot coitor. In tins
sla.e Ct circumstances tic WIZ care soa
end. Some of the c2tton having been safely
c.r led ont Of the rraoh OF the hIcciadlng
soradrons. was already oil is way to EAg,,
ltnI. By the tine OF its arriva; at l.iNerpcoi
the war had ceased. ard the United states
Co, sui there gaze notice 10 mo col s!gHces
thss they were raauirc:! 10 hold TIE t9lloa
,:}r the leneft cf HE government Ol TIE uhi-
ted States o! America.
These proceedings gave rise to a sult bc'ore
Vice Chancellor Wood, n wh;ch the United
States Of America sought rs plaintiffs 10 "a n
possession of the entire cargo. ut"nthe gfo"ia
that hey were entitled, Us representing tug
50 called government ottEe Confederate otates
to all its property which existed III specie,
and tnat as the Confederate States were ia
the position Of rebels aud wrong doors, they
could aot confer any right. to their cotton
upon Inc English merchants who, at the time
! when the dealings with the late government
took pace, were well aware Of the rights ol
the government OF the United Sietcs and o!
the rebellion of the South. The ice Chan
cellor decided that the Cri'ed States ol
, Aner;c. were clearly catiiled 10 Tie cotton,
but he reserved his i;nal opinion till la.er
stage OF the suit IS to Whether Or noS lney
were bornd to recognize tho c!a,hs arising
on. of the contracts made by the de .fdcto gov
ernment with tie E islish merchants lie
limited. however, that his strong oplmtn was;
.ha, the ene6t or the cargo OF cotton could
oulv be btained by tie government OF the
U,tcd S ateS, up n ceudtirn Of th-ir max
ing good he expectations of tue E'sllst msf'
chants. ;, :
This case has ar interest TO every holder in
England of property in specie which previous
" belonged to the government oi tie Z N
Gederate: states. Ii touches 10 some cXtcl'
the position of the Share holjcrs in the Con
tolerate cotton loan. We irnste that whcl
the nmttc: is argued again before. the \ic'
Ci.nccli,r be will.bn d Sp"-ei to c.&"se t'''
view wai.n he now enteltaias, and 10 bod
l.af tie English mercbaats tcho, IN d%jieac
ofhe Spirit, fnot Of f'Ue letter, citaeM~, '}'
ofNc 0gen's procl sattioa. deliberately as
s.i,5e,i tie Conteduaies IL tie prosecute" 9 I:
re r. .y, are not ent,iiedt0 pay thcmSe'ecs o"
M ,sLdt :. admitted 10 be iae property 81 III
T.;,eJ SITES. l;sliz shouI'! roi ihc tho III
timaic decision, the hl.asca ~ TIC pontede
rate cot,oa, lean need rot 1efpsif, ol dssef''"!
q siaim Ia a lien upoa 8ach n Tie ccH0A r.!
,yyl,,t,. +. tie ioan ~ e.:s'' ~ sifc's az "a
: Lguds az he UltitsA .Stite5 9otsf"E''.'h
,;,a I.rfIr {, bound TO &C. e.,' Ii bursen VII g
the Sou,b: rn government has al'"ced Il
favor os + reigisrs,,o ;he cpt,"a Which be %
!ongcd to hem, upon tic gronn' - that u
suicer,i!,g TO 'be rights Il the de fccio GOV
erpment il also accepted the contracts y.