The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-26
Rebel Property British Law-Mr.
seward. Drmanhs.

It viii b seen By the following extract O.
a letter from London, that Mr.. seward,
despatch to Mr.. Adams on the subject d
rebel property, and the decision Of British
courts, has created sensation in that CITY
and that the British Government regard.
me matter as q proper subject for arbitrs-
LONDON, Oct. 9, 1855.
The publication Of Mr.. Stewards letters
to Mr.. Adams has caused profound ana
unpleasant sensation. So faras the q MED
crate loan Is concerned income expec ed that
the Government o. the Un.ted States wolid
have anything to do with il; and We are not
little sstoalshed al the impudent FOLLY III
me bond holders ia suggesting that the
federal Government ought 90 pay a debt
| contracted Tor the purpose Of aiding ia The
| destruction Of that Government. me onIv
/ trouble in this case is that NJ Sswsr,i
Should have condesoended 10 notice such an
absurd claim.
Mr.. Stewards letter upon the claims I
the United States % Confederate properly IS
much more serious. 10 Is not disputed that
the United States Government has right
10 all Confederate property. 10 has q right
10 enforce an account Of the expenditure OF
the Confederate officials, and 10 demand the
payment Of the balances. Ia this matter
your Government viii receive the ready as
aistanee Of the law courts Of both England
and France. Ascending to the municipal
law OF England the GoVcrnmpnt of the
United States d now the legal owner OF al
public Coniederite property. aud msy re-
cover it ~ civil process, and may bring any
parties Withholding il TO the criminal eourt.
This point, Then, IS abundantly clear. Itis
not disputed that The Government of the
United states has an indelensible title 20 the
property Of the late Confederate Govern
ment.
The matter in dispute Is this It has been
held by Vice Chancellor Wood that any adj
vances made on Confederate property be
fore the fall Of the Confederacv sre valid
claims, and that they ought to be paid be-
fore the properly is surrendered. Whether
this view is sound OF not we need not dis
cuss but I may say that the general I'M
preston in legal CIRCLES is that Vice Chan
cellor Wood is correct in his Interpretation
Of the law.
Mr.. Seward ssys be viii rot abide BY the
decision Of the English law courts, If thew
are adverse 20 his claim, bat ne will look
% the British Government for compensa-
ton. Now, il is admitted that International
rights are not 30 be decided by nun cipal
tribunals, and the decision Of 8 British law
court does not estop aay law claim your
Government has against the British Govern
ment. But here Is the dificulte. The Brit
ish Government In such question must bow
to the decision Of the law courts IL the
courts decide that the claimants on the Con
iederate property have a good title. the Gov
eminent cannot under any pretext deprive
them Of their property. Here, then, is a di-
rect and c.93mpletsiy antagonistie issue Mr.
Seward viii not accept the decision that the
British Government must socept. What is
y Do donef Are two nations 10 60 10 war
about paltry sum Of money One DAVIS
cost Of such war would pay 81 these claims
twice over. God forbid that the good rela-
tons between England and the United
States should be Interrupted, and that Tor 30
small a cause there should be q war that
Eould delight tyrauts, and be dpplared BY
'very triend 20 progress and humanity. i
ana happy 10 say that there a. no prospect OF
Iuch dire catastrophe, aud that the Brit
sh Government is determined 10 DO ali IL
,an 70 meet the views of Mr. seward.
The British Government deems this q IT
.ing case for arbitration. and it will submit
he question Of these claims 70 any European
Government that the Government Of the
United States may select a. umpire.
1 trust that ihis viii be satisfactory 10
your Government Il seems 70 me an emf
neutly fair proposal. More than this the
British Government cannot do, bat surely
bis is enough. Surely, itis enough b say
we are bound BY the decisions o. our law
courts, but II a neutral Government decides
hat those decisions ere contrary 10 inierna-
.ional law Or international equity. ne will
pay the aims Of the United States" The
almost confidence Is felt that your Govern
ment VIII be satisfied with she proposal Of
arbitration.