New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-07-03

during the begerency but this opaion will never hold
and will probably be overrued on the first appeal
II s however Characteristic Of English judges 1t simply
amounts TO throwing the protection oil the courts over
those British subec who In violation OF the laws OF
friendly nation becEaders and smuggle goods on one
side or the other during time OF war mus Ine h
hOlms and Proleaus who furnished the Conedelacy WIN
money and steamers TO cotton through the BLOCKADE
and aferward sold 1t on Confederate account are 10 pe
advances and commissions precisely the though
the transactions had been perfectly lawful ana IN tue or
binary course of business between and On the
same principle the Lards and other shipbuilders have
claim against the United States for any back pay
StOneW all Jackson, and Others. One could expect noun
Ing better of British court and II these cases haa peeh
in the High Court Of Admiralty the decision would have
been still worse, for Lord StOwePs spirit still fingers
The true doctrine is that smuaglers and bockaderun
ply their vocation at their peril and one OF those
pers that of being caught with stock OF reel g0Od
vested in the victorious sovereign True it part OF
the duty of the British Government to RESTRAIN Us cru
States TO punish them for so dong but 1t does not
follow that 1t should reward then The Court says IN
effect "We done good and faithful servant You were
warned by the Queens proclamation that existed
In America between two bellgerents and that II you u
counenance or protection from her Never
theess you did interfere and aided and abetted the
of friendly power for which you have charged
the very reasonable commission OF IS per cent, and II
there IL any law In England you shall have IT. True TINS
cotton is the property OF the United states but If that
Government wants it than fair that should
pay tho expenses and some friends have been az
to steal and get il within the protection OF British
Court. together with q fair remuneration for your
trouble" Comment is unnecessary.
WHEN DID THE REBELLION ENID
To return 10 the pOstagestamps. They were In the
hands of Taylor the purser for some months after the
Rebellion was crushed. The question, When may the
Rebellion be considered having come to an end IL not
of much Importance IN this case as the stamps were so
crushed when Johnston surrendered yet when KIRBY
Smith dsbanded his army It certainly must have been
thoroughly annihated and every vestge or armed re-
sisance had disappeared when President johnson ap-
pointed under the military law Provisional Governors
who ruled the people at the point OF the bay0net over
every foot Of the conquered territory and the last OF
these was appointed some time in July, 1855 Thus Ia
lOrs title, II he had any, and the title OF the Confederate
Government II 1t ever had any, were extinct ana the
title OF the United States was perfect before the sale 10
Woods the present claimant believe the 1acts on ths
point similar TO those In the cotton cases., but OF
ENGLIsM NOTIONS OF AMERICAN CURRENCY.
The most ridiculous part OF the whole case IS the bnn-
der which the verdant Woods has fallen In regard 70
the character OF postage stamps ne aosou'ey ulhs
they a species Of monF, and that they pass from
hand to hand the payment OF deOts st as bank notes
and legal tenders do. He is perhaps msed by the Ian
guage of the act Of 1862 authorizing tho issue OF postage
currency" Hnder which the rst Issue OIL our M
currency was made. by the way, Gen SPINNER the
Treasurer in his testimony quite an interesting &C
which recalls the early incidents OF the Rebellion, and
shows how far we were from approaching the real mag
hands When silver began TO be scarce. the Government
had TO east about FOR some means to supply the pubic
resorted TO- and ii supposed that sufficient amount
of them could be sold yearly 70 suffice for the
OF trade About s2O000 OF this currency was therefore
struck off, redeemibe only IN; postage stamps ~ was
supposed that the people would buy all the stamps taey
wanted for change with TINS currency ana that inc
stamps bought with this currency and greenback would
suffice for the wants of the people In the way OF small
style OF fractional currency well the mode OF
demptOu changed 10 that which is now III use OF
which there are slSOO0O0O outstanding while the
entire yearly revenue OF the POstOnce Department IL
but about $2000OO0 Our cousins Of England and can
ada nothing Of this but fOosby supposed that the
postage stamps themselves such as arc perforated and
mIaed for letters were commonly used as legal
for IL they had been better informed they would never
have undertaken 10 sell them as currency but would
have smuggled them over tie border and sofa theln III
''''l'' WAS WOODS MoRE KNAvE THAN FooIi
II Ii true that the inherent absurdity oil the thng IN
cIines TO believe that Woods did not pay 200 pounds
sterling for these stamps Notwithstanding the
bundcrs about matters in this country But II lie did
swear falsely that statement he only takes the other
horn Of the dilemma and Is knaVc rather than fool
What cautious bushes would purchase in Liverpool.
a price far below their value United states notes TO
tenders without careful inquiry, in the face OF the re-
pcad decisions Of English courts that brokers and other
purchasers Of paper money are bound to reasonable de-
gee 81 caution In buying suppose these stamps
had really been fractional currency, as is tended,
amount 81 500 far away from the place whore alone
they circulate for money, create suspicion in the
mote then, when tb,y were postage stamps,
perforated and gun,ged inelSeed IN ,o ot ,s
irarsnio OF letters. Would any respectable broker IN
Wall.st. buy sl2e0 worth OF British penny POSTAGE
staps I'm one lot H. pcrchance. the Fcuans cruising
the seas for the spOliaon 81 British commerce No man
with common sense would Dc guilty Of such folly: The
vi In market overt - tho climax Of absurty.
FEOsPICTs OF SUCCESS.
The above are, believe, all the points OF general
that IN this Important The amount at
stake Is only tlOO but 10 should cost the whole
value the STAMPS. the principles involved are OF such
importance that the Government could not with a due
regard To ito dignity neglect TO prosecute the suit.
n win be matter 81 curi0tiiy TO see how Canadian
Court Of Chanccry will decide OF these dhcut aud
delicate questions. Their interest is one way
and their prejudice another. for there are
hardly dozen educated mcn in the British
Provinces who did not EympathiZe with the
Rebellion and who would not be gtined Ia sec the liy-
erpOol merchant got of otice With the proceeds OF this
expect the Canada JUDGES 20 cOnstre the law most
strictly against IT, forno fyors 70 be expected from peo-
pie gho VI they have ans conscience, filed with
chaern that the Rebellion did not succeed. and who have
recently frightened half ont Of their wits by Fonan
raids 10 which thcy consider our Government prvy But
even with everything cnust US do not sec how we can
help gaining this Taylor the cunning dog, has his
2Op safe In his pocket, and declines 10 testify because
be- II n gcutlcmaL,' aud "should suppose that
the Solicitor OF tho Treasury too much OF
gentleman 10 ask him 10 testify In such cases (Mr.
Jordan have felt rCadfuly mortified when no heard
OF that whitening earcasm Certainly would be rather
awkward for Virginia gentleman TO detail the circum-
20 how he turned pirate and stole $4,000 from
the United States, and then rmOczzcd 10 from his com
ponons In crime. and finally dupcd poor devil of a
British ecnhO into paying 81 200 for parcel OF waste
paper. II indeed cruel Ia ask him Ia testify Mr..
Taylor aud the United States viii be the only gamers by
the issue ~ tins snt aud poor Nerdant Woods may suck
his thumbs and add another 10 his fingers burned In
playing with Confederate fire.