Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-04-26
CONFEDERATE PROPERTY IN EU
ROPE.

The Secretary of the Treasury sent a
communication to the House Of Representa-
tives, on the 2lst inst, in reply to a reso-
luton concerning the efforts Of the Depart
ment for the recovery of Confederate prop
erty in Europe, aud contracts with agents
or attorneys ia relation thereto also, in
formation concerning settlement made by
the firm Of Frazer, Trenholm & Co.
The Secretary says the efforts of the
government TO recover Confederate property
abroad have not been confined TO Europe,
bat have been extended to other parts Of
the world, especially to the West Indies,
in which the exertions have been diligently
and successfully prosecuted; but az the
resolution of the House applied only to
such efforts made in Europe, this only con-
slitutes the subject of the Secretary COM
municatIOn.
The Secretary says proceedings were
commenced soon after the cessation of
hostilities in the Southern States. The re-
suit of all these arrangements has been the
actual recovery of property of the Confede-
rates TO a large amount, with much more
which is confidently believed will in due
time be recovered.
To end the controversy or suits in Eng
land with Frazer, Trenholm Il Company,
an agreement was made with them ia Sep
tember, 1867, which WAS approved by the
President, conceived in the United States
receiving, aud that firm paying, precisely
that which the United States may lawfully
claim in a Court OF Chancery, neither
more nor less In substance As follows: De.
livering up the property of the Confeder
ate States, unless the same be subject TO
excepted legal or equitable undoubted
claims Of theirs, valid ia law, or contracts
made during their agency for the Conted-
eracy. The agreement secures all TO which
the United States are entitled.
This government has recovered by suit
| in admiralty four of the cruisers Of the
| Confederate government namely: the
| Sumter, the Tallahassee, the Shenandoah,
and the Rsppahsnnock, together with some
/ other miscellaneous parcels ard property,
amounting in proceeds to $3.50, ,476.
la these cases the government has steadi-
| ly coutended that il has the right ia Law to
| take possession of any public property OF
! the Confederste-, wherever il may be
! found, whether at home or in foreign cOun-
| tries: claiming power to do this summari-
! ly. and as il right, and of course ia the
! United States or on the higa seas; de-
| msnding Of the foreign courts Of Law il
| foreign countries that they shall cooperate
! in enabling the United States to reclaim
the property by suit ii brought into tbs
ports of any such foreign government
Suits are pending in England agains
sundry parties, among which are the Blake
/ " Ordnance Company, TO recover ordinances
contracted for BY the Confederates, as ala
against two of The financial agents Of ths
Confederates, namely, james r. Ferguson
and Calvin McRae.
The archives Of the Confederate govern
ment, now in possession of the UniteC
States, show that many millions were re
ceived aud disbursed by McRae on Con
federate loans in Europe and the object o
the suit is to reach any balance which ma.
have remained in his hands at the time Q
the extinction of the Confederacy.
There is only one suit in France, but thi
is Of considerable importance as TO ia
principle 10 be decided Il il against th
wealthy ship building iTm OF AEmsn, FIJI
4 Co. 20 recover large amount placed n
their hAnd-, TO be employed in the construe
tion Of ship or ships Of war for the ns
of the Confederate government The cas-
has not vet come 10 an issue.
The receipts Of United States Trsasare
spinner, special agent on account OF Con
federate property recovered ia Europ'
show the following result:
Preeeels from The sale Of the steamer
cleAAAloa
From sale SampteF aaa IallAhasse-- 2,ilo .
Recovered from X. l.. Walker, Con
Total..................... III