The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-02-09
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP


WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb /.
TIE LEGAL TENDER DECIsIOE.-The
great event Of To-day is the decision Of the
supreme Court in the legal tender case.
The suit came up from Kentucky on the
payment Ora note made before the passage
Of the legAl tender act When the maker
went 10 pay II lie offered grcenbacks,
which the bank refused to take. He dc.
Clined to pay in coin, and was tlCFeupOn
sued by the bank. The Supreme Court
Of Kentucky sustained the action, ind de.
clarGd the actin question unconstitutional.
This brought the case into the United
States Supreme Court, where it has twice
beenArgued, and was o-dNy finally decided,
and again in favor Ofssthe. bank Chief
Justice Chase read the opinion for him
self, and Justices Nelson, Clifford and
Field, adding that 1t was also COnCurred
in BY Justice Gricr before his resignation.
The Court holds, as was stated last night,
that the act Is constitutional in so fur as It
relates 10 contracts made alter Feb. a2d,
1862, ut which date 1t was signed by the
President, but THAT Congress could not
ConstitutionAIly make 1t applicable
TO contracts entered into prior 10 that
date. The Court, in other words, sus.
tains the act, but declares II is not retro.
active. Justice Miller, for himself and
Justices Davis and Swain, disscnted from
the opinion of the Chief Justice, and held
that tue act Is constitutional IN its exact
terms, and that grCenbaCks arc as therein
specified illegal tender" in payment Of all
| jnl,ts ,uI,utlInp mn rs,ntFnn tu Hnnda hniOrp
or after II became law. All sorts Ot
questions arc ut once raised as To the scope
Of Chief Justice ChasG's decision. Thou
sands of notes and contracts made prior
to February, 1869, have Of course been
settled IN greenbacks, and the inquiry Is
made whether these settlements can be
now reopcned, and whether debtors can
be compelled to settle on u coin basis.
Lawyers hold that If grcenbacks were
accepted without protest Or reservation,
there can he no such thing rs rGOpening
Of cases. All unsettled contracts entered
into before 1869 can now, on the princi-
pie laid down to-day, he inforced in coin.
Gentlemen who were in court during the
reading Of the opinions say that Of Judge
Miller was one Of tho clGarest and most
l0rcible decisions ever presented.
GEORGIA AFFAIRs.-The papers show.
ing what Georgia has done since tic pass
age of the lust reconstruction act were
presented in both houses Of Congress to-
day, and referred for examination. There
ure about twenty politicians here now
from that State. Gov. Bullock is OIL hand
with several Of his friends, and they ask
immediate admission. Capt Bryant and
his friends protest, and say Bullock has VIC:
lifted the law and Congress ought 10 deal
further in the matter. Both Of the Sena-
tors elect are looking around to see what
their chances are for getting seats. Some
of the Bullock men have been to see the
President, and he, Of course, tells them
that he shall stand by what Gen. Terry
has done. The scheme Of tho Bullock
party is TO elect new Senators next week,
and their men arc Rice, banker at At
lAnta. and BlOdgett, postmaster ut Angus.
tn. The Senate has not yet declared the
election Of lIilI ind Miller invalid, and
some members think they will he admit
ted this week
SUPREME JUDGE NOMINATroSs-'Thc
Presidents two nominations for the Su-
prcme Bench were sent in to-day. Judge
Strong, Of Pennsylvania, was formerly on
the Supreme bench Of that State, and will
be confirmed. Mr.. Bradley is an eminent
lawyer in New Jersey, but If the Senate Is
consistent with its action in Judge HOars
case It cannot confirm him, because he
does not live ii the Southern Circuit,