Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-03-22
N VA.
TUESDAY, MARCH q, 1870

TUESDAY, MARCH %. 1870
SALES OF LANDS FOR TAxEs.-We announ-
ced yesterday. with great pleasure, the decision
of the Supreme Court in relation to certain tax
sales, involving the validity of sales of land tor
taxes under the act of June, 1862, and the
date of forfeiture. The case was that OF Henry
". Bennett vs.. Alexander Hunter, error to the
Court of Appeals Of Virginia. The question
presented for decision 10 this case is the Legality
of 8 sale of certain lands in Virginia belonging
to Hunter, tbs defendant in error, by a board
of commissioners appointed under the act OF
June, 1862. providing for the collection OF d.
rect taxes in the insurrectionary districts after
the advertisement Of the lands fer sale. But b.
fore the sale q tenant of Hunter rendered the
amount of taxes assessed, which was refused on
the sole ground that it was not rendered by
Hunterin person. A numbeEQf questions were
presented aud passed upon by the court below,
whose Judgment was in favor Of Hunter, but in
the view taken ofthe case by this court, the
Chief Justice delivering the opinion, the
only question to be decided was whether under
such circumstances the sale was valid and
passed the title to the purchaser under it. The
opinion holds that the tender of the taxes by
Hunters tenant after advertisement tor sale
was q payment of the taxes, the tender being
valid and that there Was consequently no sale,
and the purchaser is without title.
This being so. the various questions as to The
right of redemption aud the taking of the oath
prescribed as q condition do not arise. The
question whether the forfeiture attaches imme-
diately upon the default in the payment Of
taxes is considered at length, and the conclusion
is that it did not, and that there was no forfei-
ture until sale, consequently the claimant never
was digested Of his title, and there is no ncceSsi
ty for redemption and no occasion for the taking
of the oath.
The other cases reftrredto in our Geographic
dispatch, in yesterdays Gazette, affecting the
rights of several of our citizens, are disposed
oil By this decision in favor o! the original "
er5.
A check Of q prominent New York banker,
drawa for q small amount. was recently altered
to one Of several thousands, and WAS paid
The alteration is effected first by the use OF an
acid, which rem owes the entire filing in Of the
blank checks in writing ink without in the
least soiling the paper, when the blank may be
filled at pleasure. In these times OF ''ra>cality
run riot, business men have to use all Irecau
tions against frauds of all kinds.
The firm Of female brokers in New York, is
among those recently the victims OF frauds
and forgerics." The police 10 Philadelphia
have detected a mandatory o! counterfeit
Worcestershire sauce" and arrested the couu.
tershire sauce in this country amount yearly to
about $3.50, 900, but those Of the countcrftis
article vastly exceed that amount.
The newspapers, in several portions OF the
country, are giving accounts OF chicken
fights" largely attended, and at which cou-
siderable sums Of money are bet. The raising
of game cocks has come agair to be much at
tended to, by those who frequent theseKathcr-
ings for "cruel sport"
A gentleman OF New Orleans, just returned
from Chattanooga, reports that by the regular
official accounts of the railroads at that place
81, 600 oolored persons have passed through
on their way to the States of Mississippi, Ar
kansas, Texas and Louisiana. This inf ok is
steadily increasing.
The Supreme Court has decided adversely 10
the suit of Commodore Meade, as administrs.
tor of his fathers estate; brought to recover of
the Government u certain claim which had
formerly existed against the Spanish Govern
ment. The claim of r. w. Meade, VS.. the u.
g., has been pending u long time.
1t is rumored that several removals are to
be made of officers in the Internal Revenue
departmept-and that the Commissioner is not
satisfied with the doings Of many of the em-
ployees.
The First Branch OF the Baltimore City
Council last night passed the ordinance to give
the Lynchburg and Danville Railroad. Of Vir
ginia. aid to the amount OF $3.50 900.
Rev. Dr.. Hall, formerly an Episcopal min
lister in Washington, now, we believe, Of New
York, delivered a eulogy on the late Mr.. EN-.
Stanton, in Washington, last night.
A bill has been. intr oduced in the House OF
Representatives for ~''quieting the titles 10
Arlington and other national cemeteries in the
South.
We are indebted to MIR. Mckenzie, represcn
tative in Congress, from this district, for public
documents and a file of the Congressional
Globe.
Veal, a revenue detective, is reported to
haua bean taken from iail. near Atlanta. Geor.