The New York herald., 1872-10-07
Five Millions OF Gold To Be SOld---Fiye Millions
Of Bonds To Be Bought To-Day.
ISSUE or RESERVE LEGAL TENDERS.
The Work Of the British-American
Claims Commission.
IMPORTANT DECISIONS IN OUR FAVOR
Insanity Of Leesburg's
Female POisOner.

WASHINGTON Oct o, 1872
Purchase OF Bonds and Sale or Gold 70
Easc the New York Market-Extra Is
sue of legal Tender Notes,
Judge Richardson Acting Secretary OF the Treas
ury, tonight telegraphed Assistant Treasurer Hill
house, at New York. to buy $1,000 900 bonds and sell
S5.000,000 OF gold tomorrow, subject to the usual
conditions OF the monthly purchases OF bonds and
sale OF gold.
There has been unusual activity about the Treas.
ury Department to-day. The Acting Secretary was
In constant telegraphic communication with Secre-
tary Boutwell, and kilograms were also received
from leading banking houses In New York and Phil
adelphia. The cause is explained in the telegram
sent tonight to Thomas Hillhouse Assistant Treas
urer In New York, to sch $5,ooOoOO in gold
and buy $1,000, 900 in bonds to omorrow-intcnded
as surprise to Wall street. This act, 1t is
understood, has been fully anticipated. There s IN
the Treasury vault here $133 900 In legal tender
notes held not as reserve, but for convenience in
redeeming mutilated currency. and the first issue
OF legal tenders, which the government wishes to
call In as fast as possible The stringency OF the
money market in New York led to the inquiry
whether the Secretary OF the Treasury had authority
to issue any more legal tenders. It was decided
that In an emergency lie conld; that Congress had
not restricted the department except within
s40O 000 O0O-S356 0o0, 900 OF which are In circula
tion; that 1t at those figures Secretary NC
Cull0ch was checked in reducing the legal tender
circulation, while the Secretary has had ample
thority to fill out the $400 900 900 II he chose to
ercise his authority Such is the opinion held the
Treasury Department. Yesterday the question arose
as to the manner In which any portion of the
$44, 900 600 could be prccpitated on the New York
market out Of the virgin legal tenders locked up
In the Treasury vaults and, after consultation 1t
was decided that it could be done best by ordering
l.o%~
ton went SO far as to include the speedest method
Of forwarding the greenbacks to New York. The
financial programme Of tomorrow Is the result OF
yesterdays delibcratiOn.
The British American Claims Commis-
sion-Imp0rtant Decisions for the
United States.
The British American Claims Commission ad-
ourned yesterday until the 2Sth inst. Business is
progressing rapidly, considering the magnitude OF
the work presented to the agents and counsel on
both Sides The treaty requires all claims to be de-
ctded within two years from the first meeting,
| which was held September 20, 1871 1t is ex-
pected that the Commiss lon will be able to dispose
of the last case by September l, 1873, when bal
ance will be uck to the amount due Great
Britain over the amount awarded to Amerl-
| can claimants payment to be made within twelve
months after date OF final award without interest.
deduction of five per cent is to be made for the
expenses OF the Commission, including contingent
expenses Claimants cannot be paid before 1874,
as Congress, which will make the appropria ton,
does not meet until December, 1873, and will, 1t s
said have to await the action OF Parliament, which
does not meet for several months after.
The American agent and counsel, Mr.. Robert 8.
Hale, expects to represent the Sixteenth New York
district In that Congress- and vote for the appro-
priation.
During the sessions held the past week number
Of decisions were made disp0sng OF some mpOr-
tant questions, among which were the folowing:-
Yesterday the Commission decided an important
principle In two cases for tobacco burned at Rich
mond. The claimants Scotch merchants, alleged
themselves the owners OF the tobacco in question
at the outbreak of the war; that the President by
the proclamation of blockade, and the Congress- by
the non-intercOurse act OF June, 1861, prevented
their removal OF the same, although under the
non-intercourse act the President was per-
mitted to license special and lin
tied trade with the insurrectionary
districts, and, as the claimants alleged, such
licenses were given to those willing to take an
active part against the rebellion in preference to
aliens and neutrals. The claimants charged the
subsequent destruction and loss Of their tobacco to
this prevention Of removal by the United States
and claimed the United States liable therefor. On
demurrer to the memorials, the Commission de-
cided against the claims, holding in effect the proc.
lamation of blockade, the non-intercourse act and
the practice OF the United States under them law
full acts Of war within the law of nations II this
claim could have been sustained the United States
would be made liable for an immense amount of
property In the South owned by aliens at the out
break OF the war;
In the cases OF watkins and Lee and Dagetty and
Du Croz Il Co. vs. the United States, the claimants
claimed damages for portion OF the cargo OF the
Hiawatha, consigned to them by contractor in
Richmond alleging that by the capture OF the to-
bacco their vender failed to fulfil his contract and
claiming the damages resulting from such non
fulfment. By the decision the Commission held, In
erect these damages to be too remote for allow.
ance, the claimants not alleging themselves to have
been the owners OF the tobacco at the time OF cap
ture, but only entitled to receive 10 on contract
In cases 357, $50 and A7 the demurrers OF tie
United States were sustained, the Commission hold
ing in effect, in accordance with rules of the COM
mon law, that an action for wrongful arrest and
Imprisonment was personal action which died
with the claimant and did not survive his admins.
traitor.
In case AT the demurrer OF the United States was
sustained, the Commission holding, In effect that
British insurance company could sustain no action
for insurance paid on property Of others than
British subjects wrongfully captured and con-
demned by the United States but that to sustain
such claim the property must have been owned
at the time OF capture by British subjects.
on demurrer by the United States to various
claims for alleged wrongful capture and condemna-
tion by the United States OF ships and cargoes as
prize, where no appeal had been taken from the
prize court OF original jurisdiction the demurrers
Of the United States were overrued, the Commits
sion holding that an excuse for the owners to ap-
peal might perhaps be shown by the claimants;
but, at the same time, deciding virtually that in
every case OF allegation OF wrongful condemnation
the omission OF the claimants to appeal from tue
prize court OF original jurisdiction must be satsfac-
torily explained in order to establish ground for
| claim before the Commission.