New-York tribune., 1873-04-08

WASHINGTON. Monday. April :, 1873.
The Commissioner Of the General Land Office today
rendered an important decision IN rhe 0i the tract
OF laad IN Mendocino County Ca known as the Albion
Ranche comprising 10000 acres. survey OF these
lands a. public lands made and approved PRIOR %
the rejection Of the alleged Mexican grant which COW
cred them and plots o. this were fled IN rhe
local land Office after the rejection OF the grant J. "
shanklu as attorney for many parties Interested az
u,,nr,onists etc in opposition state claims for
large portion o. the tract which has been listed % . s
school lands based ms survey applied 70 Surveyor
General Hardenburgh for Withdrawal Of the plots
from the loca Office and an ordsr for new survey,
the ground that the United states had right to sur
vey the Land while the alleged Mexican title 70 t
sriu in controversy Nr. HTdenbur-h refused and the
appealed % She touiu-aloner oi lDr Ernr a
land ore who now su-raius the Surveyor General de-
cduc -uat the mechanical and tOuOrrap phlc work Of
the survey and lt- approval we're not void and hat ie
ul0ts are now legally ued l- land Office In tAls con
-b.iou Commissioner Drumm0nd Is sustained bv che
dec sion secretary DeanO u tue California case or
G-ue. Az. Ha.tauaush TIE alleged Mexican Grant %
states District Court ~ so, and by the supreme Court
last November
The opinion Of the supreme Court read to-day by M
Justice Hunt. the Of The United states ag The
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, WILL be OF wide
spread interest u settles the question that the United
states has power that part or the earnings OF
corporation which has been previously pledged % d
STATE or municipality IN the referred 20. the City
re-
West " its citizens did by the consent Of the Maryland
Irisarure issue the Baltimore and ONO Railroad
Comuauv - G0lO00 worth " bonds % AID 10 tle con-
.rrurtiyn OF the road The condition that the road
should paF the certain percentage ot ls eari
fs a. sinking fund beside the interest on iis 1onds
The United states undertook 90 collect an internal rev
enue tax on " tho road before deduct
M the part that % DE pad ~ the munic tiiiy
and the Company refused to pay. The supreme Court
holds FAR % applied 20 tie citys share
0f the money was q levied on the Company, but
Dpr the elfv auu Il ha- often decided that the
United states cannot CpA corporation. which
60 any more than IL the state it-eL Ile Tax
ought not "a this case, therefore. be collected
The Supreme Court to-day, decided that Confederate
war by any State ait of nsurrection
could not be treated in the way Confederate
money which the Court has before decided did not
vitats contract, provided the contract was lawful
one The Southern COnfederacy held exclusive jurlsdic
ton over the territory where the contract was made
and the Confederate money was the usual medium of
exchange The plaintiff the case IN which this opin-
ion was given to-day by Justice Field sued % recover on
a note gwen az Memphis IN December, l-b-. TIC sd-
utted consideration OF the note lot uI war bonds
issued bv the state Of Arkansas ~ aG the rebellion,
then worth about 70 per cent " their par value and
used "a that time IN Memphis % some eXout as trr-
lating medium. The Court held that tAe Issue OF TIE
bonds being unconstitutional the Consideration VI tAe
.wr~aa rrIA