An Important Case

The Confederacy has sold lands during sequestration and the validity of these sales is being discussed in addition to the payments that should be required for damages done to said properties.

Cincinnati, April 30. -The case of Knox vs. Lee, for taxes, which was submitted upon Knox, and arguments by Judge Paschal for Knox, and Mr. Wells for Lee, was ordered to be reargued at the next term of the Supreme Court. The case involves two parties-one, the effect of a sale of property by the Confederate States under their sequestration laws against alien enemies ; the other upon an instruction of the judge upon the measure of damage. He said that in assessing damages the jury would recollect that whatever amount they might give in their verdict would be discharged by payment of such amount in legal-tender notes of the United States. It is said that the difficulty was upon this construction, and that the argument has been ordered because it opens up the whole question of the constitutionality of the legal-tender laws. The case will be argued by Judge Paschal against the instructions. A very important decision was delivered to-day to the effect that the property of a person who had taken the amnesty oath was not a legal prize. Several, millions of dollars are involved.

“An Important Case,” Reconstructing Virginia, accessed October 27, 2020, https://reconstructingvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1631.