John Hessin Clarke

“ It is also argued that Congress, in enacting this section, intended to give a right of recovery to all persons who sold cotton to the Confederate government, which was afterwards seized by the United States under warrant of the Act of March 3, 1863, referred to, and upon the theory that such sales were void and therefore did not pass title but left the nominal vendors the owners of the cotton, we are urged to so construe the section as to give effect to such supposed intention. ”

“ It is asserted that evidence of this intention is to be found in the fact that if not so construed the section will be ineffective and meaningless, because all claims for property taken from owners under the Act of March 3, 1863, other than for such as was sold to the Confederate government had been disposed of before its enactment. ”