Case ID: sc-eq_8/html/0228-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Harper, J.,", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Alice Izard, and Others v. Thomas Middleton, Administrator of Henry Izard, and Others.
    Lands held in fee-simple conditional are hound, after the birth of issue, by the lien of a judgment, or decree, against the tenant, in bar of the right of the issue to take per formam doni.
    
    The issue in fee-simple conditional cannot claim against the act of the tenant, and can only take by succession from him, and in his right; and therefore, it would seem to follow, that if there be issue, lands held in fee-simple conditional, although not bound by a lien, are nevertheless assets for the payment of debts. ob diet. per Harper, J.
    A parol agreement, before marriage, to settle the personal estate of the wife to the uses of the marriage, is not sufficient to support a settlement executed after marriage, and after the marital rights had attached, against the creditors of the husband.
    A voluntary settlement is void as to existing creditors, if the donor after-wards prove to be insolvent; but the rule admits of a qualification, where the debts are utterly inconsiderable, when compared with the donor’s property, such as debts incurred for the weekly expences of his household. If he be more largely indebted, his solvency, at the time of the settlement, can only be judged of by the event; at least, if there be an exception, where the insolvency was subsequently occasioned by some sudden and unforeseen casualty, .such as fire, or tempest, yet the fluctuations in the value of property, occasioned by the mercantile condition of the country, cannot be ranked among those casualties.
    No delay, short of such lapse of time as will raise the bar of the statute of limitations, or the presumption of satisfaction, will preclude a creditor from pursuing the property of his debtor in the hands of a voluntary donee.
    A creditor taking a security from his debtor, who has made a voluntary settlement, is not thereby precluded from pursuing the settled property, if the security proves to be insufficient, and the debtor insolvent: but it would be otherwise, if the creditor had consented to the. settlement, and the security were given in consideration of that consent.
    This was a bill by creditors for an account of the estate of their deceased debtor ; and to subject certain personal estate, settled by him in his life time, to the payment of his debts, as also to render real estate, of which he was seized in fee-simple conditional, liable to his debts in the hands of his heirs, who claimed the same per formam doni. The • cause was heard at Charleston, in January, 1830, before De Saits sure, Chancellor, from whose decree the case will be fully understood.
    De Saussure, Ch. Two principal questions are made for the consideration of the Court in this case: 1st. Whether the decree of this Court, establishing a large debt against the late Henry Izard, Esquire, in his life time, is binding, on the estate called the Elms, which was devised to him by his father, Ralph Izard, in fee conditional at common law, so as to defeat the right of the children of Henry Izard, who claim per formarn doni. 2d. Whether the voluntary conveyance, made in favor of his children by Henry Izard, of ninety slaves, which he had acquired by their mother, his first wife, is valid against his creditors.
    The devise of the estate called the Elms, by Ralph Izard, to his son Henry Izard, was in these words: “I also give and devise to my said son Henry, and the heirs .of his body lawfully begotten, my mansion house, out houses, and buildings, on my plantation called the Elms, in the Parish' of St. James, Goosecreek, together with such part of the said plantation, as is comprised within the lines colored yellow, in the plat lately made of the same by Mr. Joseph Purcell, surveyor.” There were limitations Over to other sons and daughters, in succession, in the event of Henry Izard’s dying without issue. This devise to Henry Izard, and the heirs of his body, created a fee conditional at common law, according to the most express authorities. 2 Bl. Com. 110, 111, 112 ; and Co. Lit. 19, a. And according to the same authorities, when the devisee had issue, the condition was performed, and the estate was so absolute as to enable the devisee, first, to alien the estate, and thereby bar his issue, and also the donor of his right of reverter; secondly, to forfeit it for treason; and thirdly, to charge the land with rents, common, and certain other incumbrances, so as to bind his issue. The devisee, Henry Izard, had issue, and died leaving issue living; and the question for our consideration then is, whether he has done any legal act, to bar the issue from taking per formarn doni. He certainly had done no act to forfeit the estate, and if he had, forfeitures for treason are abolished by our laws. He has not aliened the estate in the ordinary sense of that term, by deed, or any voluntary actual conveyance; nor has he, by any direct act, charged the estate, by deed, with any rents, or commons, or the like, as Lord Coke expresses it, in his comment upon the text of Littleton, 19 a. In fact, he has done no act at all in relation to this estate; but a decree has been obtained against him, for a large sum due by him to his father’s estate. A decree is equivalent to a judgment at law ; but whether it is a sufficient charge to bind the estate, is a different question. • What act will amount to such an alienation, or charge^ by the first taker, as will defeat the heir claiming per 
      
      fortnam doni, seems very questionable. Neither does Elackstone explain what is meant by the words, “ certain other incumbrancesnor Lord Coke, by the words, “ or the like.” And we are k®1’ therefore, to the general law on the subject. The result of my view is, that I do not consider the Elms estate as bound by the decree of the Court of Equity, establishing a debt against Henry Izard, in his life time, and never enforced during his life ; and it will therefore descend to his heir at law, who will take it per formara, doni.
    
    We come now to the consideration of the question, of the voluntary settlement of ninety negroes, made by Mr. Izard, in the month of May, 1813. I consider that settlement as wholly voluntary; for notwithstanding the fact, fully proved, that there was an intention to make a settlement of these slaves of the intended wife, and that even a trustee was named, it was not carried into effect. The marriage took place without a settlement: the husband got posses, sion of the slaves, and the marital rights attached on them; so that Mr. Izard was the absolute owner. Mrs. Middleton, the mother of Mrs. Henry Izard, was desirous that a post nuptial settlement should be executed ; but it never was made, until after the death of Mrs. Henry Izard. Mr. Izard then felt anxious to gratify his mother-in-law, and he executed a voluntary deed, on the 25th of May, 1813, by which he conveyed to trustees, the slaves which he had acquired in marriage, in trust for himself during life, and on his death, to be distributed among the children of that marriage, and to himself, in case he survived them.
    It was contended for the complainant, that this voluntary deed was void as to creditors, because Mr. Izard was largely indebted at the time of its execution. The facts appear to be as follows: Mr. Izard and bis mother, the widow of Ralph Izard, the devisor, and the complainant in this suit, qualified under the will of Ralph Izard. Henry Izard went into the possession of the estate, and he regularly paid the annuity of $3,000, bequeathed to his mother, which was charged on the whole estate. After making a division among the heirs of certain parts of the estate, certain other property, reserved for the payment of the debts of Ralph Izard, was sold, in order to pay the debts. The estates called White Oak, and Skinking, and forty-three slaves, were put up for sale by Mr. William Payne, the auctioneer, in the year 1807, and were bid off by a Mr. Owen, for the sum of $26,550. Titles are said to have been made to Mr. Owen, but he did not pay any money, or give any security. It was understood that he bid for Henry Izard; and it is believed that they were bid in for want of purchasers. Some questions might have been made, as to the purchase being obligatory on Mr. Izard, and some arguments were urged on that point; but these were all ended by the fact, that Mr. Izard assumed the purchases. They formed, in fact, the basis of the greatest portion of the debt, which was awarded against him in June, 1823 ; which award was affirmed by the decree of the Court of Equity, in the year 1824. By that decree, it appears, that the sum óf $9,209.47, was awarded against Mr. Izard, as the balance of capital in his hands, due to his testator’s estate, on the 1st June, 1823 ; and that the amount due by him on the same day, on account of his purchases from the estate, was $27,931.17 ; making together, a capital sum of $37,140.64, due by Henry Izard on the 1st June, 1823, bearing an interest of seven per cent.: and the decree declared that sum to be due by Mr. Henry Izard.
    The award and decree were in 1823, and 1824. It is necessary, therefore, in order to ascertain the fairness of the settlement, to look back at the state of things at the time when the voluntary deed was executed, which was in May, 1813. The counsel for the defendants contended, that by the accounts of Mr. Izard, filed with the ordinary, in 1813, he owed nothing to the estate, or, but a trifling sum, to wit, $260; except the amount of his purchases, which are debited against himself, in his account, at $26,550. The counsel for the complainant, insisted, that by the account made out by Mr. J. M. Davis, the accountant, under the award, on the 3d November, 1823, the balance due by Mr. Izard, to the estate, on the 1st January, 1813, was $8,857.38, besides the amount of his purchases, which are put down by Mr. Davis, at $27,516.67. Nothing was disclosed to the Court, which could satisfactorily explain this difference; but the Court is more disposed to give its confidence to accounts made up officially, on oath, before a Court, than to statements made up, long afterwards, by those magicians, professional accountants, whose duty, and skill, it is, to make fi. gures and accounts speak the language of their employers.
    On the part of the defendants, it was contended, that Mr. Izard, at the time of the voluntary deed, in May, 1813, owned a very large property; to a far greater amount than his debts. That he owned 200 slaves, including the ninety named in the voluntary deed ; also, the Elms, the Camp, and the plantations called White Oak, and Skinking, and another small landed estate, called Wadbecan. From the evidence, it appears, that Mr. Izard’s property, at the time of the settlement, was worth, by one statement of his ^e^ts> more than three times their entire amount ; and by another statement, more than twice and a half the whole amount of his debts. And the proportion, which the property reserved to Mr. bzai'd, bore to the property contained in the voluntary deed, was as $62,533, to $37,140 : as appears by the following statement,—
    Sixty slaves, at $300, ..... $18,000
    Forty-three slaves, bought in, at $300, . - . 12,900
    White Oak, and Skiuking, .... 12,000
    The Camp, - - - .... 7,000
    Wadbecan, . 1,000
    The value of his life estate in the Elms, - - 6,633
    The value of the life estate, reserved in the 90 slaves, in the voluntary deed, at 6,000
    $63,533
    We are now brought to the consideration of the question, whether the property held by Henry Izard, was such as to justify his making a voluntary conveyance, in May, 1813, in favor of his children. There is no doubt of a man’s right to dispose of his property as he pleases, so that he does not injure his creditors, or put them in jeopardy. The question in all such cases is, whether such gifts, or deeds, securing property to children, are made with a view to defeat and defraud creditors, or not. There are two species of fraud : one, where a man deliberately intends to defeat his creditors, and makes such voluntary dispositions of his property, as he knows, or believes, will produce that effect; the other, where, without any such design, he yet makes such disproportionate gifts, or voluntary settlements of his estate, as will, in all reasonable probability, not leave him sufficient property to pay his debts.
    Of the first species of fraud, there is not, in this case, the least pretence. The other ground requires fuller discussion; It is true, that a virtuous and honorable man may be so mistaken in his views of the state of his affairs, and of the value of his property, and the amount of his debts, as to be led by his affection to his children, to provide for them so abundantly, as necessarily to injure his creditors ; and this would be called legal fraud, which would vitiate his voluntary settlements, or gifts. The decided cases on this subject, are very numerous ; but scarcely two of them are alike, and each seems to depend on its own circumstances. I have examined and considered them carefully, and it is painful to be obliged to say, that there are considerable discrepancies among them.
    The circumstances of the case we are cousideriag, have been detailed. The question is, was the voluntary deed fair, and bona fide, under these circumstances. It has been stated, that there is not the smallest ground, even for suspicion, of moral, or intentional fraud. It remains, then, only to consider, whether the amount of property conveyed by the voluntary deed, compared with the whole of Mr. Izard’s property, and that portion reserved out of it to pay his debts, and having reference to the amount of debt then existing, makes out a case of fairness, and just dealing, or the reverse. I incline to think, that guided by the tenor of the decided cases, prior to the great case of Howard v. Williams, I should have been obliged to decide, that the voluntary deed could not have been sustained; but upon a most attentive perusal of that case, I think the principles laid down there will support the voluntary deed. If, therefore, there be at present a deficiency to pay off the debts, it must have arisen from some of those causes assigned by the Court of Appeals, as not affecting the validity of a voluntary deed, which was fair and bona fide when executed; such as depreciation, accident, misfortune, or other unfortunate changes in a man’s affairs, and the like.
    1 Bailey,575.
    I have not before noticed, particularly, that the voluntary deed was immediately recorded in 1813, which was a number of years before the award, and before the decree, to wit, in 1824. The vehement presumption is, that the family, for unhappily this is a family controversy, knew of the existence of the voluntary deed, and of the recording. And no complaint was ever made, nor that fund ever looked to for payment.
    It is therefore ordered, and decreed, that so much of the bill as seeks to make the estate called the Elms, and the slaves included in the settlement referred to, liable to the debts of Henry Izard, be dismissed; and the said estate and slaves are declared not to be liable to the demands of the complainants, except that the Elms remains chargeable with the annuity to Mrs. Alice Izard, in the event of the residue of the estate of Ralph Izard proving insufficient to pay it.
    From this decree the complainants appealed, and now moved that the same be reversed, and the real and personal estate, therein mentioned, made liable to the complainants’ demands.
    The appeal was very learnedly and elaborately argued by Thomas S. Grimke, for the motion, and by Thomas W. Gadsden, and Petigru, contra ; but the principles advanced, and the authorities relied on, are so fully examined, and illustrated, in the opinion delivered in the Court of Appeals, that it is unnecessary to give the arguments of counsel.
    
      2 Westm. o. i. 2 Inst. 332.
   Harper, J.,

delivered the opinion of the Court.

After as mature an examination as we have been able to make* we have reluctantly come to the conclusion, that the decree of the Chancellor must be reversed, on both the points which are the subject of appeal.

The first question relates to the liability to debts, of the land which was devised to Mr. Henry Izard, in fee-simple conditional, by the will of his father. By the st. 5 Geo. 2, c. 7, P. L. 250, houses, lands, negroes, and other hereditaments, and real estates,” are made liable to, and chargeable with debts; and it is declared, that they shall be assets, in the hands of the heir, in the same manner that lands descended in England, are liable for the satisfaction of bond or specialty debts. From the generality of the terms of the statute, it is sufficiently plain, that whatever estate, or interest, Mr. Izard had in the land, was, during his life time, liable to be sold under execution for the satisfaction of his debts ; ■ and we are to inquire what that estáte, or interest, was. It was not a life estate, as seems to have been supposed, but a fee-simple conditional. The authorities are sufficiently clear, that by a gift in fee-simple conditional, as the law in relation to it was settled before the statute de donis, the heirs of the body took nothing as against the ancestor. qq,ey were named, not for any benefit intended to them, or to con. trol the ancestor’s power of disposition over the lands, but to define the nature, and extent, of his estate, and to point out the course of the descent, if no disposition should be made.

The authority of Bracton seems express to the point. In lib. 2, cap. 6, after speaking of' the “ donatio simplex et pura,” which is a gift to aman, and his heirs generally, and saying that nothing is given to the heirs, though they are named in the gift, he observes, that the donor may enlarge the grant, and make others quasi heirs, by granting to one, his heirs, and assigns. He then adds: Item, sicut ampliari possunt Jtceredes, sic ut prosdictum est, ita coarctari poterunt per modum donationis, quod omnes hmredes ad succession-em non vocantur. Modus enim legem dat donationi, et modus tenendus est contra jus commune, et contra legem, quia modus et conventio vincunt legem: ut si dicatur, do tali tantam terram, cum pertinentiis, in N., habendam et tenendam sibi et haredibus suis, quos de carne sua et uxore sibi desponsata procreatis hdbuerit, <Spc. He adds in the same chapter, “ Et unde hujusmodi hmredes procreati fuerint, ipsi tantum ad successionem vocantur ; et si taliter feqfatus aliquem inde ulterius feofaverit, tenet feofamentum, et hmredes tenentur ad warrantiam: cum ipsi nihil clamare possunt nisi ex successione et descensupaventum; quamvis quibusdam videatur quod ipsi feofati fuerint cum parentibus, quod non est verum.” That is, if heirs of this sort are begotten, they only are called to the succession; and if one thus enfeoffed, enfeoff over another, the feoffee holds the land, and the heirs are bound to warranty, inasmuch as they can claim nothing but by succession and descent from the parent; although it appears to some that they were enfeoffed together with the parent, which is not true.”

Blake *• Heyward, ante,p.208.

The same inference may be drawn from what is said by Lord Coke, 1 Inst. 19, a. “If donee in tail at the common law, had aliened, before any issue had, and after had issue, this alienation had barred the issue, because he claimed fee simple.” When, therefore, it is said, that it was on the performing of the condition, by the birth of issue, that the donee was enabled to alien, to forfeit, or to charge, it must mean, that he was enabled as against the donor. As against the issue, his power was perfect before performance, and they could claim nothing as against his act.

The same thing is said in the case of Willion v. Berkley, Plowd. 241; and so also in Bac. Abr. Estate in Tail, in the preliminary remarks to that title, which Mr. Preston, in his Treatise on Estates, attributes to Chief Baron Gilbert. 2 Prest. Est. 294, ch. 7. Mr. Preston, himself, in the treatise mentioned, examines the subject, and comes to the same conclusion, that the issue had no right, as against the ancestor. Ib. It was only by the effect of the statute de donis, that the issue were enabled to avoid the alienation of the ancestors^ Thus it is said by Lord Coke, 2 Inst. 336, that the formedon in descender lay not at the .common law. That remedy was given by the statute; although in a particular instance, it would seem, that the formedon in descender did lie at the common law. Hargrave’s note 5, to 1 Inst, 19 a.

The lands being thus liable in the hands of Mr. Izard, it was bound by the lien of the decree against him, as we have determined during the present sitting; and lands bound by a judgment, or a decree, according to our decisions, are bound also in the hands of the heir. But if there had been no decree against Mr. Izard, in his life time, yet if the heir takes only by succession from the ancestor, and in his right, it would seem to follow, that whatever would be liable to debts in his hands, must be assets in the hands of the heir; and such is the purport of the statute, 5 Geo, 2. c. 7. (supra.)

With respect to the other point involved in the case, we have lately had occasion, in several instances, to consider how far a voIuntary settlement can be supported against creditors, whose debts existed at the time. It will not be necessary, therefore, to go into any elaborate examination of cases ; but I will endeavor to express, with as much precision as the nature of the subject will allow, our views of the law.

The rule laid down by Chancellor Kent, in Reade v. Livingston, 3 Johns. C. R. 481, which, however, is not fully sanctioned in this State, is, that any, the least indebtedness, at the time of a voluntary settlement, will vitiate it. And the highest English authorities go far to support him in this position. In Russell v. Hammond, 1 Atk. 15, in Fitzer v. Fitzer, 2 Atk. 511, and in Taylor v. Jones, 2 Atk. 600, Lord Hardwicke repeatedly says, in general terms, that with respect to creditors, a voluntary settlement is always fraudulent. An exception was made in the case of Lush v. Wilkinson, 5 Ves. 384, where there was a single inconsiderable debt. That was a case of peculiar circumstances, and the Master of the Rolls observed, that every man must be indebted for the weekly bills of his house. The general rule then, I take to be, that a voIuntary settlement is void as to existing creditors : but it admits a qualification, if the debts are utterly inconsiderable, when compared with the amount of the donor’s property, like those which a man incurs for the weekly expences of his household ; so that in fact, he cannot be considered to be substantially indebted.

The expression used in Lush v. Wilkinson, that it must depend upon this, whether the party is in. solvent circumstances, has occasioned some embarrassment. The word insolvent is not very definite in its meaning. It can hardly mean, that the party after making the voluntary conveyance, has retained property to an equal, or greater, estimated amount than his debts. Perhaps it may be said, that a man indebted to near the estimated value of his property, is generally insolvent. It seems to me, from comparing the cases, that the solvency must be judged of by the event. If a man indebted at the time of the settlement, continues embarrassed, and becoming more and more involved, ends in total and acknowledged insolvency, this is evidence enough of his insolvency as to the existing creditors, whose debts remain unpaid. The exception is, where the debts are so trifling and inconsiderable, that they cannot be regarded as having materially contributed to his subsequent failure. Whether there may not be a further exception, when the failure has been produced by some sudden and unforeseen casualty, such as fire, or tempests, it is not necessary now to inquire. The fluctuations in the value of property, occasioned by the mercantile condition of the country, cannot however be ranked among those casualties. These fluctuations are constantly tailing placo, and men must calculate upon, and be prepared for them. If a man were ever so much indebted at the time of the settlement, and should afterwards pay off his debts, and become totally unembarrassed, these debts could not affect the settlement though be should subsequently become insolvent. He has proved his solvency at the time of the settlement. Or if he should so pay them off, with the exception of a trifling balance, so inconsiderable as to make it evident that the omission to pay that off also was a mere casualty, this might not vitiate. This was the case of Howard v. Williams, (supra,) where of very large debts, a very trifling balance, less I believe, than fifty dollars, remained unpaid, when the settlement was impeached; and it was held that this was 0 mere accident.

2 Bailey, 123.

vide Riley’s Equity Cases, p.232.

13 Eiiz. e. 5’ p‘Ll fi7,

cowp.434.

These are'the views we expressed in the late case of M’Elwee v. Sutton, decided by us at Columbia, at our last sitting, and they seem to us consistent with the other decided cases in this State ; particularly with the case of Howard v. Williams, which is principally relied on by the Chancellor, and with Iley v. Niswanger, 1 M’C. Ch. 521, as also with Simpson and Davidson v. Graves, decided by this Court, at Charleston, in April, 1828, but not yet reported. The authorities, both in this State, and in England, are too uniform to allow us to decide differently, even if we ourselves were disposed to put a different construction upon the statute of Elizabeth. But in truth I do not know any other rule that could be adopted. It would not do to say, that a man may make a set. tlement, if he retains property apparently sufficient to pay his debts. A man must know that his creditor’s security is lessened, if he conveys away a considerable portion of his property, although he retains what appears to be more than sufficient. To say that the property must be very abundantly sufficient, would be to have no rule at all; but to determine every case, perhaps according to its circumstances, or perhaps according to the bias, or feelings, of the judge, or the jury, who should pass upon it.

It is said, upon the authority of Lord Mansfield, that the question in every case is bona fides, or not; although Lord Mansfield never doubted the authority of the cases to which I have referred. This is in some sense true, but Courts must lay down for themselves some tests, by which to judge of the bona jides. We have no means of looking into the heart of a man, or deciding upon his motives but by his actions. It will not do to say, that because we are satisfied in our private judgments, that no actual fraud was in. tended; because Mr. Izard was known to be a gentleman of the most scrupulous integrity, and honor; that we shall apply another rule, than we should do in the case of an individual, whose charac* *er was ^ess known and established. Although it may be called drawing a conclusion of fact, yet the making a certain inference from certain appearances, becomes at length a subsidiary rule of law. There are, as it has been said, certain general presumptions to take the place of individual and specific belief: as in the case of a bond, of which there has been no acknowledgment, and on which nothing has been paid for twenty years; we must pronounce it paid, although we may have the most intimate private conviction that it never has been paid.

We think there can be no doubt, but that Mr.- Izard must be considered to have been indebted for the amount of his purchases of his father’s estate, at the time of the settlement, although it may be, that the other parties interested in that estate, could have avoided those purchases. Whatever calculation may be made, and the difference of calculation is wholly immaterial, this was a very considerable debt. Although he may have retained property to two or three times the amount, this debt alone has- occasioned the present insolvency of his estate; for the estate owes no other. And this has been occasioned by no sudden or unforseen casualty, but by the ordinary, and gradual fluctuations, in the value of property. According to the principles I have expressed, the settlement cannot then be supported.

Another ground was taken in the argument, on which perhaps it is not necessary to remark at great length. It was, that the complainants in the present case were aware of the settlement, and acquiesced in it, by neglecting to enforce their demand; and that they demanded, and received, from Mr. Izard, a security for their debt, which was satisfactory to them: and therefore, ¡.that they ought not now to be permitted to enforce their claims on the settled property. I know of no rule, but the statute of limitations, or the presumption arising from length of time, barring their demands, that compels creditors to enforce their demands on a party, who has made a settlement, or to lose their recourse on the settled property. Perhaps it may be, in general, a benefit to the voluntary donees, that indulgence should be given. Men do not indulge their debtors that they may become insolvent, but that they may pay; and, if it should turn out, contrary to expectation, that they become less able to pay, it would be unreasonable, that this well meant indulgence, should be to the injury of the creditor. It could not have been intended, and was not calculated to injure the donee. The case of Estwick v. Caillaud, 5 T. R. 420, was relied on as a case in which the Court refused to relieve a creditor after long acquiescence. But the determination was not at all upon that footing. That was not a voluntary conveyance, being in part for the payment of creditors; and therefore was not subject to the rules respecting voluntary conveyances: and the jury determined that there was no actual fraud. It is true, that the Court seems to go upon the supposition, that the portion of the property which Lord Abingdon conveyed to his own use, might be made liable in equity to creditors, who were not provided for ; and that it was afterwards determined, upon a bill filed in the Exchequer, that no such relief could be had; Caillaud v. Estwick, 2 Anstruther, 381. But that goes on the principle, as expressed by Chief Baron Macdonald, in the case, that equity does not aid an execution at law. He observes, that there are different securities which an execution cannot reach : first, from the nature of the property, as stock in the funds ; secondly, from the hands in which it is, as a trustee. The question of actual fraud, it is said/ was settled at law. It may be observed, that although equity, will not aid in such a case, the property is not out of the reach of creditors, as it may be reached in general by a ca. sa.

Then as to the security that was to be taken. I do not know on what principle, a creditor, who becomes alarmed at his debtor’s making a settlement, and demands and receives security, can be precluded recourse to the settled property, if the security should prove insufficient; even though he should profess himself satisfied with the security. He was mistaken as to the sufficiency of the security, but has done no injury to the donees. It would be a different case, if the party, when about to make a settlement, should consult his creditors, and they should consent to the settlement, on condition of a specified security’s being given. In such a case, the consent would be the inducement to the giving of the security. Here there is no direct proof of the consent, nor does it in any manner appear, that Mr. Izard was induced by such assent to give the security. In th'e case of Stephens v. Olive, 2 Bro. C. C. 90, which was relied on, the property settled, was made liable, by the settlement itself, to the only existing creditor. If a party about to make a settlement, sufficiently secures his existing debts, by mortgage, Gr otherwise, the settlement of course will be good. No injury is done to the creditors. For aught that appears, this was done in Stephens v. Olive; and the existing mortgage creditor was not complaining, or before the Court.

Upon the whole matter, we cannot see sufficient grounds to support the settlement, in the case before us: and it is, therefore ordered, and decreed, that the Chancellor’s decree be reversed; and that the reaI and personal estate referred to, be sold in satisfaction of the complainants’ demands, as prayed in their bill.

Decree reversed.