The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-24
ENGLISH REPORTS IN LAW AND
E0VTIVX

Proposals by LITTLE & BRowH, ll2 Washington
street. Boston, for publishing by subscription 'e1o
series Of LGlo and Equity Reports.
VTNHE want Of some system by which the decisions
IL and judicial opinions of the several Courts OF
Law and Equity in England can be more prompt
ly and cheaply furnished TO the legal profession in
this country, has long been seriously felt and ac-
knowledged. To meet similar want in England,
the ''LaI1 Journal Reports" and ''1ne JuriSt, "
which, together report decisions in all The Courts an
LGlo and Equity, within few weeks after their
delivery, were commenced number OF years
since, and have met with the universal apProDa-
ton OF the legal profession Their high cost now
ever, has hitherto prevented their general clrcu-
lation III this country, and their merits are do Se'
but little known among u.s. -,
The subscribers propose 10 rePuosh these re,
ports in full as fast as they appear in England and
can be received here They will contain reports
of cases decided in the House OF Lords, the FriVy
Council the several Courts of Equity, the Court OF
Queens Bench the Court of Common Pleas, the
Court of Exchequer and Exchequer Chamber, the
Ecclesiastical and Admiralty Courts, the Court OF
Bankruptcy, including also the Election cases, the
Crown Cases Reserved, and the Railway and Canal
Cases
parts, commencing with the decisions OF Michael
mas (November) term 1850, and will be carefully
edited by member of the bar, with notes and re-
ferences 10 analogous American decisions.
Each number will consist of over three hundred
pages closely printed octave, on the paper, and
clear fair type, and will contain table OF cases,
and full table of contents, thus forming COM
plete volume by itself, well as part OF an en-
tire SERIES Every alternate or second number Will
be PACED consecutively from the number imme-
diately preceding, and will contain table OF cases,
and of contents TO both, and thus form a complete
volume ready for binding of orer sir hundred pages
In each volume the of the several courts VIII
be found arranged together, and in point of style
and typographical execution, this series will be
fully equal TO the best reports oil England or THIS
country.
His designed to make this PERMANENT PUBL
CATION and thus establish neto series OF English
Law and Equity Reports, which shall, in all re-
spects, be far in advance OF any other reprint oil
English Reports in this country, and which shall
furnish to the American lawyer the decisions OF
Westminster Hall, nearly tipo gears before they
could otherwise be obtained, and long before the pub
LEGATION of the contemporaneous decisions oil most
of our own tribunals
The price of this publication will be $40 for
twelve numbers payable in advance, or for the Blk
volumes, handsomely and uniformly bound In law
sheep, Sl2.
The parts will be sold separately, il desired, at
ST. each.
Single volume, bound So 25
Parts !. and H., stitched, or VOL l., bound in law
sheep, containing reports of one hundred and
lightweight cases, now ready for delivery.
The following among the opinions OF this
work expressed on the publication of the first num-
ber
Letter from Hon. AiHard Fillmore, President Of the
United States.
WAsHINGros, April 10 1851.
JAMES BRowx, ESQ: MY DEAR SIR-Some days
since | received, by the hand of the Postmaster
General, the first number of the English Reports,
which you propose to republish in this country,
comprising every case reported in England; and
have your letter OF the 9Th instant, inquiring
my opinion of the enterprise.
While pursuing my profession took deep in
terest in publications of this kind. The able
Judges who have adorned the judicial tribunals OF
England, have shed luEtre upon the Common
Law, and illumined its profoundest depths. con-
slider no law library complete that does not contain
their principal reports in Law and Equity, and in
their Ecclesiastical Courts, and in Admiralty. For
some years had been in the habit of receiving
these in 4" condensed" form. This condensation,
hoy nj N n m Authorization OF eac
case, but selection from the several cases. and /
often annoyed by finding reference to cases
in the Dgests. which deemed very important,
wholly omitted in the condensed reports" !
therefore hailed with great pleasure effort which
made some time since TO repubsh the whole.
If the English Reports entire, be republished
with despatch in this country, at price so low
to bring them within the reach of the members OF
the bar generally conceive that it will confer
great benefit upon the profession and the judiciary
and consequently upon the country at large. Know
ing your enterprise, anticipate your success, and
can only express the hope that your reward may
be equal to your merits. your obedient
servant, WILLARD FILLMORE
From the Ne,O York Literary JVorld.
Messrs. Little s Brown, of Boston, whose law
books, in point of typographical execution, vie
with the best similar issues OF the English press
and in point of value and Importance are Inferior
to none in this country, have just commenced the
publication of legal series deserving the especial
attention of the profession throughout the country
The basis of this series, of which the first num-
Der is before US, are the LGtD Journal Reports and
the JmiSt, two English serials which communicate
TO the British Bar, within few weeks after their
delivery the prominent decisions of all the courts
from the House of Lords to the Court of Bankrupt
cy, and other tribunals Of limited but practically
important jurisdiction. This excellent arrange
Inent might be followed with great advantage in this
country, for the purpose of obvating the delay
which necessarily attends the issuing of the regu
lar volumes of reports of particular courts; and
we are glad to the enterprise of our legal pub
fishers availing themselves OF it, to introduce the
English Reports promptly and regularly to the pro-
fession The authority of Westminster Hall has lost
nothing OF its sanction and the permanently high
character OF the English judiciary gives TO their
adjudications continued weight and decisive in
huence with courts. Hitherto the difficulty has
been that the reported cases there have grown old
before they could be quoted and applied here, and
there way in which the current jurspru-
dence and adjudications of the day in the English
courts could be made available by the American
bar, except at great expense and by continual vigil
lance. This difficulty Messrs. Little s. Browns
Reports will remove; the decided in the
Queens Bench the Common Pleas, and the Elk
chequer Chamber in January, will be ready for de-
livery here in April or May, long before adudged
cases of the same date in courts appear in
the regular reports in which they perpetuated
Nearly two years will thus be gained over the pre-
sent system, which requires delay until the large
volume of authorized reports is published on the
other side and has then been reprinted on this.
One advantage OF the present series is, that the
decisions which it gives those of courts in bGnc
the deliberate judgments of the BENCH and not the
less reliable decisions at Nisi Prius, which, how
ever interesting in many instances, do not carry
with them the same authority and force.
The Reports are edited BY f. II. Bennett anc
Chauncy Smith, esqs, of the Boston bar, and theiI
systematic arrangement, and the care with which
the notes, index, &c, are prepared, evidence the
thorough manner in which the proposed series vii
be carried out.
In this connexion take pleasure in advertinq
to Messrs. Little and Browns other legal publica
tions, among which included many Of the mos
conspicuous and authoritative treatises of our ura
prudence Judge Storys works, for ming library
almost OF themselves, and familiar for their high
value and extensive reputation to American read
in general, as well to the legal profession
have all issued from their press; az have also thu
several works OF Professor Greenleaf. Two VERY
valuable and extensive annual publications als
issued by them, the United States Digest and tn
Statutes at Large; the latter being the authorized
edition of the Acts Of Congress, got up in muc
better style, both for reference and preservation