The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-20


Law and Equity Reports which shall, in all re-
spects, be far in advance Of any other reprint OF
English Reports IL this country, and which shall
furnish to the American lawyer the decisions OF
Westminster Hail. nearly tioo years before they
could oGs,ioise bs obtained and long before the pub
LEGATION of the contemporaneous decisions Of most
OF our own tribunals. ,s-..
The price of this publication will be $40 for
twelve numbers, payable in advance, or for the six
volumes, handsomely and uniformly bound i'll law
sheep, 5 H. .i
The parts will be sold separately il desired, at
j each.
Sings volume, bound, So %.
Parts L. and H.. stitched or Vol L., bound in law
sheep, containing reports of one hundred and
eighty eight cases, now ready for delivery.
The following arc among the opinions OF this
york Expressed on the publication OF the first num-
DER
Letter from Hon. Willard Fillmore, President of tie
United States.
WAsHISGTos, April l3 1851.
JAMES Blows ESQ.,: My DEAR SiR-Some da va
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 |
now have your letter of the 9th instant, inuuirng
my opinion OF the enterprise.
While pursuing my profession, took deep in
terest in publications of this kind. The able
iudges who have adorned the judicial tribunals Of
England, have shed lustre upon the Common
La W, and illumined its profoundest depths. con
slider no'aw 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 " condensed form. This condensation,
however, consisted, not In an abbreviaton of each
case, but q selection from the several Cases. and
was often annoyed by finding a reference TO cases
in the Digests, which deemed very important,
wholly omitted in the condemned reports."
therefore hailed with great pleasure effort which
made some time since to republish the whole.
If the English Reports entire, can 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 succcss, and
/ can only express the hope that your reward may
be equal to your merits. l am your obedient
servant. WILLARD FILLMORE
From G.e Ne,o York Literary World.
Messrs Little X Brown, of Boston, whose law
books, in point Of typographical execution, vie
with the beet similar issues of the English prcss
and in point Of value and importance are inferior
20 IN THE country, have just commenced the
publication Of legal series descrving the especial
attention Of The profession thruu ghout the country
The basis of this series, of which the first mum
Der is before US the Lam Journal REPORTS aud
the Juist. two English serials which communicate
10 the British Bar within few weeks after their
delivery the prominent decisions of all the c,urts
from the House Of Lords 10 the Court of Bankrupt
cy, and other tribunals of limited but practically
important jurisdiction. This excellent arrange
cnt might be followed with great advanta tots
country, for the purpose OF Obviatinc the delay
which necessarily attends the issuing Of the reEu
lar volumes OF reports OF particular courts and
glad 10 see the enterprise of our legal pub
fishers avniling themselves OF it, TO introduce the
EnElish Reports promptly and ogularly TO the pro-
f,ssiOn The authority Of Westminster Hall has ost
nothing Of lie sanction and the permanently hirh
character of the English Judiciary gives 10 their
adjudications a continued weight aud decisive in
fuence with our courts. Hitherto The difficulty has
been that the reported cases there have grown old
before they could be quoted and applied mere, aud
there was no way in which the current iurspru-
dcuce and ndIudicatons Of the day in the English
courts could be made available 10y the American
BAR except at great expense and by continual vi g-
lance. This difficulty Messrs. Little & 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 adjudgcd
cascs OF the same date in own courts appear in
tho regular reports in which they per pctuated.
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 eide and has then been reprinted ON this
One advantage OF the present scrcs il, that the
decisions which gives those Of courts in banc
the deliberate Judgments Of the bench and The
less reliable decisions at NisI Prtus, which, how
ever interesting in many instances, do not carry
With them the same authority and force.
The Reports are edited toy r.. II Bennett aud
Chauncy Smith, eses., Of the Boston bar. and their
systematic arrangement, and the care with which
the notes, index, &c, are prepared, evidence the
thorough manner IN which the proposed series Will
be carried oct.
In tbis connection we take pleasure in adverting
% Mcssrs. Little and Browne other legal publca
tions, among which arc included many Of tho most
conspicuous and authoritative treatises Of our iurs-
prudence. Judge Story's works, fJr ming library
almost u themselves, and familiar for their high
value and extensive reputation TO American read
ers In general, IA we'll as 20 tho legal pr,fesson
/ E.s. all th.r I.ss. Al
several works Of Professor GrcculoaE Two very
valuable and extensive annual publications are also
Issued by them, the United Suites Digest and the
Statutes at Largsj the latter being the authorized
edition Of the Acts Of Congress, got up in much
better style both for reference aud preservation,
| than under the old regime Of public printing al
| Washington, which included the annual statutes
and sent them forth to the world thin paper and
IN lad type.
From he Nug York EUeing Port
/ Little & Brown. OF Boston. to whose euterpris,
/ the reading public has oncn been indebted for
tho most valuable American and foreign books
propose 60 publish. by subscription, new scries u
] the English Reports ia Law and Equity. This Sc
ries will contain all the authoritative decisions
the House Of LOrds the Courts Of Equity the Privy
I Court, the queens Bench, the Erchcqucr Common
Pleas, &c.
The profession arc assured that this series will b.
/ The most complete OF any reports now Published
! A careful examination OF the JuriSt aud Lar Jour
nal for series Of years disclosed the fact that man
important cases arc here reported which are no
| found IN the contefnporaneous reports Of Mecson
We.sby, Manning, Granger Scott, Adolphus
! Ellis, aud other reporters; and tho Lam JOtrna
alone, during the fret seven years Of lie existence
] published over one thousand not then else
1 where reported.
/ Ne to the character Of tho reports Of the ia,
! Journal and ''Tbc Jurist," but little need b
| said In England they arc regarded 81 hg
authority, aud are cited with appreciation and re-
| spcct in the English courts, and by their mos EN-
! iucnt elementary writer's.
They are cited with confidence aud ~ authc
rty, in the judicinl opinions OF Judge Story, an
! other eminent American judge, aud in the writ
| ings Of Grcenlcaf, Kent, Angel, Phillips, CbiuJ
| and others; aud, for accuracy clCarhcss and br,
vitY, are equal to any English reports now pa
! / shed
lov copies Of BOTH theso periodicals have boo