The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-10
ENGLISH REPORTS IN LAW AND
EQUITY.

, ENGLISH REPORTS IN LAW AND
EQUITY.
Proposals by LITTLE & BRows, III Washington
street, Boston, for publishing by subscription neti
series Of Laro and Equity RcportS
TNHE want OF some system by which the decisions
Il and judicial opinions OF the several Courts d
| Law and Equity in England can be more prompt
y and cheapy furnished TO the legal profession in
this country, has long been seriously felt and
knowedged To meet a similar want in England
the ''LaU Journal Reports" and Ihe Jurtst,
which, together, report decisions in aUue Courts an
Ian and Equity, within few weeks after their
delivery, were commenced number OF years
since and have met with the universal approba-
ton of the legal profession. Their high cost how
aver, has hitherto prevented their general circu-
aton in this country, and their merits are as yet
but little known among
The subscribers propose to republish 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 Privy
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
| Cnse3.
These reports will be published in numbers or
| 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-
iercnces 10 analogous American decisions.
Each number will consist of over three hundred
pages closely printed octave the best paper and
IN clear tar type, and Will contain table OF cases,
| and full table OF contents, thus forming COM
plete volume by itself, as well as part OF an en-
tire series. Every alternate second number will
be PACED consecutively from the number imme-
diatey preceding, and will contain table OF cases,
and of contents TO both, and thus form complete
volume, ready for binding, of ooer hundred pages.
In each volume the Of the several courts will
be found arranged together and, in point of style
| and typographical execution, this series will be
fully equal to the best reports of England or this
country.
tits designed to make this a PERMANENT PUBL
CATION, and thus establish series of English
Law and Equity Reports, which shall, in all
spects, be far in advance of any other reprint OF
English Reports ia this country, and which shall
furnish 10 the American lawyer the decisions of
Westminster Hall, nearly t,co years before they
could oaerIoise be obtained and long before the pub
Hcatlon OF the contemporaneou5 decisions of most
OF our own tribunals.
The price of this publication will be $40 for
twelve numbers, payable in advance, or for the six
volumes, handsomely and uniformly bound in law
sheep, ~.
The parts will be sold separately, il desired, at
s | each.
Single volume, bound, 81 %.
Parts ]. and H., stitched or Vol. l., bound in law
sheep, containing reports OF hundred and
eighty eight cases, now ready for delivery.
The following are among the opinions of this
work expressed on the publication OF the frat num-
Ger:
Letter flufnOTe, FreSlQenf
United States.
WAsHISoToN, April - 1851.
JAMES BRowS, ESQ: My DEAR SIR-Somc da va
since received, by the hand of the Postmaster
General, the first number. of the English Reports
which you propose 10 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 lustre 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 - condensed" form. This condensation
however, consisted, not In an abbrcvaton of. each
rase, but a selection from the several cases. and
often annoyed by finding reference to cases
in the Digests, which ] deemed very important
wholly omitted in the 90 condensed reports"
therefore hailed with great pleasure effort which
was made some Tune since 10 rcpubsh the whole
If the English Reports entire, be republished
with despatch in this country, at price so low as
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 obedent /
servant. WILLARD FILLMORE.
From Ht NelD York Literary JVorld
Mcssrs. Little 4 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 mum
bcr il before Ne, the Lar Journal Reports and
the Jigist, two English serials which communicate \
to the British Bar within-a 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
mont ght be followed with great advantage in this
country, for the purpose Of obviating the delay /
which necessarily attends the issuing OF the reg-
lar volumes OF reports of particular courts and
We are glad 20 the enterprise Of our legal pub
lishe-s awaiting Themselves OF it, 10 introduce the
English Reports promptly and regularly to the pro-
fesson The authority Of Westminster Hall has ost
nothing OF its sanction and the permanently high
character OF the English judiciary gives to their
ndjudcations a continued weight and decisive in
huence with our courts. Hitherto the diiic ulty has
been that the reported cases there have grown old
before they could be quoted and applied mere, and
there no way in which the current iurispru-
dence and adjudicatons 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 & Browns
Reports will remove; the cases decided in the
Queens Bench, the Common Pleas, and the Er.
livery here ia April or May, long before adjudged
cnscs 81 ne same date in our courtE appear in
the regular reports in which they perpctuated.
Nearly two years Vill 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 il gives those Of courts in bao
the deliberate judgments Of the bench and not the
less reliable decisions Of Nisi Prius, which, how
ever interesting IN many ipst-nces, do not carry |
with thnrn the same authority aud force.
The Reports arc edited by +. u. Bennett and !
Chauncy Smith, esqs. Of the Boston bar, and their
systematia arrangement, and the care with which |
the notes, index. &c, prepared, evidence the 4
thorough manner IN which the proposed series will
be carried out.
In this connection We take pleasure in advcrting
10 Nessrs Little and Browns other legal publica-
tons among which are included many Of the most
conspicuous md authoritative treatises Of our iurs-
prudence Judge Stsry's works, for ming library !
almost Of themselves, and familiar for their high
value and extensive reputation TO American read
a g.aaI1 - 81 - II A.