The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-13
ENGLISH REPORTS IN LAW AND
EngITY.

ENGLISH REPORTS IN LAW AND
Equity.
Proposals BIZ LITTLE x BRows, ll2 Washingio,
street, Boston, for publishing by subscription neie
series Of LGip aud Equity Reports
JTNHE want of some systcm by which the decisions
Il and judicial opinions OF the several Courts oil
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-
knowle lodged. To meet a similar want in England,
the Lao Journal Reports" and "1hs JTist,"
which, together, report decisions IN az me Courts IA
Lao aud Equity, within lew 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
.ver has hitherto prevented their general crcu-
lation in this country, and their merits are as yet
but little known among us.
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
Cases.
These reports will be published in numbers
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 to analogous American decisions.
Each number will consist of over three hundred
IN clear fair type, and will contain table of cases,
and full table Of contents, thus forming com
plete volume by itself, well as q par, of an en-
IRE 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 complete
volume, ready for binding, pusr sirhundred pages.
In each volume the cases OF the several courts Will
be found arranged together and, In point % style
and typographical execution, this series will be
fully equal to the best reports OF England or this
country.
tits designed TO make this PERMANENT PUBL
CATION, and thus establish series of English
Law and Equity Reports, which shall, in all re-
spects, be far in advance of any other reprint OF
English Reports IN this country, and which shall
furnish to the American lawyer the decisions Of
Westminster Hall, nearly tiro gears before they
could ohstcise be obtained, and long before the pub
LEGATION OF the contemporaneous decisions of most
Of our own tribunals.
The price Of this publication will be SO for
twelve numbers, payable in advance, or for the six
volumes, handsomely AID uniformly bound in law
sheep, Sl2.
The parts will be sold separately, il desired, at
81 each.
Single volume, bound, So 25
Parts !. and H., stitched, or Vol l., bound in law
sheep, containing reports of one hundred and
aghty eight cases, now ready for delivery.
The following among the opinions of this
work expressed on the publication OF the first num-
Ger
Letter from Hon Niliard Fillmore, President of The
United States.
WAsBINGToS, April - 1851.
JAMES BRowv, ESQ: MY DrAR SIR-Some days
rince ! 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
now have your letter of the 9Th instant, inquring
my opinion of the enterprise.
While pursuing my profession, took deep in
tsrest in publications OF this kind. The able
iudges who have adorned the judicial tribunals of
England, have shed n 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 abbreviation of each
fase, but selection from the several cases. and
was often annoyed by finding reference 10 cases
in the Digests, which deemed very important.
wholly omitted in the condensed reports" |
therefore hailed with great pleasure effort which
was made some tame since to republish the whole.
If the English Reports eriire, can be republished
with despatch in this country, at a price 50 low
10 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. am your obedient
servant. WILLARD FILLMORE
From Fac Mem York Literary World
Messrs. 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
% none in ths country, have Just commenced the
publication Of legal series deserving the especial
attention Of the profession throughout the country
The basis Of THE series, Of which the first num-
Der is before US, the Lar Journal Reports and
the Jtuisf. two English serials which communicate
% the British Bar within few weeks after their
delivery. the prominent decisions Of all the courts
from the House Of Lords 20 the Court Of Bankrupt
~, and other tribunals Of limited but practically
important jurisdiction. This excellent arrange
men might be followed with great advantage in this
country, for the purpose of obyiating the delay
which necessarily attends the issuing Of the regu-
lar volumes Of reports Of particular courts and
glad 10 see the enterprise Of our legal pub
fishers ayailing themselves OF IL, 10 introduce the
English Reports promptly and regularly TO the pro-
fesson. The authority Of w estmn,ter Hall has lost
nothing Of its sanction and the permanently high
character Of the Fnglish Judiciary gives 10 their
adjodications a 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 mere and
there no way In which the current iurispru-
dence and adjudications Of the day in the English
courts could be made available By the American
tar. except at great expense and by continual yig
lance. This difficulty Messrs. Little * Browne
Reports will remove; the cases decided in the
Queens Bench, the Common Pleas, and the In.
chequer CHAMBER In January, will be ready for de.
Of the same date IN our own courts appear In
the regular reports IN which they are pcrpetuatcd.
Nearly two years will thus BE- gained over the pre-
cent system which requires a delay until the large
volume Of authorized reports IL published on the
other side and has then been reprinted on tbis.
One advantage Of the present series IL, that the
decisions which u giyes those VI courts in Lar
the deliberate judgments Of the bench, and not the
lcss reliable decisions at Nisi Prius, which, how
ever interesting in many instances, DO not carry
with them the same authority and force
The Reports edited by r. ~ Bennett and
Chsuncy Smith, esqs., 81 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
b. carried out
IN this connerion we take pleasure in adyerting
10 Messrs. Little and Browns other legal publica
tons, among which are included many Of the most
conspicuous and authoritative treatises Of our urls
prudence Judge StOry's works, Tor ming library
almost u themselves, and familiar Tor their high
value and extensive reputation 20 American read-
In general, a. well a. 90 the legal profession
have sll issued from their press, az have alec TIE
several wOrks OF Professor Grccnoaf Tue very
valuable and 1tensve annual publications are alao