The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-14
A New and Valuable Work.

ReDorts of Cases Decided IN the Circuit
court of the United States for the Fourth
Ctrcuit-most of them since Chiet-JuStice
Waite came upoa The Bench, and OF Sc
lected cases in admiralty and Bankrupt
Gu decided in the District Court Of that
Circuit-,oith an Appendi1 to the Second
Volume, containing the Rules IN 4dm'-
ralty and Bankruptcy OF the District
Court for the Eastern District of Eir-
qinia, and Rules Of the Circuit Court TOR
that District. by ROBERT w. HUGHES,
one OF the District Judges. In two vol
umes. w. II. & o. II. NORRIS, Washing
ton, D.. g., publishers.
The first of these volumes is issued this
week: the second will be ready in Il fort
night. ........ f..
They are dedicated as follows:
These volumes arc respectfully inscribed to Pro-
fessor John B. Minor, OF the University OF Virginia.
in acknowledgment of the service which he has rem.
dered to bench and bar by his Constitutes Of the
common and statute law" and by his lectures for
many years in tho principal law school Of the south
ern and southwestern States.
The preface is as follows, and explains
the character OF the work:
The decisions of the courts of the United states IN
the judicial circuit now designated IS the e sonrth SO
umes OF Burr'S Trial, by David Robertson; the
two volumes of MdrshdlPS Decisions, published
by John w. Brockcnbrough; the volume of Tnney'S
Circuit Court Decisions. published by J. NJ. Camp
bell. and the recent volume Of ChdSeS
Decisions. published by Bradley T: johnson. In
six decisions three of which are not elsewhere 10 be
found: one Of them by, Chief-Justicg jay, and thg
other two respectively by Observation-Disclosures lredel
and Washington. These three cases, i'll order that
they may be found In some volume or United States
Reports proper are incorporated INTO me present
volumes. have also Incorporated decision OF
Chef-J usticc Ellsworth never before pub1shed IN
permanent form. and two other cases, from Fran
cisions s. published in 1897. This author was after
wards Chief Justice OF the Supreme Court OF Louis
flpa. ~, ,,.
ND to this Lime made by Chcf-Justicc Waite which
he has reduced TO wridns; and all decisions OF CTR
which I have been able after careful endeavor to
obLain To them have added i number Of decisions
in Circuit Courts made by The several disadvantages
probably owe an apology 70 the profession for
including in the present volumes so many decisions
ana especially so many which have he, n made by
myself; but. in truth, the necessity Which was felt
to exist of publishing these District Court decisions
suggested the publication Of those also which could
collect of the Circuit Courts
The admiralty jurisdiction of the ports and waters
III has Been fruitful Of many important cases
reports of which cannot fall to be interesting to al
mtralry lawyers generally while hey are aiosI IN
courts Of the Fourth Circuit. Many cases are de-
cided in the admiralty courts proper. which do not
noints most frequently arising In practice. and the
rulings in them are lily of more practical value 10
the admiralty lawyer than those often are In the ex
ceptional cases which 60 up by appeal Tor 1nal de-
The remarks apply with greater force to the de-
cisons Of the courts Oh snrs OF Easern
Virginia there have been filed 6455 cases In bank
ruptcy and 16I suits connected with 9hnE h ~
january S74. under rulings OF Circuit and supreme
Courts then recently and soon afterwards made
large of these cases were brought beiorc
him by petition praying the setting aside or mOdil-
cation or review Of former orders and DEGREES made
In them. Naturally the action of the court upon
these petitions suggested or required written expla
pations of the principles ON which the court acted.
These written decisions had often 10 be referred TO
of them In compendious and convenient form, ac-
cessibe to the bar, has become general THESE arc
the considerations which nave 1nduced the writer 10
csions In Bankruptcy In the second volume, and 10
collect from other districts of the circuit like dcclS-
ions of his brethren Of the bench. This e has done
with diligence, and he regrets that lie has been able
to collect comparatively but few Of these last.
Although the decisions In these volumes arc not not
reader will find that they are in fact grouped In the
following order-viz cases in equity cases ut law,
binary writs: these In the first volume. and IN The
second admiralty cases and bankruptcy cases.
Near the end Of each volume Will be found few
cases aisocated from these groups. ..
But for the feeling that reports processing to cover
the period of the political offences against the civil
rights and enforcement acts which have been tried
In this circuit would be deficient If not embracing
at least as many Of the cases rs exhibit the princ-
pies of law on which they turned, should have
gladly omitted the whole subject from these volumes.
reflect, however, that these are books for lawyers
and not for politicians or the populace; that the
whole class Of civil disorders out of which the trials
grew have ceased, and hope and believe forever;
and that even If there be In the evidence reported
anything which in! worse times than the peaceful
era which we now have entered and confidently an.
cinate would tend to produce or keep alive excited
feeling no such effect Is or will be:posstblc:
am sure that no public evil can come from pub,
fishing the three or four trials OF the class alluded
to which IRE given in these volumes; and should
regret to find that in the manner In which the evil
dence has been reported any Individual or class has
49, r. ". II.
This book will no doubt be appreciated
by the profession, and will consequently
have large sale.