Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-20
The Completion Of the Compilation
Announced by Mr.. Albert.
ANUNDERqAKlNG OF CREATE MAGNITUDE
Additional Material to Increase the
Usefulness of the Work.
HIST TOPICAL CHAPTERS

and satisfaction that MI. william Stone
Albert today addressed letter to Chief
Justice Bingham Of the District Supreme
Court, informing the court that he had at
length completed the compilation of the
statutes in force in the District. The work
was authorized by an act Of Congress, APP
proved March 2. 1889. and required the
compilation of all statutes and parts Of
statutes in force in the District, including
the acts Of the second session of the Fiji
tieth Congress. relating to all such mat
tiers as would properly come within the
scope Of a civil and criminal code-compiled,
arranged and classified with proper index.
The Supreme Court OF the District was au-
thorized to appoint two commissioners
learned in the law to make the compilation,
and the late Benz. F. Lovejoy and Mr.. Albert
were appointed as such commissioners. They
commenced their labors in April, 1889. Sub
sequently Mr.. Lovejoy died and Mr.. Regi-
Maid Fendall was appointed to serve with
Mr.. Albert. His other duties prevented Mr..
Fendall from taking an active part in the
undertaking, and Mr.. Albert was compelled
to perform practically the whole labor. The
work exceeded all estimates as to the tedi-
Gus research and almost never-ending as
sorting and consideration of conflicting
laws The compilation was retarded by In
adequate appropriations for clerical and
other expenses. considerable time being lost
" lille awaiting the appropriation Of such
necessary means.
The scope of the Compilation.
AS completed the compilation contains the
British statutes in force in Maryland at
the time Of the cession of the territory, as
contained in Alexander's British Statutes
and Kilty's reports thereon, and now In
force in the District; statutes in force In
Maryland from April g. 1704 to February
q, 1901, as contained in ''Kiltys Laws of
Maryland" the Revised Statutes of the
tat a
District of Columbia: the Revised Statutes
of the United States relating to the whole
of the United States. in which the District
of Columbia Is specifically named, and also
statutes. civil and criminal. referring to GER
tain territory of the United States. and all
places and districts of the country under
the exclusive jurir iiction of the United
States; the acts of the Legislative Assembly
of the District of Columbia, from June 2
1871, through June g. 1873. and all acts of
Congress relating to the District of Column
bia. passed since June %. 1874, and including
the acts Of the second session of the Fiftieth
Congress.
1t is expected that the compilation will,
when published, make q volume about the
size Of the Revised Statutes Of the United
States. Fortunately, the act Of Congress
authorizing the compilation appropriated
sum sufficient for its publication at the
government printing office. Hence, the
upon the approval Of the work by the Dis
trict Supreme Court For their labors the
commissioners were authorized to be paid,
at the completion of the work, the sum of
81, 800 each, while for clerical services about
5000 has been appropriated. For the pre-
paration Of the Revised Statutes of the
United States. first edition, no less than
S5l,OOO was appropriated, three commission
ers receiving $4,000 each. while they were
allowed $1,000 annually, for three years, for
clerical and incidental expenses; the second
edition, 5000. and the supplement. the
| same amount. From these figures it is
| seen how disproportionate a sum has been
allowed by Congress in the preparation Of
the compilation of the District laws
AS Will be seen from Mr.. Abert's letter
| to Chief Justice Bingham, he has added
greatly to the value and convenience of the
work by annotating and thoroughly index
ing II. and It Is not at all improbable that
the court will recommend to Congress that
Mr.. Albert be recompensed for his addi-
| tional labors. 1t is expected that the court
VIII shortly approve the work and direct its
| publication. The work has been inspected
| by several prominent members of the bar
and they have pronounced 1t a most COM
prehensive, convenient and valuable one.
| Mr.. Aberts letter to the chief justice and
associate justices of the Supreme Court Of
| the District is as follows:
| Il have the honor to report that the
work of compiling the statutes in force in
| the District of Columbia is finished and
| ready for consideration and approval by
| the court. The work was performed under
| and by virtue of the act of Congress ap-
proved March 2, 1889, 25th statutes "A large
| chapter S92, page So, entitled IAN act to
| secure for the District of Columbia a COM
pilation Of the laws of said District and for
| other purposes"
1.-The law required that all statutes and
parts of statutes In force IN said District
including the acts of the second session of
! the Fiftieth Congress, and relating to all
such matters as would properly come with
in the scope of a civil and criminal code,
should be compiled. arranged and classi-
| fed with a proper index. The work. as
completed. is divided into seventy-one chap
tiers. with a full and complete index
I'm addition to the work required by the
act of Congress, I have prepared some
very valuable material. which, II published
with the compilation, would greatly en-
courts, lawyers and to the people Of the
| District. This extra work cannot be pub
| lished with the compilation without addi-
tional legislation by Congress. authorizing
its publication and fixing just compensa-
ton to me proportionate to its value
Additional Matter.
1.-THE additional work includes the fol-
lowing:
| II. Head notes to each chapter, briefly de-
| scribing the subject of each section.
III. Subjective side notes for each Sec
| ton
iii. Marginal references to the text
whence each section was selected.
| CIV. Cross-references to other sections of
text containing the same or kindred sub
l
"V. Judicial citations Of the federal courts
and Of the Maryland court Of appeals. ex-
planning or constituting the text.
| wi Foot notes referring to subsequent
| acts of Congress relating to the District of
Columbia, and included in volumes 20 and
q U. S. Statutes at Large; also references
to the municipal ordinances in force in
different portions of the District of Column
hia, viz: Washington city, Georgetown,
the Levy court and ordinances of the board
Of health. The judicial citations have been
selected after careful research and patient
Investigation.
What the Appendix Contains.
"Also an appendix. indexed and contain
ing certain temporary acts and historical
chapters, which deserve preservation and a
place in the same volume with our COM
piled statutes. viz: The Appendix:
The Constitution Of the United States,
| with index.
Declaration of Independence, July 4. 1776.
The charter Of Maryland.
Declaration Of rights of Maryland
| The act of Congress establishing the
| temporary and permanent seat of govern
ment of the United States, approved July
10. 119O, Statutes. p. 100.
| The act Of Congress amending the next
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