Source: https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/President_Directors_Company_of_the_Bank_of_the_United_States_v._President_Directors_Company_of_the_Bank_of_the_State_of_Georgia
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 01:33:38+00:00

Document:
Savannah, 17th of March, 1819.
Cashier P. and Merchants' Bank of Huntsville.
SIR-Upon a more minute investigation of the bills received last month from Mr. Hobson, of your bank, it turns out that 40 of the 100 dollar notes of the State Bank of this place, were altered from 10 dollars, and 58 of the 50 dollar notes of the same bank were altered from 5 dollar notes, producing against us a difference in the 100 dollar notes of 3,600 dollars, and in the 50, 2,610 dollars, making the whole difference 6,210 dollars. By the person which we shall in a few days send to your place, as heretofore intimated, we will forward these altered bills for the purpose of getting you to exchange them for other money.
P. S. Herein I enclose, for your future security, the official notice of the banks of Georgia, pointing out the difference between the genuine and altered bills.
PLANTERS AND MERCHANTS' BANK OF HUNTSVILLE, 4th May, 1819.
SIR-Your favour under date of the 25th, has been handed me by Mr. Heinemann, wherein you give me notice, that your bank holds this institution bound to make good the amount of the spurious notes which you say was received from Mr. Hobson, in the event of your being cast in a suit about to be brought between the Bank of Georgia and yourselves. I am directed by the Board of Directors to state to you, that they highly approve of the course your bank have adopted in regard to these spurious notes, and we shall cheerfully acquiesce with the decision of the Court, let that be what it may.
President Office Bank United States, Savannah.
And the plaintiffs further offered evidence to prove, that the officers of the defendants, at the time of receiving the said altered notes, had in their possession a certain book, called the bank note register of the said Bank of the State of Georgia, wherein were registered, and recorded, the date, number, letter, amount, and payees' name, of all the notes ever issued by the said bank, by means of which, and by reference whereto, the forgeries or alterations aforesaid could have been promptly and satisfactorily detected; and further, that so far as related to the said notes purporting to be the notes of 100 dollars, all the genuine notes of the defendants of that amount in circulation on the said 25th of February, 1819, were marked with the letter A., whereas twenty-three of the notes of 100 dollars each, so received by the defendants as genuine notes, when in fact they were altered notes, bore the letters B., C. or D.
And the defendants further offered evidence to prove, that the alteration in the said notes consisted in extracting the ink of certain printed figures and words which expressed the amount of said notes, and substituting therefor other printed figures and words; the signatures, and every other part of said notes, remaining unaltered. Whereupon, the parties having offered the above evidence, the plaintiffs prayed the Court.
1. To instruct the jury, that if they believed the said evidence, the said plaintiffs were entitled to recover of the said defendants the whole sum of 6,900 dollars, being the balance so exhibited by their customer's book aforesaid, and as due from the said defendants to the said plaintiffs; which instruction the Judges aforesaid, being divided in opinion, refused to give; and the counsel for the plaintiffs excepted to the refusal.
2. The plaintiffs prayed the Court to instruct the jury, that if they believed the evidence so given, the plaintiffs were entitled to recover of the defendants the sum of 690 dollars, being the original value of the altered notes; which instruction the said Judges, being divided in opinion, did not give; to which refusal the said counsel for the plaintiffs excepted.
3. The plaintiffs prayed the Court to instruct the jury, that if they believed the evidence so given, the plaintiffs were entitled to recover of the defendants the whole sum of 6,900 dollars, being the balance so exhibited by their customer's book aforesaid, as due from the defendants to the plaintiffs, with legal interest thereon from the day of instituting their action aforesaid; which instruction the Judges aforesaid, being divided in opinion, refused to give; to which refusal the counsel for the plaintiffs excepted.
Judgment being rendered upon this bill of exceptions, for the defendants in the Court below, the cause was brought, by writ of error, to this Court.
1. That what took place on the 25th of February, 1819, between the parties, was not only equivalent to payment, but was payment itself; and the defendants are, in all respects, to be considered as if they were suing to recover back the money.
2. That if understood only as an acceptance, or agreement to pay, the principle would still be the same.
3. That, in either case, the plaintiffs were entitled to recover. March 14th.
The cause was argued by Mr. Sergeant, for the plaintiffs, [a] and by Mr. Berrien, for the defendants. [b]March 18th.
^a He cited Bolton v. Richards, 6 Term Rep. 139. The Manhattan Company v. Lidig, 4 Johns. Rep. 377. Levy v. Bank of United States, 4 Dall. Rep. 234. S.C.. 1 Binn. Rep. 27. Chitty on Bills, 483. Smith v. Chester, 1 Term Rep. 655. Bass v. Clive, 4 Maul. & Selw. 15. Master v. Miller, 4 Term Rep. 320. Barber v. Gignell, 3 Esq. N. P. 60. Jordain v. Lashbrook, 7 Term Rep. 604. Price v. Neal, 3 Burr. Rep. 1354. Jones v. Ryde, 5 Taunt. Rep. 488. Markle v. Hatfield, 2 Johns. Rep. 462. Gloucester Bank v. Salem Bank, 17 Mass. Rep. 33. Smith v. Mercer, 6 Taunt. Rep. 76. Meade v. Young, 4 Term Rep. 28. Jenys v. Fowler, 2 Str. Rep. 946.
^b He cited Gates v. Winslow, 1 Mass. Rep. 66. Meade v. Young, 4 Term Rep. 28. Kyd on Bills, 202, 203. Lambert v. Oakes, 1 Lord Raym. 443. Union Bank v. Bank U.S. 3 Mass. Rep. 74. 1 Johns. Cas. 145. 5 Johns. Rep. 68. 2 Term Rep. 366. Buller v. Harrison, Cowp. Rep. 565. Miller v. Race, 1 Burr. Rep. 457. 2 Evans' Pothier, 19. 495. Toby v. Barber, 5 Johns. Rep. 72.

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