Case Name: Bank of Columbia v. George Sweeny
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1828-05
Citations: 3 Cranch 293
Docket Number: 
Parties: Bank of Columbia v. George Sweeny.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 3
Pages: 293–293

Head Matter:
Bank of Columbia v. George Sweeny.
An offer to compromise a debt by payment of one half 'without interest, is not sufficient to take the case out of the statute of limitations.
This was an execution against the defendant issued by order of the president of the Bank of Columbia, under its charter of 1793, c. 30, without a judgment, the execution being the first process in the suit. The defendant pleaded the act of limitations. To rebut this plea the plaintiffs offered evidence that, seven years after the note on which the suit was brought, was barred by the statute, the defendant offered to give' his note for one half of the amount of the original note, if the bank would relinquish all claim to the balance and interest, and permit him to pay as he should find it convenient. ■ The bank said they would accept the proposition, but their acceptance was never made known to the defendant, and nothing further passed between the parties, until this suit was commenced by execution under the power given by the charter of the bank.

Opinion:
The CouRT (Thruston, J., absent) was of opinion, and so instructed the jury, that this evidence was not sufficient to take the case out of the statute of limitations.