REPORTS OF CASES ARGUED AND DETERMINED In the Court of King's Bench, IN THE Nineteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-first Years By SYLVESTER DOUGLAS, Esq. OF LINCOLN's INN. THE THIRD EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS. PART I. Equidem cum colligo argumenta caufarum non tam ea numerare foleo quam expendere. CICERO. LONDON: PRINTED BY A. STRAHAN AND W. WOODFALL, MDCCXC. PREFACE. HERE is no fpecies of publication which demands a more fcrupulous accuracy than thofe hiftories of judicial proceedings and decifions to which the name of Reports has been long appropriated. The immediate province of the courts of justice is to administer the law in particular cafes. But it is equally a branch of their duty, and one of still greater importance to the community, to expound the law they adminifter upon fuch principles of argument and conftruction as may furnish rules which fhall govern in all fimilar or analogous cafes. Such are the various modifications of which property is fufceptible, fo boundless the diversity of relations which may arife in civil life, fo infinite the poffible combinations of events and circumstances, that they elude the power of enumeration, and are beyond the reach of human forefight. A moment's reflection, therefore, ferves to evince, that it would be impoffible, by pofitive and direct legislative authority, fpecially to provide for every particular cafe which may happen. Hence it has been found expedient to entrust to the wisdom and experience of judges, the power of deducing, from the more general propofitions of the law, fuch neceffary corollaries, as fhall appear, though not expreffed in words, to be within their intent and meaning. K45LE 0745 A 3 Deductions |