RICHARDSON'SCALIFORNIA COMMERCIAL LAW A TEXT-BOOK FOR SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND PRIVATE BY W. P. RICHARDSON, LL.D. COPYRIGHT, 1900 BY SADLER-ROWE COMPANY BALTIMORE THE H. M. ROWE COMPANY Educational Publishers AIMBOLIAD EDUCATION DEPT. "If one shall enter upon the study of the law under the impres sion that the extent of his advancement must necessarily bear some relation to the number of hours consumed in reading, and the number of pages devoured, and shall, in consequence of that mistaken impression, hurry over ground when he should proceed slowly, cautiously, and with much painstaking, he must be brought at last face to face with the fact that he is reading to little purpose, and catching but surface views.”—JUDGE COOLEY. "Not so much to endeavor to teach these things fully to you, as to induce you to learn them for yourselves."--JUDGE CURTIS. PRESS OF WILLIAMS & WILKINS COMPANY BALTIMORE PREFACE. This book is designed to give the student, the accountant and the business man such a practical knowledge of the principles of commercial law as will enable him to avoid legal complications in carrying on any business enterprise, whether of a simple or complex nature. No effort has been made to present some of the subjects as fully as has been attempted in many law books. That there are limitations beyond which some subjects should not be attempted in the school room is fully recognized by thoughtful teachers. The lay student, for instance, who is, in his own opinion, sufficiently well versed in the law of real property to examine the title for a piece of real estate will likely discover later that he should have obtained professional service. “A man who is his own lawyer generally has a fool for a client." THE AUTHOR. A SUPPLEMENTARY WORD BY THE PUBLISHER. Since its first publication in 1900, Richardson's Commercial Law has passed through one or more large editions annually. In examining the text notice that the law principles are underscored, which distinguishes them from the less important subject matter; that each principle is illustrated in a case which has been passed upon by the courts and that all purely technical matter has been omitted. 66 541937 NOTE TO THE TEACHER. As each of the following subjects is taken up in the body of the text, students should be referred to the special statutory laws of your State which will be found in the Appendix, beginning on page 177: Statute of Limitations; Stay of Execution; Exemptions, Negotiable Instruments Law; Statute of Frauds; Interest; Rights of Married Women; Chattel Mortgages. These are the only important subjects affected by statutory laws. |