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The American Law Times and Official Journal of the Courts and Departments.

WITH the May number an important change is introduced into the character of the Law Times, by omitting the part devoted to bankruptcy decisions, and substituting for it a digest of decisions in the State courts. Much undoubtedly can be said in favor of such a change, but on the whole we are inclined to regret it as a departure from what was the especial character of the American Law Times, which was that of a reporter of the decisions of the Federal courts and departments. It bid fair to become the authorized repertory of such decisions, in which a reasonably complete collection of the opinion of the Circuit and District Judges might be found, and as such a collection is much needed by the profession, we cannot but be sorry to see an abandonment, partial though it be, of the original design of the periodical.

The Internal Revenue Record and Customs Journal. New York.

The Bankrupt Register. New York.

THE abandonment in the American Law Times of the section devoted to bankrupt cases leaves the Bankrupt Register the only medium in which bankruptcy decisions are regularly published; and we need not say, therefore, that it is indispensable to all lawyers who are employed in bankruptcy business.

The Legal Intelligencer. Philadelphia.

The Pittsburgh Legal Journal has changed its form, and its ownership; being now published in the shape of a newspaper, and having passed into the hands of a corporation, which consists of thirty members of the Bar of the Western District. It is worth consideration by the bars of other States whether this example is not deserving of imitation.

The Chicago Legal News.

The Daily Law Transcript. Baltimore.

WE are pleased to see that this excellent periodical has met with such success that it has been transformed from a weekly to a daily. There is no source to which we are more indebted for legal information. In giving cases from other States, the Transcript is sometimes a little behindhand. For, in May, it gives the head-notes of cases which "will appear in " the 19 of Louisiana and the 97 of Massachusetts, both which volumes were published more than six months before. A General Digest of the Law of Corporations, presenting the American adjudications upon Public and Private Corporations of every kind. With a full Selection of English Cases. By BENJ. VAUGHAN ABBOTT and AUSTIN ABBOTT. New York: Baker, Voorhis, & Company. 1869.

We have had an opportunity only to cast a hasty glance over this large volume of nearly a thousand pages, prepared by those veteran compilers, the Messrs. Abbott. We have before had occasion to speak of the probability of the great multiplication of special digests in the course of the next few years, and of their general use in the place of text-books. The title of Corporations is one of the most proper for treatment in this way, except that it is almost too extensive. To bring it within the compass even of this goodly tome, it has been

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necessary to omit the "cases which have been overruled, or reversed, or have lost authority by subsequent changes in the law," and also "those of local authority only." This plan has undoubtedly its merits, but we think a digest of a special topic ought to have a reference to all cases touching on the subject in the books, even if it has not a full statement of them. The special quality of a digest, as distinguished from a text-book, should be that it will enable the lawyer to go to all the authorities, and consult them first-hand. While we regret that it has been found impossible to bring every thing on Corporations within the compass of this digest, all must admit that the Messrs. Abbott have produced a work which will prove of the greatest utility and convenience to the profession.

The Notaries and Commissioners' Hand-book, containing all the necessary forms, fees allowed, &c., also practical suggestions and references, with notes of the Statutes appertaining. New York: Baker, Voorhis, & Company. 1869. THIS is specially intended for the use of notaries in New York, but the forms may be found useful in other States.

The United States Stamp Duties, as now in Force. With the Official Rulings and Decisions of the Internal Revenue Department. With a full Index. Compiled by a member of the New York Bar. New York: Baker, Voorhis, & Company. 1869.

A CONVENIENT collection of the laws relating to stamps, and of the decisions rendered from time to time at Washington, and published in the Internal Revenue Record and other periodicals.

Argument of Mr. Elbridge T. Gerry, of Counsel for the People, before Justice Dowling, on the Preliminary Examination of Wm. H. Mumier, charged with obtaining money by pretended "Spirit" Photographs. New York: Baker, Voorhis, & Company. 1869.

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The Lower Canada Jurist. Collection de Décisions du Bas Canada. Vol. XIII. Nos. 1 & 2. January and February. Montreal. 1869.

It has a singular effect to see opinions, some in French and some in English, following each other in the same volume.

The Law Times. London.

The Solicitors' Journal and Reporter. London.

A LIST OF LAW BOOKS PUBLISHED IN ENGLAND AND AMERICA SINCE APRIL 1, 1869.

Abbotts' Digest of the Law of Corporations. Thick 8vo, sheep, $10.00. Baker, Voorhis, & Co., New York.

Abbotts' National Digest. Vol. 4 (completing the work). Royal 8vo, sheep, $7.50. Diossy & Co., New York.

Abbotts' Statutes and Rules of the Federal Courts. 8vo, sheep, $2.00. Diossy & Co., New York.

Abbotts' Practice Reports (New York). Vol. 5. 8vo, sheep, $5.00. Diossy & Co., New York.

Barbour's Reports (New York). Vol. 52. 8vo, sheep, $5.50. W. C. Little, Albany. Brightly on the Bankrupt Law of the United States. 8vo, cloth, $3.00. Kay &

Brother, Philadelphia.

Bush's Reports (Kentucky). Vol. 3. 8vo, sheep, $6.00. Kentucky Yeoman Office, Frankfort.

Carew's Precedents of Bills of Costs for Grants of Probate of Wills and Administra

tion. 4to, cloth, 5s. Stevens, London.

Davidson's Precedents and Forms in Conveyancing. Third edition. Vol. 2, part 2. Royal 8vo, cloth, 36s. Maxwell, London.

Davis's Manual of the Law relating to Industrial and Provident Societies. 12mo, cloth, 8s. Sweet, London.

Davis's Report of the Trial of Samuel M. Andrews, indicted for the murder of Cornelius Holmes. 8vo, cloth, $2.50. Hurd & Houghton, New York.

De Gex and Smith's Arrangements between Debtors and Creditors under the New Bankruptcy Act. Royal 8vo, cloth, 26s. 6d. ; 2d Supplement, 4s. 6d. Stevens, London.

English Common Law Reports. Vol. 109. (Common Bench, Vol. 15.) 8vo, sheep, $4.00. T. & J. W. Johnson & Co., Philadelphia.

Gaius' Roman Law. Translated by Tomkins and Lemon. Part 1. 8vo, sewed, 25s. Butterworths, London.

Glen on the Law relating to Public Health. Fifth edition. 8vo, cloth, 30s. Butterworths, London.

Hilliard on Injunctions. Second edition. 8vo, sheep, $7.50. Kay & Brother, Philadelphia.

Hilliard on the Law of Vendors and Purchasers of Real Property. Second edition,

revised, and greatly enlarged. 8vo, sheep, $7.50. Little, Brown, Co., Boston. Hodges' (Sir W.) Law of Railways and Railway Companies. Fifth Edition. By C. M. Smith. Royal 8vo, cloth, 38s. Sweet, London.

Howard's Practice Reports (New York). Vol. 36. 8vo, sheep, $4.50. William Gould & Son, Albany.

Illinois Reports. Vol. 42. (Freeman.) 8vo, sheep, $5.50. E. B. Myers, Chicago. Iowa Reports. Vol. 23. (Stiles, Vol. 2.) 8vo, sheep, $5.00. Ottumwa.

Kansas General Statutes. Revised by Price, Riggs, and McCahon. Thick 8vo, sheep, $10.00. Lawrence.

Latbey's Handy Book of the Practice and Procedure before the Judicial Committee of Her Majesty's Privy Council. 12mo, cloth, 6s. Stevens & Sons, London. Louisiana Annual Reports. Vol. 20, 1868. (Hawkins.) 8vo, sheep, $16.50. New

Orleans.

Maine Reports. Vol. 55. (Virgin.) 8vo, sheep, $5.00. Masters, Smith, & Co., Hallowell.

Michigan Reports. Vol. 17. (Jennison, Vol. 4.) 8vo, sheep, $5.50. Wm. A. Throop & Co., Detroit.

Missouri Reports.

Co., St. Louis.

Vol. 42. (Post VI.) 8vo, sheep, $4.00. McKee, Fishback &

New York Court of Appeals Reports. Vol. 38. (Tiffany, Vol. 11.) 8vo, sheep, $4.50. William Gould & Son, Albany.

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New York Court of Appeals Reports. Vol. 39. (Tiffany, Vol. 12.) 8vo, sheep, $4.50. William Gould & Son, Albany.

Parker's California Digest. 2 vols., 8vo, sheep, $30. H. H. Bancroft & Co., San

Francisco.

Parsons on Shipping and Admiralty. New Edition. 2 vols., 8vo, $15. Little, Brown, & Co., Boston.

Poor's Manual of the Railroads of the United States for 1869 and 1870. 8vo, cloth, $5.00. H. V. & H. W. Poor, New York.

Reeves' History of the English Law. New edition, edited by W. T. Finlason. 3 Vols. 8vo, cloth, $18.00; half calf, $24.00. Reeves & Turner, London. (Vols. 1 and 2 now ready; Vol. 3 in preparation.)

Roberts' Law of Admiralty Jurisprudence. 8vo, sheep, $7.50. Hurd & Houghton. New York.

Selwyn's Abridgment of the Law of Nisi Prius. Thirteenth edition. Royal 8vo, cloth, 56s. Stevens & Sons, London.

Sharswood's Legal Ethics. Third Edition. 16mo, cloth, $1.25. T. & J. W. Johnson, Philadelphia.

Starkie on Evidence. Ninth American Edition. 8vo, sheep, $7.50. T. & J. W. Johnson & Co., Philadelphia.

Story's Commentaries on the Law of Agency. Seventh edition, revised and enlarged. 8vo, sheep, $7.50. Little, Brown, & Co., Boston.

Todd on Parliamentary Government in England. 2 vols., 8vo, cloth, 37s. Longman & Co., London.

Tolhausen's Synopsis of the Patent Laws of Various Countries. Crown 8vo, 2s. Trubner, London.

United States Digest. Vol. 26; being the Annual Digest for 1866. Royal Svo, sheep, $6.50. Little, Brown, & Co., Boston.

United States Statutes at Large, passed at the Third Session of the Fortieth Congress, 1868-9, and Treaties. Carefully collated with the originals at Washington. Edited by G. P. Sanger. Royal 8vo, sewed, $1.50. Little, Brown, & Co., Boston.

Walker's Introduction to American Law. Designed as a First-Book for Students. Fifth edition. 8vo, sheep, $7.50. Little, Brown, & Co., Boston.

Williams' Jurisdiction and Practice of the High Court of Admiralty. 8vo, cloth, 24s. Maxwell, London.

Wilson's Digest of Parliamentary Law. Crown 8vo, cloth, $2.50. Kay & Brother, Philadelphia.

SUMMARY OF EVENTS.

UNITED STATES.

SUPREME COURT. — The State of Texas v. George W. White. This, perhaps the most important opinion given by the Supreme Court during its last term, we give below in full, notwithstanding its length. The main points of the decision are that Texas is now a State of the Union, so as to enable it to maintain a suit in the Supreme Court, and that acts of the State legislature of Texas during the war, and intended to aid its successful prosecution, were void. Part of the opinion seems unnecessary to the decision of the court, and the same result might perhaps be reached from very different grounds, but we prefer to give the opinion without comment.

CHASE, C.J. This is an original suit in this court, in which the State of Texas, claiming certain bonds of the United States as her property, asks an injunction to restrain the defendants from receiving payment from the National Government, and to compel the surrender of the bonds to the State.

It appears from the bill, answers, and proofs, that the United States, by Act of Sept. 9, 1850, offered to the State of Texas, in compensation for her claims connected with the settlement of her boundary, ten millions of dollars in five per cent bonds, each for the sum of $1,000, and that this offer was accepted by Texas.

One-half of these bonds were retained for certain purposes in the national treasury, and the other half were delivered to the State.

The bonds thus delivered were dated Jan. 1, 1851, and were all made payable to the State of Texas, or bearer, and redeemable after the 31st day of December, 1864.

They were received, in behalf of the State, by the comptroller of public accounts, under authority of an act of the legislature, which, besides giving that authority, provided that no bond should be available in the hands of any holder until after indorsement by the governor of the State.

After the breaking out of the Rebellion, the insurgent legislature of Texas, on the 11th of January, 1862, repealed the act requiring the indorsement of the governor,1 and, on the same day, provided for the organization of a military board, composed of the governor, comptroller, and treasurer, and authorized a majority of that board to provide for the defence of the State by means of any bonds in the treasury, upon any account, to the extent of one million of dollars.2

The defence contemplated by the act was to be made against the United States by war.

1 Acts of Texas, 1862, p. 45.

2 Texas Laws, p. 55.

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