UNDER AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE, APPROVED JANUARY 25, 1871.

W. S. GEORGE & CO., STATE PRINTERS AND BINDERS.

1872.

PREFACE.

THE law under which the Compiler has arranged and compiled the general laws of this State was passed by the Legislature on the 25th day of January, A. D. 1871; the Legislature adjourned on the 18th day of April following, and the volume of the general laws of that session was not printed and issued in time to admit of much progress in the work of compiling until June last.

The printers and binders, in order to complete their portion of the work within the time allowed and directed by the act, felt that it would be necessary to commence printing as early as September, and it was a work of no small magnitude to accomplish in the short time allowed for that purpose.

Any one at all familiar with the condition of our laws at that time will fully appre ciate and understand the difficulties under which the Compiler labored to bring order out of confusion, and make anything like a logical and legal arrangement of the general laws now in force; and while perfection has been aimed at, it is not claimed that such a desirable end has been attained in this work.

The general plan of the Compilation of 1857 has been followed, with a few unimportant exceptions, chiefly on account of the intrinsic merit of that arrangement, and for the further reason that it has been so long familiar to the people of the State, and has commanded such universal approval, that no light reasons would justify a departure from it.

It is proper here to state that the Compiler, in searching and examining the general laws in force, has not gone behind the Compilation of 1857, taking it for granted that all the general laws then in force were brought into, arranged, and made a part of that work.

To the preliminary chapters of the first volume has been added the "Extradition Treaty" between this country and Great Britain, which seemed to the Compiler of practical value to the profession of this State.

The additional marginal citations of adjudicated cases, where the courts have commented upon or construed our own or similar statutes, are such as the Compiler has been able to collect in the course of his practice, on the hearing and trial of causes

while on the Bench, and from his brethren in the profession, to many of whom the Compiler acknowledges numerous and kindly courtesies and assistance, which have materially aided him in the prosecution of this portion of his labors; and while they are not by any means as full and complete as could be wished, for the want of both time and space, it is hoped that the labor and time devoted to it may be of some service to the profession.

The Compiler would here express his many obligations to the Commissioners for their prompt action in the discharge of their duties under the law, and for their valuable assistance in the general arrangement of the laws under their appropriate heads and titles; and it is hoped that the object contemplated by the Legislature in their enactment has been substantially accomplished.

PONTIAC, February 1, 1872.

JAMES S. DEWEY.