ALTERATIONS DOWN TO THE PRESENT TIME.
JAMES STEWART,
OF LINCOLN'S INN, ESQ., BARRISTER AT LAW, M. P.
EDMUND $PETTIGUE,
LAW BOOKSELLER AND PUBLISHER,
Deficiency of knowledge of the law by English gentlemen.-Compa- rative merits of the Roman and English law.-The advantages of some general acquaintance with municipal law to gentlemen of fortune as owners of property, as serving on juries, as justices of the peace, and as members of parliament.-Peculiar advantages to the nobility.-Mode in which the judicial business of the House of Lords is now conducted.-Legal knowledge useful to the clergy; to the faculty; to civilians.-How the study of the common law has declined in our universities.-Where it is now cultivated.- The present inns of court and chancery.-The public lectures on the law at the universities and in London.-Advantages of a uni- versity education previous to the study of the law. Objects to be kept in view by the student.-As to his placing himself in chambers for the study of his profession.
OF THE NATURE OF LAWS IN GENERAL.
Law in its general sense.-Law as the rule of human conduct.-The law of nature, which is superior to any other.-Reason for the interference of a divine providence. The revealed law. All hu- man laws depend on the law of nature and the revealed law.- The law of nations.-Municipal law.-Definition of it.-Ex post facto laws.-The foundation of society and the origin of govern- ment. In whom government should be reposed.-Three forms of government usually allowed to exist.-1. Democracy.-2. Aristo- cracy, and 3. Monarchy.-The three united in the British consti- tution. As to whether the three parts must have equal powers.— Laws are declaratory, directory, remedial, and vindicatory.-Of- fences are either mala in se or mala prohibita.-Rules of inter- preting laws.-Distinction between law and equity.
Municipal law is divided into lex non scripta or common law, and lex scripta or statute law.-COMMON LAW, in what it is contained. -Its antiquity. In the 11th century three systems prevailed, out of which Edward the Confessor extracted a digest of laws.-The common law is distinguished into, 1. General customs.-2. Par- ticular customs.-3. Certain peculiar laws.-General customs.— 1. The validity of a general custom is decided on by the judges, whose judgments are followed as precedents, and are handed down in reports. Account of principal reports and ancient legal writers.-2. Particular customs.-Instances of particular customs. -Lex mercatoria.-Practice of conveyancers.-How particular cus- toms are proved.—Where legal.-3. Certain peculiar laws.—Civil and canon laws.-Courts in which the latter laws are used.- STATUTE LAW.-Different kinds of statutes.-Rules as to the construction of statutes.-Power of courts of equity to construe statutes.-Consolidation of the statute law desirable.
OF THE COUNTRIES SUBJECT TO THE LAWS OF ENGLAND.
Wales, and the recent alterations in its courts.-Scotland, the altera- tions in the law as to this country.-Berwick.-Ireland, what acts bind Ireland.-Articles of the union between England and Ireland, and subsequent alterations in the law.—Isle of Wight.-Isle of Man.-Colonial possessions.-Foreign dominions.-Territory of England divided into ecclesiastical and civil divisions.-Ecclesiasti- cal.-Civil.-Counties palatine.-Isle of Ely.-Counties corpo-
OF THE ABSOLUTE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS.
Rights of persons.-How the subject may be divided.-Absolute rights. Natural liberty defined.-Political liberty defined.- Political liberty in England. By what acts of parliament secured.-Reform Act, 2 & 3 Wm. IV. c. 45.-Rights of per- sons to be reduced to three.-I. The right of personal security.— II. The right of personal liberty.—III. The right of private pro- perty.-I. The right of personal security.—1. For life.-2. For limbs which can only be determined by death.-How life may be forfeited.-3. From corporal insults.-4. From practices against health, and 5. Against reputation.-II. The right of personal
liberty.—The act for the abolition of Imprisonment for Debt, 1 & 2 Vict. c. 110.-When personal liberty should be suspended.-Power to continue in England.-III. The right of property.—Regard paid to it by the law. Auxiliary rights established by the constitution.— 1. The constitution of parliament.-2. The limitation of the king's prerogative.—3. The power of applying to courts of justice.-4. The right of petitioning parliament.-State of the law as to this.- 5. The having arms for defence.
The origin and history of parliament.-I. As to the manner of as- sembling parliament.-The convention parliaments of 1660 and 1688. -Statutes relating to the convoking of parliaments.-II. The con- stituent parts of parliament.—The king.—The lords spiritual.—The lords temporal.-The commons.-III. The laws and customs relating to parliament.-Who may sit in parliament.-The privileges of par- liament. Of speech, of person, and of publication of its proceed- ings.-IV. The laws and customs of the House of Lords.-V. The laws and customs of the House of Commons.-As to their election.- 1. The qualifications of the electors for counties and boroughs under the Reform Act.-The register of voters under the Reform Act, how prepared and revised.-2. The qualifications of the elected.-3. The method of proceeding in elections.-The law of bribery and cor- ruption. Alteration as to the mode of proceeding at elections by the Reform Act, the 5 & 6 Wm. IV. c. 36, and 6 & 7 Wm. IV. c. 102. -Proceedings after the election.-VI. The method of making laws. ---The mode of bringing in and proceeding with a bill in parlia- ment. When it becomes an act it is placed among the records.- VII. The manner in which parliament is adjourned, prorogued, and dissolved.
OF THE KING AND HIS TITLE.
The crown is hereditary, but the hereditary right may be changed or limited by parliament. This principle established and illustrated by a short historical view of the succession to the crown of England from the time of Egbert to that of her present Majesty.
OF THE KING'S ROYAL FAMILY.
The queen is either regnant, consort, or dowager.—The queen consort. -Her exemptions and prerogatives. Her pecuniary advantages.- Her revenue. Her security for life and person.-The husband of
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