Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 44, Ed. 1, Saturday, June 22, 1850 Page: 4 of 8
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TEXAS STATE GAZETTE;
JUNE 22
AMNIONS OFTIIE
WmmM couut of texas
"bkvfli ftAfifDON Plff. In Error vs.WA'YNE BAiltON Deft in Etror.
f'jSarty to ud charged has ho rljfut (6 (Sxpect it and cannot ba injured blhc want
lofit. ' o'lii";
3. Where contract for the sale of chattels are broken by ihe failure of the ven-
dor to deliver the property according to the terms uf the contract the measure of
damaged Is the difference between the price contracted to be paid and the value4
of tho. article attho lime it -was lube delivered.
i h Whorcpasl) has been advanced by the purchaser the rule sceraa to be that
the datnriges should be calculated at the price on the day of trial
7r .Wheeler Justice delivered the opinion of the court.
. i ThePrldaritin errobrotight suit against tho plaintiff iu er-
i ror jointly with EuwurdTJutl.eson and Thomas P. McKinney in
the District Court for Bastrop county on the-20th day of July
.1847. ..
voTiiQ petition alloge3 in substance that tho plaintiff js the
pwnerof n certain contract in writing made by Burleson with
McKinney and Randon for; the transfer by tho former to thelat-
. ter of cortain land certificates described in the petition and call-
ing for -tho quantity of four thousand one hundred and sixty
aires of land that for a valuable consideration tho defendant
Randorfcoptracted to transfer and did assign to the plaintiff the
entire interest in said contract ; tho said Randon representing
that tho entire interest belonged to him and that McKinney had
transferred to him all tho right and interest which ho over had
in the contract; that tho plaintiff had presented tho contract to
Burleson tho maker and demanded tho certificates referred to ;
but that he had refused to. deliver or transfer tho certificates alleg-
ing that there still remained in said McKinney a right to the un-
divided half of them and that he had been notified by McKinney
of his interest
".TJie plaintiff alleges that jie has sustained damage etc. and
Sprays' that the entire ijntorest of all the defendants be decreed to
jim; or if by. reason of the claim and rights of tho defendant
JilcICtunoy that cannot lawfully be done that the interest of the
defendant Itandon be adjudged to him and that he have judg-
!mqut "against said Randon lor the value of so much in amount
pf tho certificates assumed to be conveye'l by him as he Randon
jiad.np authority or right (p convey which he alleges to bo of the
.value of twority-fivo cents per acrp Tho petition alleges that the
jlpfeudaiit Burleson resides in tho county of Bastrop McKinney
in the county of Galveston and Randon in thecountvof Port
Bend and concludes with a prayer for process and for general
reijoi.
The contract described In tho petition and made a part of it is
sot out in tho record and purports to be modo by Burleson in fa-
vor of McKinney and Randon and to havo been assigned by
Randon to tho plaintiff Barton as follows: "I have this day
.transferred the above obligation on Gen. E. Burleson for four
thousand oiie huridred and sixty acres of land certificates to
Wayne Barton for the valuable consideration of four hundred
dol
Jbliars. this 18th February. 1H47.
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.Attlie Fall Term 1847 tho defendants McKinney anci Burles-
$1 answered and the plaintiff had judgment against tho latter for
0'Uipiisand and eighty actios of land certificates being half the
atiidUut claimed iri tho petition ; and tho defendant Randon hav-
ing been served with prpcessi and failing to appear judgment b
.(JeiattU Was' taken agatrist htm and a writ of inquiry awarded
tipon wnicii) aner neanng tn eviaencc me jury returned a ver-
dict for the plniutiFfor two thousand and eighty acres of land
at eighteen and three-fourths cents per aero ; and the court there-
.iipon gave judgment for three hundred and ninety dollars; to
reverse 'which tho defendant Randon prosecuted this writ of error.
..rOt the several errors. assigned there are but two which are
'deemed pf a character to require particular notice; and these ate :
. .1st That. tho plaintiff did not show the use of diligence suffi-
cient to charge the indorser Randon. '
2d. That the verdict is illegal in having found tho present val-
uo of tho land certificates.
. That the plaintiff coud thainuuu this action against theso de-
fendants jointly and in tho county of tho residence of either can-
not admit of a doubt; (Acts of 1846 p. 375 Section 46 ; Ibid. p.
'3634 Section!.) But it is insisted that the plaintiff did not uso
duo diligence to enforce his contract against the maker.
.rl.TjO.this .bjectipn it isj a sufficient answer that tho present is
uotacasoto which tho iules which havo been invoked respect-
ing diligence ore applicable. The defendant undertook by his
indorsement to transfer an interest which ho did not possess and
which he had no right to convoy. His "indorsement thereforo
was a fraud 3upon tho plaintiff and he had no right to notice of
the refusal ot. tlie maltor to pertorm the contract. He had no
right to expect that Burleson would convoy tho certificates upon
nts lnutvtuucu luuuistiiuutu. nu uuumiiu atiu notice or outer
'evjdspco of diligence therefore was necessary to charge him.
The reason for giving notice and the necessity of it cease when.
fromthbifacts tof the case it is apparent that the party 4o1b"ei
charged h&d no right to expect it and cannot have been injured
by tho want of it 2 Stark. Bv. 160-1 165.
2. Todetermino tho remaining question it becomes necessary
to ascertain what wero tho truo measure of damages for the breach
of contract complained of in this case. And it is to bo obsorved
that this was not a contract to convdy land or any estate or inter-
est in land ; but merely for tho transfer of un located (and certifi-
cates It is true that tho jury in their"verdict employ tho word
'fland5but frbm the whdlo Verdict taken together and in referenco
Ibtlio isstie it isr very clear that they meant land certificates only.
Thernlo therefore respecting the measure of
In 'England and Now York the latter rule is laid down fin the
ground that the purchaser having been deprived of the mo of his
property is entitled to tho best price ho could hove obtained for
thoarticlo up to the time of tho settlement of tho question. Ibid.
2 East. 211; 2 Taunt. 257; 2 B. and Ores. 624 ; 2 Gained Cds.
in .Err. 200 ; 3 Cowen 82.
In the case of Clark vs. Jinney (7 Cowen 681 tho distinction
b'ctweon' contracts wholly oxemtory and those where payment has
been mttde was taken and firmly maintained by the Supreme
Court of Now York. :
The action was upon a contract for value received to deliver
'on a future day a certain quantity of salt at a stipulated price per
bushel. The court held that as the goods had been paid lor the
measure of damages was the difference between the contract
price and tho highest pried at any timo between tho period ap-
pointed for delivery and tho day of trial. After recurring to the
authorities tho court say: " we hold it therefore to be settled by
authority end rightfully settled upon principle that whore a con-
tract is made for tho sale arid delivery of goods or chattels and
the pride or consideration is paid in advance and an action is
brought upon the contract for the non-delivery tho plaintiff is not
confined in measuring his damages to the value of the article on
tho day when they should have been delivered." The same rule
was laid down in the earlier case of West vs. Wentworth3 Cow.
82. Chancellor Kent in his Commentaries (2 Kent 48U h. b.
5th ediction) says: "The general rule is well settled that in a
suit rendered for a breach of contract on tho part of the vendor
for not delivering an article sold the measure of damages is the
price of tho article at the time of the breach." This undoubtedly
is the rule where tho price has not been paid in advance by the
vendee ; but as has been remarked by Mr. Sedgwick tho learned
Chancellor has omitted to advert to the distincFiou resulting from
the payment of the price in advance which runs through the
English and New York cases and which seems to us a rational
andsound distinction. In several of the Slates however thi" dis
tinction has not been recognized ; (3 Mass. R. 364 ; 5 Watts and
Serg. R. 106 ; 2 Conn. R. 485 ) It seems to have met with the
approval of Chief Justice Marshall. In an action brought upon
a contract for the delivery of cotton at 10 cents per pound which
when it was to have bten delivered was worth 12 cents and be-
fore the suit was brought had risen to 30 cents per pound tho
plaintiff's insisted that they were entitled to the highest market
price up to the rendition of the judgment. But the unanimous
opinion of thc-court was " that the pVice of the article at the time
it wits to bo delivered was the measure of damages." There had
been no money advanced and Marshall Ch. J. said ! for myself
only I can say that I should rtot think the rule would apply to a
case where advances of money had been made by the purchaser
under the contract. But I am not awaro what would be the
opihion of tho court in such a case." 3 Wheaton 200.
This distinction seems to us well settled by the authority of at
least the courts of England and New York and to be rightfully
settled upon principle; And its application seems peculiarly ap-
propriate in tho present case. Here tho money was paid in ad-
vance. The contract Was for the transfer of land certificates
and resembles in some respects contracts for the transfer of stock j
snectintr tho measure of damages nnnlmnhla
"TfFtlttscase is that which applies tq tho breach of contracts for tho
sale of chattels nqUof lands.
1l5Wheh contracts fprhagalo of chattels aro broken by the fail-
ure of thU'veritlor to deliver the' property according to the terms of
.th? cpntrctit eqms to be well settled that asn general rule tho
.measure of damages is tho difference between tho price contracted
to bo paid and the value of the article at tho time when if should
be delivered upon tho ground that this is the plaintiff's real loss
.and that with this-sum he can go into tho market and supply
(himself with tho samyirttcje from another vendor. (Sedgwiclc
on the Measure of Datfflges 260.) But whero the purchaser has
paid the price in advance or has otherwise as in the loan of
?WWWQWs :.?Wuse Qilm properly there are differ-
tmconflicungdecwpnnpn the. qutionAvhether (tie pur.-.
chaser is limned to thq value otthe articlo at tho time for delivery
.pgshall hnvoijtho advantage ofrany.rise in tho market value of
the articlo which may. have .fokenjplncQ up tothotimoJpfarlalr-
in respect to whiclir it seems generally to have been held that
the damages should be calculated at the price on the day of trial
lu a case of this character in the Kings Bench (2 East 211)
Groso J. said : ' the true measure of damagfes in all these cases
is that which will completely indemnify '.the plaintiff for the
breach of the engagement." And Lawrence J. said: "suppose
n bilLwero filed in equity for a specific performance of an agree
ment to replace stock on a given day which had not been done
at the timo; would not a court of equity compel the party to re-
place it at the then price of stock iC the market had risen in tho.
mean time ?"
The court in tho present case decreed a specific performance
ogainst tho defendant Burleson and the same would unquestion-
ably have been decreed against Randon if the interest had been
in himvand ho had been legally capacitated to make tho transfer.
The plaintiff would then have obtained the certificates specifical-
ly. Shall he be placed iu a worse condition because tho defen-
dant had not the title or right to make the ironsfer ; or shall this
defendant for that reason be placed in better cohdition or be
permitted to dischare his 'liability with a less sum. than his co-
defendant Burleson 1 Or father shall he not make such compen-
sation as "will completely indemnify the plaintiff for the breach
of tho engagement?" by "enabling him to go into the market and
purchase an amount of certificates equal to that which the defen-
dant assumed to transfer to him? This would seem most con
sonant to justice and it would be it is conceived the correct
rulo upon principle avd authority. It would accord to all the
iparties tho same measuro of justice.
We havo considered this question upon tho supposition that
the jury estimated the value of the certificates at the timo of the
trial-; and we conclude that under the circumstances of this case
it was not improper to do so But there is no statement of facts :
and as tho prayer of tho petition is for the "present value" of the
certificates the estimate may have been made of heir value at
tho commencement of the suit. But if so it would not vary the
conclusion at which we have arrived. There would perhaps
in that case be less room for doubtas to tho accuracy of that con-
clusion. See Clark vs. Pinny 7 Cowen 681.
We ure of opinion that the judgment be affirmed.
Lipscomb Justice delivered tho following :
I rest my concurrence on the ground that payment had been
made under the contract. If no payment had been made 1 should
in that event believe that a different rule of damages would gov-
ern the case
Abolitiouists Iu California...
A correspondent of tho New Orleans True Delta writes that
tho abolitionists in California are showingqnite conclusively what
con bo expected from them in all parts of the country. Here
whore they find a slave they commence in n systematic manner
and use every exertion to induce him to leave his master. They
are as ready where Southern men have brought out slaves be-
fore the formation of the Constitution under on agreement with
tho slave to freojiim after a certain service shall have been per-
formed as in .-any other case. Even whero a slave is willing to
Stay with his master he is almost forced to abscond.
I. would ad vise Southern men tinder the present slate of things
to bjringno moro slaves to California. They cannot be kept.
Those who hove slaves hero aro doing but little with them
They associate too freely with thoblacksof the Nprthj and soon
acquire a propensity for gambling and.drinking so common with
northern negroes; : ; ; t - .'
CARTA OFICIAL DEL GOBERNADOR DE TEXAS
Al Congrcso dc los Estados Unldos pldlondo Aucsllio fllilltar
contra las Dcprcdacioucs do los
indlos salvajcs.
ITraducida para el Tcxaz Stale Oaztlte por el Doclor Josd Q. "Warnes.)
; Depaktamrnto del Ejectjtivo
Austin. Fcbrcro 15 de 1850.
Enla'Sec'cionll? do las Resoluciones Cohjuntas do la Lo-
jislatura do Texas sancionadas el dia7 9 do Enero del present
aiio se ordena: que el Ejecutivo trusmita al Congreso de los Esi
tados Unidos por el couducto de stis Delegados lascitadas Reso
ittciones'Conjuntas acompanudus do un Memorial do la misma
Lojislatura y do las nottcias reflecciones y cotisiderocioncs que
el Gobernadordel Eslado tonga por mas oportunas y adecuadas
a las circunstancias.
Y cumplifitido y6 con lo quo dicha Ley dispone tengo el hon-
or de hocer prescnto al Honorable Congreso; que el aucsilio mi-
litar al que hacen re(er6ncia las antecitadas Resoluciones Con-
jutltas ; y el que inui repetuosamonte por ellos se imparte con
ecsije'neia der.iva su 6iijen do la no interrumpidus agresiones de
los salvajcs contra los ImbiUiutesdenuestra frontera limltrofo con
ellos. lnfinitas y repetidtts ban sido lhs suplicas y mui ptfnzun-
tes las que hun gravitado sobre el Ejecutivo por persouas y con-
dnctos dignos de toda veracid&d imploraudo del Gi bie mo del
Estado prontos y eficaces aiicsilios para el remedio y prutcccion
de una gran porcion de hombres meritorios a etiyo socorro crc-
yo siompro atender como uuo de suj mas altos deberes y para
cuyo efecto so reunio un suficiente numero do sus mejores ciuda-
danos los cuales se lo prestaron militarmenta y con oportunidad.
Es verdad que semejanto aucsilio so ejecuto sin observarso para
su determinacion las formulas de laimpctracion do la correspon-
diento autorizacion del Gobierno Jonerol. Pero los repitidos re-
clamos qhe por socorro se le hacion no podiau ser tnirados con
indifereucia por el Ejecutivo del Estado. Las muchas dificultad-
esincidentcs a un iutempestivo llamiento de tropas se tuvieroti
ehtonces en consideration ; asi como tambien la opinion y con-
cepto que phdicraii ocupar los ideas del Gobierno Jeneral con
respecto al onipleo del s'ervicio de unafuerzaque deberia oensio-
nar un gusto considerable; ni tituipocose leocultaron & la imnjina-
cion de las Autoridades del Estado. Empero tengo la dicha de
poder esponer con toda seguridad que las dificultodes de cuyo
encuentro serezeloba para levantar organizur y poner en efecti-
vo servicio una competento fuerza militar sin la ecspresa autori-
zacion para ello del Gobierno Jeneral so allaiiaron-nfortuiiodamen-te
y en un modo laudatorio en favor del patriotismo caballerezco
de los habitantes del Estado. Sin ninguna espocie cierta de gar-
antia de ser ni pagada ni oun muntenida se congrego jenerosa-
mento al llamatnientodel Ejecutivo una suficiente fuerza militar
la ami fue ininediatamente organizado. Y la velocidad y pres-
tcza con la que sus Jefes marchorou a jospuntos que so les.de-
siffnaron y los importontes servicios que en olios prestaron los
hicieron merecedores de las gracias de los cindadanos ecspueslos
a los continuos peligrosde la frontera; y tambien dignos de la admi-
tacion del Gobierno del Estado. Tales ecspresiones de gratitud y
deadmiracion lesfueron tribudassimultaneomentecon el votodo
aprobacioti por todos los habitantes de la frontera; y las Resoluci-
ones ( onjutitas aqui adjunjas convencerdn suficientemento al
Gobierno de la Union Americana del sublime grodo de aprecio 6
irnportaucia en que el Estado tpdoavaluo los importontes servi-
cios prestadospor la fuerza militar de sus conciududanos reunida
do improviso en el modo ecspresado.
El Ejecutivo do un Estado demasiadumente conocido por su jc-
neroso. ceio en mvor ue ios veraaueros tntcreses de sus conciuda-
danos; y poseido al mismo tiempo del alto grodo de mao-na-uimidad
y justiciaquecaracterizan al Gobierno Jeneral conside-
rs por lanto como un deber de su Autoridad el no vacilur por un
montento en el desempeno de los deberes anecsos a la conserva-
cion del sagrado deposito puesto a su cuidado4 cual era el de la
proteccion de las vidas continuamente amenazndas de loscin-
dadtinos del Estado y opero descansaudo su confianza en los jns-
tos motivos quo le fronqueaban un ecstenso campo para la vindi-
cacion de su conducto trozada ecsplicitamehte en el sondGro de
sus deberes. En aquellas circunstancias asi como en las actua-'
les ecsistia como de hecho ecsiste aun una bien marcada des-
confianza acerca de que el Gobierno Jeneral no se presentoba
mui dispuesto a focilitar Iss fondos necesurios para satisfacor los
gastos quo fue preciso hacer para el sostenimiento de la tropa vo-
luntario (d falta de tropa regular) empleada en ropeler las invcri-
dicas incursiones de loslndios los cuales ecsislien bojo el esclu-
sivo manejo 6 iiyervencion del dicho Gobierno Jeneral. Se pu-
so un particular cnidado en guatdar una ecstrita economfa en el
enhstamienlo de los hombres quo marcharon los cuales nunca
fueron en mayor numero que los que indispensablemento se ne-
cesit5ron para cubrirlospuntpsatacados; ylos importontes servicios
que prestaron repehendo al Ipdio y restituyendo por ese medio el
orden y la seguridad del pais durante el tiempo de su servicio en
61 compens6 superabundantemente y con ecseso d todo cfilculo
la perdida pecunuZria quopudosufrir el Gobierno y vindico del
modo mas convincente la necosidad y justicia delos medidas y
proteccion militar que se adoptaron.
Ejerciendo los Estados Unidos como cs noiorio la tulela y so-
b.erno de las tnbus de Indies nos pareci6 mui natural el cousidc-
rar al Gobierno Jeneral comp el unico drbitro con poder y autori-
dad snficientes para aliviar a nuestros moradores de la frontera de
as depredaciones y angustiasque les producer! las incursiones de
los sal vajes .; y con esjiccialidud las do aquellos quo invaden v
trospasan los lim. tes do Texas Ids cuales tienen Tratados celebra-
dos con los Estados Unidos y que por lo tantoestan en el goce
de los beneffc.os y vontajas que de ellos derivon. Mientras que
ecsistia la Repubhca se colobraron Tratados con varins trims las
cuales hab.tnn oy en nuestro Eslado y por ellos soMtnblec ieSn v
auoptaron esupuiaciones rec.procamente beneficiosns domLns par-
tes y sehajustificado hasta laevidencinqueescep.uadasnKnS
v.ola:.oi.es casuales nerpetpidas por hombres abnndonados 0
desmoralizadoshaecsistido siempre entre ambas partes conirn
twites a mejor buena fe y una con'dncto nltomSiSSenS con-
cl atonn caracterfstica do los principios dp equidad mte desde
en tonces tratamos de radicnr en nuestrns es.ipnlacior.es Ton ellas!
Lajenerosa y fi.lantropica politica adopiada por el Gobierno
Jeneral en el nianejo de sus negociones con los Indios se pens6
aouenlr.eL?iXaS' Y f ? m tiemP0S Pse diction
aquellos leyes las cuales se crayeron mas necesurios y adaptable"
Falra TJSZT dB0M ?' WbIeciento doLa pPZ da-
radera y el arreglo do una amistosa intercomunicion con ellos
Tales idCas fueron sujeridas por los principles d "una s?na noS"
t.ca y simnltaiieamento por los de una aqultotivp n'nslici r VSn
apesarde los espases arbitrios que en aquella SScaeca sUnn
ntiestradispos.cion los fayorables resultadosde nuJro t Sto
subrepujaron la ecspectacionjeneral.de los ciuddnno9on3 rto
tS
r y .n-'.
V j
1 II '
:jy
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Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 44, Ed. 1, Saturday, June 22, 1850, newspaper, June 22, 1850; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth80934/m1/4/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.