Williams v. Gilbert
Williams v. Gilbert
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the 1 court. The defendant is sued, as curator of the estate of the late W. Gilbert, on an obligation of the deceased, in the following words ; “ I have this day sold to B Williams, jun. ninety thousand weight of cotton, of a good quality for the Orleans market; which cotton I am to deliver him or his agent, on board of some vessel in New Orleans or in that port, on or before the 28th of March next, as he may direct aud have received his obligation, in payment of the same. The cotton to be well baled and marked B. W. La-
The defendant pleaded the general issue.
At the trial the parties agreed on the following facts. 1. The cotton, contracted to be delivered by the deceased, was to be received and taken by the plaintiff, in lieu of S3,000, due him at the date of the contract. 2. On that day cotton was worth from 14 to 15, and at the same time stipulated for its delivery, 30 cents. 3. The deceased’s signature and the credits are admitted. 4. The plaintiff did not attempt to take advantage of the defendant in the contract for the delivery of the cotton.
The district court gave judgment for the plaintiff, for the value of the cotton at 30 cents, the admitted value of the cotton on the day on which it was to have been delivered. The defendant appealed.
His counsel contends that the judgment ought to have been for the nominal sum due, on the day of the contract, only : deducting the value of cotton delivered. He relies on 2 Pothier on obligations, n. 497.
We are of opinion, that the present case differs materially from those cited by Pothier, viz : that m which a husband hypothecated some es
In the case of the rent, the price of the wine not being fixed, it is true, that if the lessor had brought suit, he could have recovered five hundred livres only. Hence, it follows that the lessee might liberate himself, by paying before hand the sum which, if a suit was brought, the judge would condemn him to pay, viz : that of five hundred livres.
The case of the husband differs from the above, and seems to afford a rule favourable to the defendant. For there the husband, notwithstanding an agreement, that the hypothecated estate should be given in payment of the dowry, may keep it, if it suit his interest, and pay in money the nominal sum received : in other words, have the benefit of the rise, without incurring the hazard of the fall, of the value of the estate»
The judgment of the district court, which gives to the piaiatiff, a sum equal to the value of the cotton on the day of which it was to be delivered, with interest from the inception of the suify is correct.
It is therefore, ordered, adjudged and decreed, that it be affirmed with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WILLIAMS v. GILBERT
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- Published