Harvey v. Nelson, Lanphier & Co.
Harvey v. Nelson, Lanphier & Co.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The defendants are sued as indorsers of two promissory notes, one for two thousand and the other for two thousand five hundred dollars, both dated Memphis, Tenn., April 15th, 1873, and payable respectively on the 12th and 15th January following their date. The firm of Nelson, Lanphier & Co. filed no answer, and judgment by defaultwas rendered and confirmed against it. R. H. Short defends, on the ground of want of due demand. There was judgment against him in the lower court, and he appeals. The notes contain the following agreement or consent written on them : “ On this note we hereby waive the necessity of either protest or notice. (Signed.) Nelson, Lanphier & Co., R. H. Short.” The position of defendant is, that a waiver of protest is not a waiver of demand, and that no demand having been made he is discharged. The fact as to no demand is conceded, and therefore the question to be determined is solely one of law, that is, does a waiver of protest waive demand? We can see no reason why it should not. The protest neoessarily includes a due demand; and if such be the case the waiver of protest of necessity waived that which was an integral or essential part of the protest. It being true to say that the demand is
Porter vs. Kemball, 53 Barb. 646.
Fisher vs. Price, 37 Ala. 407.
Jacard vs. Anderson, 37 Mo. 91.
Carpenter vs. Reynolds, 42 Miss. 807.
McIlvaine vs. Brady, 1 (Desney) Ohio.
Gordon vs. Montgomery, 19 Indiana 110.
Carson vs. Russell, 26 Texas 452.
In fact, we have been able to find no authority saying that a waiver of protest does not of necessity waive demand.' Our jurisprudence has long since given a narrower construction to the waiver of protest than that given in most of the books, by concluding that such a waiver does not per se waive notice of protest.
Wall vs. Bry, 1 A. 312.
Bird vs. Le Blanc, 6 A. 470.
Wilkins vs. Gillis & Ferguson, 20 A. 538.
While we adhere to this now settled rule of commercial law we consider that the authorities by which it was established by strong implication say that the waiver of protest is a waiver of demand. In fact, in the leading and well-considered case of Wall vs. Bry the matter was so determined. This Court then said: “The term regularly protested
Judgment affirmed.
Rehearing refused.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.