Ashhurst v. Given
Ashhurst v. Given
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
Originally, at common law, the feoffee to uses was the complete owner of the land, and his estate therein was subject to all the incidents to which real ownership was liable. Co. Lit. 271 b. note (1). His wife was entitled to dower in it. Bro. Feoff. Uses, pi. 10. It was subject to wardship, relief, &c. He had the power of selling it, and forfeited it for treason or felony. In short, he might have brought actions, and have exercised every kind of ownership over, or in respect of, it. Dyer 9; Jenk. Rep. 190. But after some time, notwithstanding the legal estate was vested in the feoffee to uses, equity stepped in to the relief of the cestui que use, and furnished a protection to the latter against the judgments, other encumbrances, and bankruptcy of the former. 2 P. Wms. 278; 1 Bro. Ch. Ca. 278; 2 P. Wms. 316; 3 Ibid. 187, note A.; also against the dower and free bench of his wife. Hinton v. Hinton, (2 Vez. 634, 638); Noel v. Jevon, (2 Freem. 43) ; Bevant v. Pope, (Ibid. 71); and against the tenancy by curtesy of the husband of a female trustee, Cashborn v. Inglish, (7 Vin. Abr. 157). At length, however, the Statute of Uses, 27 Hen. 8, c. 10, was passed, by which the possession was devested out of the persons seised to the use, and transferred to the cestuis que use; thus vesting the latter with the legal estate, and putting them in the place of the feoffees. Co. Lit. 271, note (1). Trusts, since the passage of this statute, are in most respects what uses were previously at the common law. Same note. But then it is not every use which may be created that the statute will operate
As to the case before us, it is perfectly clear that the statute is in nowise applicable to it. First, because, there is no cestui que use in being as yet, to whom the possession of the estate devised can be transferred; and secondly, because, by the terms of the devise it is evident that the testator has reposed a personal confidence in his son Samuel, the trustee, by intrusting to him personally the entire management and accumulation of the estate according to his own discretion; thus rendering it utterly impracticable for any other than Samuel to administer and execute the trust agreeably to the will of the donor. But it does not follow, as seems to be suggested by one part of the argument of the counsel for the plaintiff in error, that because the Statute of Uses does not operate on the son, Samuel, therefore, must be regarded as the legal and absolute owner of the estate, both at law and in equity, and consequently that it is liable to be taken in execution and applied to the payment of his debts. For although the statute is inoperative, yet the use declared must be treated and dealt with as if the statute had never been passed. But before the enactment of it, equity, as has been already shown above, interposed to protect the rights of the cestui que use, and to preserve the estate for his benefit from the debts and encumbrances of the trustee, according to the design and intention of the donor or party creating the trust.
It is objected, however, that inasmuch as no cestuis que use are appointed by the will to receive the rents and profits of the estate, and it cannot be known during the life of Samuel who they are or may be, and Samuel is to have the use of the estate during that period for his support and maintenance, he must be considered as having a real interest therein, which is incompatible with a mere trusteeship, and such as can only belong to a real ownership, at least for life. It is certainly not necessary to the- creation of a
In such an extension of the accumulation, it must generally be, as it was actually in that case, that the accumulation was for the
Neither can it advance such claim on the part of Samuel’s creditors, that the trust estate may be greatly enhanced by his personal services, and that his services may be worth much more than his support or maintenance. A man, though indebted and wholly unable to pay anything, may dispose of his personal services at what price he pleases, and his creditors cannot object to his doing so. If he be content to give them for his mere support and maintenance, without more, he has unquestionably the right to do so; though I would say, if he has it in his power by means of his personal services, even when he is destitute of all other means, to support himself and at the same time to pay his creditors, he ought to do so. A proper sense of moral obligation requires it of him. But if he does not choose to do so, it cannot be tolerated for a moment that his creditors shall be permitted to seize upon whatever has been committed to his possession and care, to be managed expressly for the use and benefit of others, and not for himself. The observations of the Chief Justice in Holdship v. Patterson, (7 Watts 551), may be applied here with double force, where the relation of father and son exists between the benefactor and the beneficiary. He there says, “ a benefactor may certainly provide for a friend (and especially a child) without exposing his bounty to the debts or improvidence of the beneficiary. He has an individual right of property in the execution of the trust, and to deprive him of it would be a fraud on his generosity (parental duty). To appropriate a gift to a purpose or person not intended, would be an invasion of the donor’s private dominion.”
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
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- Ashhurst against Given
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