20 Tex. 269 | Tex. | 1857
It is objected to the charge of the Court, that the Judge referred to the decision of the jury, the question whether the Act of the 22d of January, 1850, was a relief law. We do not so understand it. The Court told the jury, in effect, that, to entitle the plaintiff to recover, the certificates must have been granted to the colonists, by reason of a compliance by the contractor with his contract, and not by virtue of the Act of the 22d of January, 1850. (See 1st and 3d Inst.) It is of very little consequence by what name the Act of 1850 is called. The material question is, whether the legal rights of the colonists depend upon that law, or the colonization contract and laws in force during its subsistence. The contracts between the contractor and the colonists were made in anticipation of rights to land thereafter to be acquired by means of a compliance with the colonization contract and the laws under which it was made. At the time of the making of these contracts, the subject matter of them, titles to land, had no legal existence. It was by virtue of acts thereafter to be performed by the parties, that they were to be acquired, and become invested with the properties of legal rights. At that time everything was in expectancy. The only right the parties then had was the right to perform their contract with the Government, and reap the benefits it was intended to confer. But whether in fact they should ever enjoy the anticipated benefits, depended upon the contingency of their performance of their contract to colonize, and become colonists and inhabitants within the limits assigned, agreeably to the terms of the contract and law of colonization. It abundantly appears, from the evidence, that the contract was never performed. The time appointed for its performance expired, and with it the parties lost the only legal right they ever had under it, that of carrying it into complete execution according to its provisions. After the 15th of February, 1847, that right no longer remained. By reason of their non-performance, they ceased to have any longer any legal right; that is, such a right as the law will recognize, under or by virtue of the contract with the Government. They had, it is true, the same imperfect right which all have to appeal to the justice, generosity and magnanimity of the Government, which the latter may exercise through its legislative department; but they had no perfect right; none which a Court
In respect to the land contracted to be conveyed after the right was acquired under the Act of 1850, it is not perceived that there was any erroneous ruling adversely to the appellant. We are of opinion that there is no error in the judgment, and it is affirmed.
Judgment affirmed.