11 Ala. 935 | Ala. | 1847
In the Branch Bank at Decatur v.
To entitle the plaintiff in the case before us to recover, it was not indispensable that the bill should have been protested. The declaration alledges that the bill was drawn at Leighton, in Lawrence county, on the drawees at Mobile in this State. This shows that it is an inland bill, which it is only necessary to protest to entitle the holder to the damages consequent upon its dishonor. But if nothing appeared to the contrary, should it not be intended that it was an inland bill, and would not the onus in a proper case devolve upon ■ the party interested, to show that it was payable out of the State where drawn, so as to make a protest indispensable evidence of its dishonor? Besides, are not the courts of this State charged with a knowledge of the fact that Leighton is a village at which there is a post office, and Mobile an incorporated city, and also county — all situate in the State? There can be no question but a notice which described the bill as it was copied on the protest, would be sufficient- to charge the drawers. In Mills v. The United States Bank, 11 Wheat. Rep. 431, it was held that no precise form of notice to the indorser of a promissory note is necessary — that it need not state who is the holder, nor will a mistake as to the date of the note vitiate the notice, if it convey to the party a
Moorman v. The Bank of Alabama, 3 Porter’s Rep. 353, was an action against the second indorser (of which there were three) of a foreign bill. “ Byron ” was the third indor-ser, but in the copy on the protest the name was written “Pyron.” The cashier of the bank which had purchased the bill testified that there was no other bill of the sáme tenor and date, and that it was forwarded to New Orleans, the place of payment, for collection. The court thought it a “legal inference,” that the protest related to the bill in question, and that the notary committed a mistake in placing the name of Pyron for Byron on the protest; that the defendant being an indorser prior in order to Byron, could not be prejudiced by the mistake, even if it discharged the latter. Accordingly, upon a demurrer to evidence, it was held the plaintiff was entitled to judgment. There can .be no doubt, but the relative position of the parties’ names on the bill would have induced the same conclusion, without the testimony of the cashier.
We have seen that the protest was admissible evidence, that it might have been assisted by parol testimony if necessary, that a notice as explicit as the protest would be sufficient to advise the drawers of the dishonor of the bill, and that being an inland bill; it was not indispensable to entitle the holder to recover the amount of it with interest, that it should have been protested. It remains now to consider the charge to the jury, which is thus stated in the bill of excep
We think there can be no doubt but it was competent for the jury to weigh this evidence and determine upon its effect: this is what the court instructed them was ,their appropriate duty. They were not informed that it was sufficient in itself to authorize them to find a verdict for the plaintiff. If the defendant had desired a charge upon this point, he should have prayed the court to give it. The omission to instruct a jury upon all the legal questions suggested by the proof in a cause is not a ground for the reversal of a judgment rendered on their verdict; it is enough if the court does not mistake the law, or lay it down in such manner as necessarily to mislead them. [1 Ala. Rep. N. S. 18-607; 2 Id. 694; 4 Id. 493.] In The State v. Brinyea, 5 Ala. Rep. 241, it was said, if a charge is considered objectionable, either on account of its obscurity, or tendency to mislead a jury, the party against whom it is to operate should ask an explanation of the court, otherwise an appellate court will not reverse the judgment for either of these objections to the charge, if it is substantially correct. And in Knapp v. McBride & Norman, 7 Ala. Rep. 19, we said, “ There can be no question but a party has the right to require the opinion of the court upon any point of law that is pertinent to the issue, and the refusal of the court to give such an opinion would be available on error. But the mere neglect or omission of the judge to instruct the jury on some material point, though it might sometimes furnish just ground for anew trial, will not warrant a reversal of the judgment.” We need not inquire whether the variance between the bill declared on and that copied on the protest is not so unimportant as to have war