27 Wis. 671 | Wis. | 1871
According to our view, the letter of the defendant, dated January 29th, 1868, contained an offer to sell his land on the terms therein specified. This offer was unconditionally accepted by the plaintiff, as appears from his letter dated February 8th, 1868. These letters constituted a valid and binding agreement between the parties, which a court of equity will specifically perform.
It was insisted by the counsel for the defendant, that the correspondence did not show that the contract had been actually concluded and agreed upon in all its parts, but that it still rested to some extent upon further negotiation or correspondence. The proposition made by the defendant was to sell his land for $3,200; $1,000 tobe paid down, and $500 a year until the balance was paid, with interest; the amount unpaid to be secured by a mortgage. Now it is said, it is entirely undetermined by the parties upon what lands this mortgage was to be given. But we think the very obvious intention of the parties was, that the lands sold were to be conveyed by deed to the purchaser, and that the latter was to execute a mortgage hack on the same lands for the unpaid purchase money. Considering the nature of the transaction, it seems to us that there is no room to doubt that this was the, expectation and intention of the parties. In his letter accepting the proposition of the defendant, the plain
It is not claimed that there was any uncertainty in respect to the lands the parties were treating about; or that parol evidence was inadmissible to apply the agreement to the subject-matter. And as the correspondence set out in the complaint shows a valid and actually concluded contract for the sale of real estate;, the plaintiff has the right to have the contract specifically executed. There are no essential terms of the contract doubtful. It is a plain proposition to sell upon specified conditions on the one hand, and an unequivocal acceptance of the proposition on the other.
It is objected that there is no order for a judgment for costs. We do not fully understand what is meant by this objection. The record shows that the court in its judgment adjudged that the plaintiff recover his costs against the defendant, amounting to $49.65.
Again, it is said there was nothing to warrant the court in passing title to the property to the plaintiff. The court found that the defendant was a non-resident,
A still further objection is taken, that the entry of judgment was made dependent upon the plaintiff depositing with the clerk $1,000, and such other sums as might then be due to the defendant by the terms of the agreement, and his notes and mortgage for such sums as were not due. This, it is said, was requiring the clerk to judicially determine matters which should be settled by the court. But there is no pretense that the clerk has made any mistake in executing the directions of the court, or that the defendant has been in any way prejudiced by anything the clerk has done.
Upon the whole record we think the judgment of the circuit court is right, and must be affirmed.
By the Court. — Judgment affirmed.