19 La. 207 | La. | 1841
delivered the opinion of the Court.
Skipwith the husband, being indebted to ffm. RUssell, of the kingdom of Great Britain, made and executed in favor of Wm. Rawle, of Philadelphia, his attorney in fact, on the first day of May, 1818, six several promissory notes, payable at different times, or annual installments, for the sum total of $11,500. The last installment or note became due in January's 1824. In December, 1819, the defendants sold to one Josias Gray, fot $45,000, payable at several installments, a plantation and slaves, situate in the parish of East Baton Rouge. In the act of sale, they retained a mortgage until perfect payment. Some time after the sale (the record does not state the precise period) the defendants appeared before a Notary Public, and by an instrument of writing executed before him, declared that they were justly indebted to him (Rawle of Philadelphia,) in the sum of $11,500, for which they bound themselves in solido ; and for the better securing thereof assigned and transferred to Rawle as much of the debt due them by Gray as would satisfy the obligation thus entered into. The act concludes in these words : “ This act is passed to secure the payment of six notes all executed the first day of May, 1818, amounting together to the said sum of $11,500, which notes are not here to be delb vexed up to the obligors : It is therefore understood that they are discharged by this act, and are to be destroyed and delivered up to the obligees, on or before the time- the first payj ment becomes due, as mentioned in this act.” To this instrü*
1st. That the notes sued on, had been novated by the assignment made to the plaintiff of the debt due by Gray; and that the ordinary hypothecary action must be commenced against him.
2d. That the suit is brought for the use of Russell, when it ought to be for the payee Rawle.
3d. That the action of mortgage cannot be maintained directly against the defendant, because the plaintiff’s right of mort
_ The wife pleaded;
1st. That the debt had been novated by the assignment of fhe debt on Gray.
3d. That the suit should have been brought in the name of Rawle and for his own use and benefit.
3d. That she contracted the debt for the benefit of her husband, and as his surety, and is not bound.
4th. That the plaintiff had accepted Gray as his debtor, and that she had not become a party to any subsequent act by which she became responsible for the debt. The assignment of the debt due by Gray was made on the condition that the six notes should be given up or destroyed.
The plaintiff, by bringing suit on the assignment and claiming the benefit of it, has ratified and confirmed the condition on which it was made. The District Court therefore did not err in considering there was a novation of the debt due by these notes. But we do not see how the novation of these notes destroys the plaintiff’s action in the form it is presented. All the contracts and promises are set out in the pleadings ; and if any r ° J one of them will authorize judgment against the defendants, it J 5 & is the duty of the court to render it. The irrelevant matter in . . , , petition does not vitiate that which is good. We see no groun(i whatever for the second objection. The legal title is jn Rawle, and he may sue for whom he pleases, in the same manner he might make any disposition he chose of the funds a^ter judgment» if be had sued in his own name. And as to the exception in relation to the hypothecary action, that the defendant Skipwith, who is the principal debtor, must he considered as a third possessor, because the property mortgaged to by Cray has come into his hands by a re-transfer of the ’ mortgage, we cannot examine it now, because the right of & _ & mortgage must depend on the plaintiff’s establishing his debt;
It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed that the judgment of the District court be annulled, avoided and reversed; and it is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that this cause be remanded to the District Court to be proceeded in according to law; the appellee paying the costs of this appeal.