It is admitted that all the parties to the note in question reside within ten or twelve miles of each other, and therefore, according to numerous decisions, the demands made upon Allen, and the notice given to the defendant, were both ineffectual. No demand was made till ten days after the maturity of the note, and then, and not till then,- was notice given to Small. If the demand had been made in season, still the notice to' the defendant was very, clearly too late. If there were no other facts in the case, the action certainly could not fee maintained. We must then-’examine and see if there are any other facts which entitle the plaintiff to recover, without having made any demand on the maker, or given any notice to the indorser. It is contended by the plaintiff’s counsel that the defendant by his own acts has waived his right to object to the want of such demand and notice. By examining the exceptions it appears that Allen was destitute of all personal property liable to attachment; that Small received and held á mortgage of Allen’s real property, sufficient to secure the payment of said note ; and which was made for that express purpose. These facts present a stronger case in favour of the,
Assignments of bills of exchange are usually made after acceptance, and before the day of payment. Chilly on bills, 112. But “ the transfer of a bill or note may be made at any time after it has issued, even after the day of payment.'” Kyd, 89. See also Chilly on bills, 113. 1 Lord Ray'm. 575. 3 D. & E. 80. 1 H. Bl. 88, 89. When a bill of exchange is drawn, and the drawee refuses to accept it, the common course is for the payee to return it to the drawer, or resort to him by action; and not to indorse it or dispose of it. But this usage does not apply to promissory notes, because “ the making a promissory note is equivalent to an acceptance of a bill of exchange.” Kyd, 68. A promissory note, when indorsed, assumes the shape, and in a legal contemplation becomes an accepted bill of exchange. 1 Burr. 676. If then an accepted bill may be indorsed after the day of payment, and consequently after it has been dis
The statute of Anne makes no distinction, but gives to the indorsee the same remedy by action against the maker and the indorser of a promissory note, in like manner as in cases of inland bills of exchange. No case has been cited in support of the distinction which has been relied on, shewing that the indorsee of a promissory note cannot indorse it again or transfer it by delivery to a third person, and thereby enable such third person to maintain an action against the first indorser, as well as the maker. And we are not aware of any such distinction or limitation of the principle of law touching the negotiability of bills or notes. On the contrary the case of Crossly v. Ham, 13 East, 497. seems to prove that no such distinction exists. In that case Clark drew a bill of exchange on Dickerson & Co. for £450 at sixty days sight,- payable to Ham or his order, who indorsed it at the same time, and it was passed in payment to Parry, whose agents caused it to be presented for acceptance on the 26th of April, 1804. The next day it was protested for non-acceptance. On the 6th of June following the bill came into the hánds of the plaintiff, who was then informed that it had been dishonoured, and that he must take it'undcr all existing circumstances, and liable to all the infirmities that attended it. After this dishonour of the bill, the plaintiff negotiated if again to certain persons, from whom he again took it up, and on the 29th of June the bill was presented for payment, and was finally dishonoured. Lord Ellenborough, in delivering the opinion of the Court, says, “ The plaintiff took this bill after this dishonour of it by the drawees. He therefore took “ it with all the existing infirmities belonging to it at the time.” He then proceeds and states what those infirmities were, viz.— an agreement made' by the agents of Parry with Ham, by vir
