United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Pease v. Peck, 59 U.S. 18 How. 595 595 (1855)

Pease v. Peck

59 U.S. (18 How.) 595

Syllabus

Where a law, as published, has been acknowledged by the people and received a harmonious interpretation for a long series of years, the propriety may well be doubted of referring to an ancient manuscript to show that the law as published was not an exact copy of the original manuscript.

Moreover, in this case, a subsequent legislative authority sanctioned the law as previously published, and thereby adopted it as a future rule.

The original manuscript of the laws for the Territory of Michigan left out the saving of "beyond seas" in the statute of limitations, but the published law contained this exception. It ought now to be considered as included.

As a general rule, this Court adopts the construction which state courts put upon state laws. But there are exceptions. Some of these exceptions stated.

The case is stated in the opinion of the Court.