ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, PASSED IN MILLEDGEVILLE, AT A SESSION OF THE SAME, IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1857. COMPILED AND ANNOTATED BY EDWIN N. BROYLES. PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY. COLUMBUS: TENNENT LOMAX, STATE PRINTER. 1858. PREFACE. The following Compilation of the Laws passed by the Legislature of Georgia, in the year 1857, does not vary materially in plan or arrangement from former Compilations of previous Legislatures. The usual enacting and repealing clauses have been greatly abridged, as in the former Compilation by Mr. Duncan, in accordance with the instructions of his Excellency the Governor; a copy of which is here inserted, to-wit : SIR: "EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Milledgeville, Georgia, December 26th, 1857. In Compiling the Laws passed by the General Assembly at the late Session, with the view of avoiding unnecessary expense in printing and publishing, you are authorized to abbreviate the enacting and repealing clauses of each Act, where such abbreviations will not, in the least, alter the meaning of the Act, in conformity with the plan of compiling the laws of 1855-6, adopted by J. W. Duncan, Esq., in obedience to the order of Governor Johnson. Yours, respectfully, &c., E. N. BROYLES, Esq., Compiler. JOSEPH E. BROWN, Governor." The annotations to the public acts are as full and appropriate as the plan of the compilation and the time allowed for its completion would conveniently admit. In regard to the decisions of our Supreme Court, the Compiler has not confined himself to the letter of the law, which requires reference to be made to such of those decisions only as have been made "since the last publication of the Laws," &c. Where a Statute repeals or modifies an old and established principle of law, reference is made to such decisions as contain and assert such principle without regarding the time when they may have been made, whether before or since the last publication of the Laws. This course, it is believed, will prove more useful and satisfactory to all. There were two Bills, which, by a mere oversight, the Speaker of the House of Representatives did not sign. Hence they are not |