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6 N.H. 511

Horn v. Fuller

Superior Court of New Hampshire

Decided July 15, 1834

Superior Court of New Hampshire · decided 1834-07-15

Assumpsit upon a written contractas follows :— Rumney, January 18, 1822. Agreeably to my father’s last will, I promise to pay James Horn, forty dollars, when he shall arrive at the age of twenty-one years. John Fuller, Asa Fuller. The cause was tried upon the general issue at November term, 1832, when it was admitted that the defendant made the contract, and that the plaintiff arrived at the age of twenty-one years before this action was commenced.

Relies on Fink v. Cox · President of the Goshen & Minisink Turnpike Road v. Hurtin · Pearson v. Pearson

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Decided 1834-07-15

How this case has been cited

Cited by 8 later decisions — most recently July 1908

7 state decisions

2018341840185018601870188018901900decided

Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.

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¶1The opinion of the court was delivered by

Richardson, C. J.

¶2The note in this case appears, on the face of it, to have been given on account of Asa Fuller, and must be presumed to have been given at his request ; and this is the only evidence of a consideration which exists in the case. The question is, whether this is sufficient evidence of a consideration to sustain the note ?

¶3It was once intimated by an English judge that no consideration was necessary to sustain a promise in writing. 3 Burr. 1670,

¶4A similar intimation has also been given by an American judge. 2 Caine’s Rep. 247.

¶5But it is now too well settled to be questioned, that as between the original parties to a note, a consideration is essentia] to its validity. 7 D. & E. 350, note, Kunn v. Hughes; 3 ditto, 421; 7 Johns. 26, and 321; Peake’s N. *513P. C. 61 and 216; 7 Cowen, 322; 18 Johns. 145; 17 ditto, 301; 10 ditto, 198; 5 Pickering, 391; 6 ditto, 427; 5 B. & C. 501; 5 Wheaton, 277 ; 9 Mass. Rep. 254.

¶6Brit it seems always to have been held that a. bill of exchange imports a consideration ; and that presumption stands until the contrary appears. Chitty on Bills, 12— 13; 1 Wilson, 189; 2 Starkie’s Evidence, 280.

¶7And since the statute of Aiine, promissory notes seem to have been considered as standing on the same ground. 9 Johns. 217; 14 ditto, 245; Bailey on Bills, 24—25.

¶8And it is not necessary, nor is it customary, in declaring’ on a note, to state a consideration. Law’s Pl. in Assumpsit, 261.

¶9In this case the note may be considered as, in effect, an order by the father upon the defendant accepted by the latter. And this is prima facie evidence that the father had placed the money in the defendant’s hands for the use of the plaintiff. Bailey on Bills, 245; 3 D. &. E. 174; Tallock v. Harris; ibid, 182, Fere v. Lewis.

¶10It is immaterial whether, as between Asa Fuller and the plaintiff, there was any consideration. The presumption is that the defendant has the money, and lie is not at liberty to dispute the consideration between the other two. That is no concern of his. 19 Johns. 113, Nickerson v. Hayward.

¶11We are of opinion that there must be, in this case,

¶12A new trial granted.

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