Repugnant

4 Inconsistent: irreconcilably opposed to, contrary to, or contradictory of each other. Said of clauses in contracts, wills, statutes; of conditions, q. v.; of statements in a pleading militating with statements in a prior pleading. '^''ords and phrases are often found in different provisions of the same statute, which, if taken literally, without any qualification, would be inconsistent, and sometimes repugnant, when, by a reasonable interpretation, as, by qualifying both, or by restricting one and giving the other a liberal construction, all become harmonious, and the difficulty disappears. In such a case the rule is, that the repugnancy should, if practicable, be avoided, and that, if the natural import of the words contained in the respective provisions tends to establish such a result, the case is one where resort ' Minor v. Happersett, 31 Wall. 175-76 (1874), Waite, Chief Justice. ' Texas v. White, 7 Wall. 738-89 (1868), Chase, C. J. s Luther u Borden, 7 How. 42 (1849), Taney, C. J. See also 2 Story, Const. §§ 1813-25; North Am. Eev., April, 1844, p.

371; Intemat.

Eev., Jan., 1875; Federalmay be had to construction for the pui-pose of reconciling the inconsistency, unless it appears that the difficulty cannot be overcome without doing violence to the language of the law-maker. '

See Repeal.