Publication

The act by which a thing is made public. Printing without circulation is not publication (5 Fed. 729), and circulation in manuscript is publication (3 Fed. 486). See, also, "Literary Property." It differs from "promulgation" (g. v.) And see, also, Toullier, Dr. Civ. tit. "Preliminaire," note 59, for the difference in the meaning of these two words. Publication has different meanings. When applied to a law, it signifies the rendering public the existence of the law; when it relates to the opening of the depositions taken in a case in chancery, it means that liberty is given to the officer in whose custody the depositions of witnesses in a cause are lodged, either by consent of parties, or by the rules or orders of the court, to show the depositions openly, and to give out copies of them.

Prac. Reg. 297; Blake, Ch. Prac. 143.

When spoken of a will, it signifies that the testator has done some act from which it can be concluded that he intended the instrument to operate as his will. Cruise, Dig. tit.

38, c. 5, § 47; 3 Atk. 161; 4 Me. 220; 3 Rawle (Pa.) 15; Comyn, Dig. "Estates by Devise" (E 2), "Chancery" (Q).

In the Law of Libel and Slander. The communication of the defamatory words to some third person. is the speaking of slanderous words where no third person could hear them.

13 Gray (Mass.) 304.

PUBLICI JURIS (Lat.) Of public right. As applied to a thing or right means that it is open to or exercisable by all persons. When a thing is common property, so that any one can make use of it who likes, it is said to be "publici juris;" as in the case of light, air, and public water, PUBLICIANA (Lat.) In civil law. The name of an action introduced by the praetor Publicius, the object of which was to recover a thing which had been lost.

Inst. 4. 6. 4; Dig. 6. 2, 1. 16, 17.

Its effects were similar to those of our action of trover, PUBLICUM JUS (Lat.) In the civil law. Public law; that law which regards the state of the commonwealth {qux>d ad atatum rei Romanae spectat).

Inst. 1. 1. 4,