Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, BY JOHN W. EDMONDS, in the Clerk's office of the district court of the Northern district of New York. The copyright Rec: Sept: 15, 1874 ALBANY, NEW YORK. WEED, PARSONS AND COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, PRINTERS AND STEREOTYPERS, ༣ PREFACE TO SIXTH VOLUME. CARRYING out, at length, the purpose avowed in my Introduction to my general work, though in a somewhat different form from that there intimated, I now give the Statutes passed since that work was published. I have carefully aimed at two things in my work - simplicity and accuracy. I found that, from causes beyond my control, both were difficult of attainment. I have attained simplicity in plan, only to this extent: Volumes 1 and 2 of my work contain the Revised Statutes, and nothing else, and I give them just as the Legislature has made them, up to the time of my publication. Volumes 3, 4 and 5 contain the General Statutes in force in July, 1862; as well those enacted before the revision and not included in it, as those passed in the interval, between 1829 and 1863. These are arranged in the order of topics, following the Reviser's topical plan. The Analysis printed at the beginning of each volume shows this. Volume 6 contains the General Laws passed in the years 1863, 1864, 1865 and 1866, arranged in chronological order. Volume 7 will contain the general laws passed in 1867 and 1868, also in chronological order. This plan, when understood, will, with the aid of the Analysis and Index in each volume, make it convenient to find the law at least, as convenient as my capacity can make it. As to accuracy-without which the work is good for nothing - I can only say, "I have taken pains." That, and the cause of many most palpable errors, will be shown by inserting here a copy of one or two of the many notes that have passed between me and the State Department: NEW YORK, November 15, 1866. Will the Secretary of State oblige me by looking at the original of chapter 368 of Laws of 1829, and tell me if section 12 says, "Title 9 of chapter 6?" [Ans. It is so in the original.] There is no such title in chapter 6, and the act undoubtedly refers to chapter 9, but the act as published in Session Laws of 1829 says chapter 6. Laws of 1843, chapter 202: Is section 2 printed right in the Session Laws, viz.: "second, third and fourth articles of title three," etc.? [Ans. So in the original.] There are no such articles in title 3, but there are in title 2. How is the original? |