vi PREFACE.—1 BLAND.

counsel after my decision has been pronounced; and therefore it
has been entirely out of my power to give even the usual skele-
ton of the argument of solicitors; many of which have been dis-
tinguished by great ability; and from most of which I have de-
rived much instruction. To make up in some degree for this
defect, I have taken pains so to digest the pleadings, and to
state the circumstances, as to present a full view of all the points
which had been, or could have been made in the case; and to
render the decisions as useful as possible. I have revised the rea-
sons for them all, and have so recast and enlarged some as to
comprehend all the points which apparently might have been
made. In each case I have given references to all the authori-
ties deemed pertinent and within my reach; and have also in-
serted, from the records, by way of notes, short reports of a
number of cases decided by my predecessors.

Although The Chancellor's Case cannot, in any way, be con-
sidered as a controversy which had been adjudicated upon by
the Court of Chancery, It is nevertheless a determination of the
General Assembly in relation to the sole Judge of that tribunal
which involved the examination and discussion of subjects of
the most interesting nature; and is a decision of the legislative
department upon a question of constitutional law of the most
vital importance to the Chancellor in particular, and to the ju-
dicial department in general. It therefore appeared to have a
most undeniable claim to go before the public in a permanent
form as an associate with the decisions of that Chancellor whose
constitutional securities had been so severely questioned.

The discharge of my official duties has heretofore lett me so
little time to turn my attention to any thing else, that the pre-
paration of this first volume of Reports has been much longer
delayed than I had calculated upon. It is now however sub-
mitted to the candor of a generous and enlightened profession.

THEODORICK BLAND.

Annapolis December. 1835.