Blackstone's Commentaries: With Notes of Reference to the Constitution and Laws, of the Federal Government of the United States, and of the Commonwealth of Virginia : with an Appendix to Each Volume, Containing Short Tracts Upon Such Subjects as Appeared Necessary to Form a Connected View of the Laws of Virginia as a Member of the Federal Union, Volume 1Tucker, St. George. Blackstone's Commentaries. With Notes of Reference to the Constitution and Laws, of the Federal Government of the United States, and of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In Five Volumes, with an Appendix to Each volume, Containing Short Tracts upon Such Subjects As Appeared Necessary to Form a Connected View of the Laws of Virginia As a Member of the Federal Union. Philadelphia: William Young Birch and Abraham Small, 1803. Five volumes. Reprinted 1996 by The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. With a New Critical Introduction by Paul Finkelman and David Cobin. LCCN 96-12566. ISBN 1-886363-15-3. Cloth. $450. * The first extended treatment of the subject, Tucker's Blackstone is a key resource for understanding how Americans viewed English common law in the years following the adoption of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Based on his lectures at the College of William and Mary, Tucker interprets Blackstone's often antidemocratic viewpoint in the American context. A strong proponent of the First Amendment, he elaborates a theory of freedom of speech and press that is more expansive than in the English tradition. "Tucker's Blackstone became a standard reference work for many American lawyers unable to consult a law library, especially those on the frontier. It is impossible to measure its impact on American law, but it is clear that sales were strongest in Virginia, as could be expected; it was also widely used in Pennsylvania and South Carolina." Bryson, The Virginia Law Reporter Before 1800 102. Tucker's Blackstone has been cited in numerous cases by the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to discern the original intent of the Constitution. Eller, The William Blackstone Collection in the Yale Law Library 87. Sabin, A Dictionary of Books relating to America 5696. Cohen, Bibliography of Early American Law 5318. A monumental work of continuing relevance, this reprint edition is prefaced by a new critical introduction by Professors Paul Finkelman and David Cobin. |
Contents
Plate II Foldout Face pg 240 | 212 |
Plate III Foldout Face Blank Page in the Appendix xviii | 18 |
Plate IV Foldout Immediately Follows Plate III | 18 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
according act of parliament amendments antient appointed articles of confederation assembly authority bill body branch C. U. S. Art C. V. Art citizens civil colonies common law commonwealth Cong congress consent constitution Constitution of Virginia council court crown customs declared delegates district duty election established executive exercise federal government Federalist foreign former George Tucker granted hath Henry Henry VIII hereditary house of lords Ibid independent Inst judges judicial jurisdiction justice king king's kingdom land laws of England legislative legislature liberty lord magistrate manner ment nation nature necessary oath offence parliament peace person prerogative president prince principles privileges prorogation punishment queen reason reign repealed representative democracy representatives respectively revenue royal rule senate sheriff sir Edward Coke sovereign Stat statute supreme thereof tion treaty Tucker union United vested Virginia vote writ