the common law-µÚ42ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
cannot¡¡go¡¡into¡¡title¡¡in¡¡a¡¡possessory¡¡action¡¡presupposes¡¡great¡¡difficulty¡¡in¡¡the¡¡proof£»¡¡the¡¡probatio¡¡diabolica¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Canon¡¡law£»¡¡delays¡¡in¡¡the¡¡process£»¡¡and¡¡importance¡¡of¡¡possession¡¡£§211£§¡¡ad¡¡interim£»all¡¡of¡¡which¡¡mark¡¡a¡¡stage¡¡of¡¡society¡¡which¡¡has¡¡long¡¡been¡¡passed¡£¡¡In¡¡ninety¡nine¡¡cases¡¡out¡¡of¡¡a¡¡hundred£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡about¡¡as¡¡easy¡¡and¡¡cheap¡¡to¡¡prove¡¡at¡¡least¡¡a¡¡prima¡¡facie¡¡title¡¡as¡¡it¡¡is¡¡to¡¡prove¡¡possession¡£
In¡¡the¡¡next¡¡place£»¡¡and¡¡this¡¡was¡¡the¡¡importance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡last¡¡Lecture¡¡to¡¡this¡¡subject£»¡¡the¡¡common¡¡law¡¡has¡¡always¡¡given¡¡the¡¡possessory¡¡remedies¡¡to¡¡all¡¡bailees¡¡without¡¡exception¡£¡¡The¡¡right¡¡to¡¡these¡¡remedies¡¡extends¡¡not¡¡only¡¡to¡¡pledgees£»¡¡lessees£»¡¡and¡¡those¡¡having¡¡a¡¡lien£»¡¡who¡¡exclude¡¡their¡¡bailor£»¡¡but¡¡to¡¡simple¡¡bailees£»¡¡as¡¡they¡¡have¡¡been¡¡called£»¡¡who¡¡have¡¡no¡¡interest¡¡in¡¡the¡¡chattels£»¡¡no¡¡right¡¡of¡¡detention¡¡as¡¡against¡¡the¡¡owner£»¡¡and¡¡neither¡¡give¡¡nor¡¡receive¡¡a¡¡reward¡£¡¡/1/
Modern¡¡German¡¡statutes¡¡have¡¡followed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡path¡¡so¡¡far¡¡as¡¡to¡¡give¡¡the¡¡possessory¡¡remedies¡¡to¡¡tenants¡¡and¡¡some¡¡others¡£¡¡Bruns¡¡says£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡spirit¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Kantian¡¡theory¡¡required¡¡him¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡that¡¡this¡¡is¡¡a¡¡sacrifice¡¡of¡¡principle¡¡to¡¡convenience¡£¡¡/2/¡¡But¡¡I¡¡cannot¡¡see¡¡what¡¡is¡¡left¡¡of¡¡a¡¡principle¡¡which¡¡avows¡¡itself¡¡inconsistent¡¡with¡¡convenience¡¡and¡¡the¡¡actual¡¡course¡¡of¡¡legislation¡£¡¡The¡¡first¡¡call¡¡of¡¡a¡¡theory¡¡of¡¡law¡¡is¡¡that¡¡it¡¡should¡¡fit¡¡the¡¡facts¡£¡¡It¡¡must¡¡explain¡¡the¡¡observed¡¡course¡¡of¡¡legislation¡£¡¡And¡¡as¡¡it¡¡is¡¡pretty¡¡certain¡¡that¡¡men¡¡will¡¡make¡¡laws¡¡which¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡them¡¡convenient¡¡without¡¡troubling¡¡themselves¡¡very¡¡much¡¡what¡¡principles¡¡are¡¡encountered¡¡by¡¡their¡¡legislation£»¡¡a¡¡principle¡¡which¡¡defies¡¡convenience¡¡is¡¡likely¡¡to¡¡wait¡¡some¡¡time¡¡before¡¡it¡¡finds¡¡itself¡¡permanently¡¡realized¡£
It¡¡remains£»¡¡then£»¡¡to¡¡seek¡¡for¡¡some¡¡ground¡¡for¡¡the¡¡protection¡¡of¡¡possession¡¡outside¡¡the¡¡Bill¡¡of¡¡Rights¡¡or¡¡the¡¡Declaration¡¡of¡¡Independence£»¡¡which¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡consistent¡¡with¡¡the¡¡larger¡¡scope¡¡given¡¡to¡¡the¡¡conception¡¡in¡¡modern¡¡law¡£
£§212£§¡¡The¡¡courts¡¡have¡¡said¡¡but¡¡little¡¡on¡¡the¡¡subject¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡laid¡¡down¡¡in¡¡one¡¡case¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡an¡¡extension¡¡of¡¡the¡¡protection¡¡which¡¡the¡¡law¡¡throws¡¡around¡¡the¡¡person£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡that¡¡ground¡¡held¡¡that¡¡trespass¡¡quare¡¡clausum¡¡did¡¡not¡¡pass¡¡to¡¡an¡¡assignee¡¡in¡¡bankruptcy¡£¡¡/1/¡¡So¡¡it¡¡has¡¡been¡¡said£»¡¡that¡¡to¡¡deny¡¡a¡¡bankrupt¡¡trover¡¡against¡¡strangers¡¡for¡¡goods¡¡coming¡¡to¡¡his¡¡possession¡¡after¡¡his¡¡bankruptcy¡¡would¡¡be¡¡¡¨an¡¡invitation¡¡to¡¡all¡¡the¡¡world¡¡to¡¡scramble¡¡for¡¡the¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡them¡¨£»¡¡and¡¡reference¡¡was¡¡made¡¡to¡¡¡¨grounds¡¡of¡¡policy¡¡and¡¡convenience¡£¡¨¡¡/2/¡¡I¡¡may¡¡also¡¡refer¡¡to¡¡the¡¡cases¡¡of¡¡capture£»¡¡some¡¡of¡¡which¡¡will¡¡be¡¡cited¡¡again¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡Greenland¡¡whale¡fishery£»¡¡by¡¡the¡¡English¡¡custom£»¡¡if¡¡the¡¡first¡¡striker¡¡lost¡¡his¡¡hold¡¡on¡¡the¡¡fish£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡was¡¡then¡¡killed¡¡by¡¡another£»¡¡the¡¡first¡¡had¡¡no¡¡claim£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡had¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡if¡¡he¡¡kept¡¡fast¡¡to¡¡the¡¡whale¡¡until¡¡it¡¡was¡¡struck¡¡by¡¡the¡¡other£»¡¡although¡¡it¡¡then¡¡broke¡¡from¡¡the¡¡first¡¡harpoon¡£¡¡By¡¡the¡¡custom¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Gallipagos£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡other¡¡hand£»¡¡the¡¡first¡¡striker¡¡had¡¡half¡¡the¡¡whale£»¡¡although¡¡control¡¡of¡¡the¡¡line¡¡was¡¡lost¡£¡¡/3/¡¡Each¡¡of¡¡these¡¡customs¡¡has¡¡been¡¡sustained¡¡and¡¡acted¡¡on¡¡by¡¡the¡¡English¡¡courts£»¡¡and¡¡Judge¡¡Lowell¡¡has¡¡decided¡¡in¡¡accordance¡¡with¡¡still¡¡a¡¡third£»¡¡which¡¡gives¡¡the¡¡whale¡¡to¡¡the¡¡vessel¡¡whose¡¡iron¡¡first¡¡remains¡¡in¡¡it£»¡¡provided¡¡claim¡¡be¡¡made¡¡before¡¡cutting¡¡in¡£¡¡/4/¡¡The¡¡ground¡¡as¡¡put¡¡by¡¡Lord¡¡Mansfield¡¡is¡¡simply¡¡that£»¡¡were¡¡it¡¡not¡¡for¡¡such¡¡customs£»¡¡there¡¡must¡¡be¡¡a¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡warfare¡¡perpetually¡¡subsisting¡¡between¡¡the¡¡adventurers¡£¡¡/5/¡¡If¡¡courts¡¡adopt¡¡different¡¡rules¡¡on¡¡similar¡¡facts£»¡¡according¡¡to¡¡the¡¡point¡¡at¡¡which¡¡men¡¡will¡¡fight¡¡in¡¡the¡¡£§213£§¡¡several¡¡cases£»¡¡it¡¡tends£»¡¡so¡¡far¡¡as¡¡it¡¡goes£»¡¡to¡¡shake¡¡an¡¡a¡¡priori¡¡theory¡¡of¡¡the¡¡matter¡£
Those¡¡who¡¡see¡¡in¡¡the¡¡history¡¡of¡¡law¡¡the¡¡formal¡¡expression¡¡of¡¡the¡¡development¡¡of¡¡society¡¡will¡¡be¡¡apt¡¡to¡¡think¡¡that¡¡the¡¡proximate¡¡ground¡¡of¡¡law¡¡must¡¡be¡¡empirical£»¡¡even¡¡when¡¡that¡¡ground¡¡is¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡ideal¡¡or¡¡theory¡¡of¡¡government¡¡is¡¡generally¡¡entertained¡£¡¡Law£»¡¡being¡¡a¡¡practical¡¡thing£»¡¡must¡¡found¡¡itself¡¡on¡¡actual¡¡forces¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡quite¡¡enough£»¡¡therefore£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡law£»¡¡that¡¡man£»¡¡by¡¡an¡¡instinct¡¡which¡¡he¡¡shares¡¡with¡¡the¡¡domestic¡¡dog£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡which¡¡the¡¡seal¡¡gives¡¡a¡¡most¡¡striking¡¡example£»¡¡will¡¡not¡¡allow¡¡himself¡¡to¡¡be¡¡dispossessed£»¡¡either¡¡by¡¡force¡¡or¡¡fraud£»¡¡of¡¡what¡¡he¡¡holds£»¡¡without¡¡trying¡¡to¡¡get¡¡it¡¡back¡¡again¡£¡¡/1/¡¡Philosophy¡¡may¡¡find¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡reasons¡¡to¡¡justify¡¡the¡¡instinct£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡totally¡¡immaterial¡¡if¡¡it¡¡should¡¡condemn¡¡it¡¡and¡¡bid¡¡us¡¡surrender¡¡without¡¡a¡¡murmur¡£¡¡As¡¡long¡¡as¡¡the¡¡instinct¡¡remains£»¡¡it¡¡will¡¡be¡¡more¡¡comfortable¡¡for¡¡the¡¡law¡¡to¡¡satisfy¡¡it¡¡in¡¡an¡¡orderly¡¡manner£»¡¡than¡¡to¡¡leave¡¡people¡¡to¡¡themselves¡£¡¡If¡¡it¡¡should¡¡do¡¡otherwise£»¡¡it¡¡would¡¡become¡¡a¡¡matter¡¡for¡¡pedagogues£»¡¡wholly¡¡devoid¡¡of¡¡reality¡£
I¡¡think¡¡we¡¡are¡¡now¡¡in¡¡a¡¡position¡¡to¡¡begin¡¡the¡¡analysis¡¡of¡¡possession¡£¡¡It¡¡will¡¡be¡¡instructive¡¡to¡¡say¡¡a¡¡word¡¡in¡¡the¡¡first¡¡place¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡preliminary¡¡question¡¡which¡¡has¡¡been¡¡debated¡¡with¡¡much¡¡zeal¡¡in¡¡Germany¡£¡¡Is¡¡possession¡¡a¡¡fact¡¡or¡¡a¡¡right£¿¡¡This¡¡question¡¡must¡¡be¡¡taken¡¡to¡¡mean£»¡¡by¡¡possession¡¡and¡¡right£»¡¡what¡¡the¡¡law¡¡means¡¡by¡¡those¡¡words£»¡¡and¡¡not¡¡something¡¡else¡¡which¡¡philosophers¡¡or¡¡moralists¡¡may¡¡mean¡¡by¡¡them£»¡¡for¡¡as¡¡lawyers¡¡we¡¡have¡¡nothing¡¡to¡¡do¡¡with¡¡either£»¡¡except¡¡in¡¡a¡¡legal¡¡sense¡£¡¡If¡¡this
had¡¡always¡¡been¡¡borne¡¡steadily¡¡in¡¡mind£»¡¡the¡¡question¡¡would¡¡hardly¡¡have¡¡been¡¡asked¡£
£§214£§¡¡A¡¡legal¡¡right¡¡is¡¡nothing¡¡but¡¡a¡¡permission¡¡to¡¡exercise¡¡certain¡¡natural¡¡powers£»¡¡and¡¡upon¡¡certain¡¡conditions¡¡to¡¡obtain¡¡protection£»¡¡restitution£»¡¡or¡¡compensation¡¡by¡¡the¡¡aid¡¡of¡¡the¡¡public¡¡force¡£¡¡Just¡¡so¡¡far¡¡as¡¡the¡¡aid¡¡of¡¡the¡¡public¡¡force¡¡is¡¡given¡¡a¡¡man£»¡¡he¡¡has¡¡a¡¡legal¡¡right£»¡¡and¡¡this¡¡right¡¡is¡¡the¡¡same¡¡whether¡¡his¡¡claim¡¡is¡¡founded¡¡in¡¡righteousness¡¡or¡¡iniquity¡£¡¡Just¡¡so¡¡far¡¡as¡¡possession¡¡is¡¡protected£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡as¡¡much¡¡a¡¡source¡¡of¡¡legal¡¡rights¡¡as¡¡ownership¡¡is¡¡when¡¡it¡¡secures¡¡the¡¡same¡¡protection¡£
Every¡¡right¡¡is¡¡a¡¡consequence¡¡attached¡¡by¡¡the¡¡law¡¡to¡¡one¡¡or¡¡more¡¡facts¡¡which¡¡the¡¡law¡¡defines£»¡¡and¡¡wherever¡¡the¡¡law¡¡gives¡¡any¡¡one¡¡special¡¡rights¡¡not¡¡shared¡¡by¡¡the¡¡body¡¡of¡¡the¡¡people£»¡¡it¡¡does¡¡so¡¡on¡¡the¡¡ground¡¡that¡¡certain¡¡special¡¡facts£»¡¡not¡¡true¡¡of¡¡the¡¡rest¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world£»¡¡are¡¡true¡¡of¡¡him¡£¡¡When¡¡a¡¡group¡¡of¡¡facts¡¡thus¡¡singled¡¡out¡¡by¡¡the¡¡law¡¡exists¡¡in¡¡the¡¡case¡¡of¡¡a¡¡given¡¡person£»¡¡he¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to¡¡be¡¡entitled¡¡to¡¡the¡¡corresponding¡¡rights£»¡¡meaning£»¡¡thereby£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡law¡¡helps¡¡him¡¡to¡¡constrain¡¡his¡¡neighbors£»¡¡or¡¡some¡¡of¡¡them£»¡¡in¡¡a¡¡way¡¡in¡¡which¡¡it¡¡would¡¡not£»¡¡if¡¡all¡¡the¡¡facts¡¡in¡¡question¡¡were¡¡not¡¡true¡¡of¡¡him¡£¡¡Hence£»¡¡any¡¡word¡¡which¡¡denotes¡¡such¡¡a¡¡group¡¡of¡¡facts¡¡connotes¡¡the¡¡rights¡¡attached¡¡to¡¡it¡¡by¡¡way¡¡of¡¡legal¡¡consequences£»¡¡and¡¡any¡¡word¡¡which¡¡denotes¡¡the¡¡rights¡¡attached¡¡to¡¡a¡¡group¡¡of¡¡facts¡¡connotes¡¡the¡¡group¡¡of¡¡facts¡¡in¡¡like¡¡manner¡£
The¡¡word¡¡¡¨possession¡¨¡¡denotes¡¡such¡¡a¡¡group¡¡of¡¡facts¡£¡¡Hence£»¡¡when¡¡we¡¡say¡¡of¡¡a¡¡man¡¡that¡¡he¡¡has¡¡possession£»¡¡we¡¡affirm¡¡directly¡¡that¡¡all¡¡the¡¡facts¡¡of¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡group¡¡are¡¡true¡¡of¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡convey¡¡indirectly¡¡or¡¡by¡¡implication¡¡that¡¡the¡¡law¡¡will¡¡give¡¡him¡¡the¡¡advantage¡¡of¡¡the¡¡situation¡£¡¡Contract£»¡¡or¡¡property£»¡¡or¡¡any¡¡other¡¡substantive¡¡notion¡¡of¡¡the¡¡law£»¡¡may¡¡be¡¡analyzed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡way£»¡¡and¡¡should¡¡be¡¡treated¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡order¡£¡¡The¡¡only¡¡difference¡¡is£»¡¡that£»¡¡£§215£§¡¡while¡¡possession¡¡denotes¡¡the¡¡facts¡¡and¡¡connotes¡¡the¡¡consequence£»¡¡property¡¡always£»¡¡and¡¡contract¡¡with¡¡more¡¡uncertainty¡¡and¡¡oscillation£»¡¡denote¡¡the¡¡consequence¡¡and¡¡connote¡¡the¡¡facts¡£¡¡When¡¡we¡¡say¡¡that¡¡a¡¡man¡¡owns¡¡a¡¡thing£»¡¡we¡¡affirm¡¡directly¡¡that¡¡he¡¡has¡¡the¡¡benefit¡¡of¡¡the¡¡consequences¡¡attached¡¡to¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡group¡¡of¡¡facts£»¡¡and£»¡¡by¡¡implication£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡facts¡¡are¡¡true¡¡of¡¡him¡£¡¡The¡¡important¡¡thing¡¡to¡¡grasp¡¡is£»¡¡that¡¡each¡¡of¡¡these¡¡legal¡¡compounds£»¡¡possession£»¡¡property£»¡¡and¡¡contract£»¡¡is¡¡to¡¡be¡¡analyzed¡¡into¡¡fact¡¡and¡¡right£»¡¡antecedent¡¡and¡¡consequent£»¡¡in¡¡like¡¡manner¡¡as¡¡every¡¡other¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡wholly¡¡immaterial¡¡that¡¡one¡¡element¡¡is¡¡accented¡¡by¡¡one¡¡word£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡other¡¡by¡¡the¡¡other¡¡two¡£¡¡We¡¡are¡¡not¡¡studying¡¡etymology£»¡¡but¡¡law¡£¡¡There¡¡are¡¡always¡¡two¡¡things¡¡to¡¡be¡¡asked£º¡¡first£»¡¡what¡¡are¡¡the¡¡facts¡¡which¡¡make¡¡up¡¡the¡¡group¡¡in¡¡question£»¡¡and¡¡then£»¡¡what¡¡are¡¡the¡¡consequences¡¡attached¡¡by¡¡the¡¡law¡¡to¡¡that¡¡group¡£¡¡The¡¡former¡¡generally¡¡offers¡¡the¡¡only¡¡difficulties¡£
Hence£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡almost¡¡tautologous¡¡to¡¡say¡¡that¡¡the¡¡protection¡¡which¡¡the¡¡law¡¡attaches¡¡by¡¡way¡¡of¡¡consequence¡¡to¡¡possession£»¡¡is¡¡as¡¡truly¡¡a¡¡right¡¡in¡¡a¡¡legal¡¡sense¡¡as¡¡those¡¡consequences¡¡which¡¡are¡¡attached¡¡to¡¡adverse¡¡holding¡¡for¡¡the¡¡period¡¡of¡¡prescription£»¡¡or¡¡to¡¡a¡¡promise¡¡for¡¡value¡¡or¡¡under¡¡seal¡£¡¡If¡¡the¡¡statement¡¡is¡¡aided¡¡by¡¡dramatic¡¡reinforcement£»¡¡I¡¡may¡¡add¡¡that¡¡possessory¡¡rights¡¡pass¡¡by¡¡descent¡¡or¡¡devise£»¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡