TENDER (Lat. tendere, to extend, to offer). An offer to deliver something, made in pursuance of some contract or obligation, under such circumstances as to require no further act from the party making it to com plete the transfer.
Legal tender, money of a character which by law a debtor may require his creditor to receive in payment, in the absence of auy agreement in the contract or obligation itself. See LEGAL TENDER.
In Contracts. It may be either of money or of specific articles.
2. Tender of money must be made by some person authorized by the debtor, Coke, Litt. 206 ; Croke Eliz. 48, 132 ; 2 Maule & S. 86, to the creditor, or to some person properly authorized, and wlio must have capacity to receive it, 1 Campb. 477; Dougl. 632 ; 5 Taunt. 307 ; 1 Esp. 349 ; 6 id. 95 ; 3 Term, 683 ; 1 Nev. & M. 398 ; 4 Barnew. & C. 29 ; 1 Carr. & P. 365 ; 3 id. 453 ; 1 Mees. & W.
Exch. 310; Mood. & M. 238; 14 Serg. & R. Penn. 307; 11 Me. 475 ; 1 G,ray, Mass. 600 ; 13 La. Ann. 529 ; 2 Parsons, Contr. 151, in lawful coin of the country, 5 Coke, 114 ; 13 Mass. 235 ; 4 N. H. 296, or papor money which has been legalized for this purpose, 2 Mas. C. C. 1, or foreign coin made current by law, 2 Nev. & M. 519 ; but a tender in bank-notes will be good if not objected to on that account, 3 Term, 554; 2 Bos. & P. 526; 9 Pick. Mass. 539 ; 1 Johns. N. Y. 476 ; 1 Bay, So. C. 115 ; 5 Yerg. Tenn. 199 ; 8 Ohio, 172 ; 1 Rawle, Penn. 408 ; 6 Harr. & J. Md. 53 ; 7 Mo. 556 ; 6 Ala. N. s. 226 ; 19 N. H. 569 ; 3 Humphr. Tenn. 162 ; or by a check. Dowl. Pract. Cas. 442; 7 Ohio, 257. See 16 Ill. 262. As to what has been held objection, see 2 Caines, IS1. Y. 116 ; 13 Mass. 235 ; 5 N.
H. 296 ; 10 Wheat. 333. The exact amount due must be tendered, 3 Campb. 70; 6 Taunt. 336 ; 2 Esp. 710 ; 2 Dowl. & R. 305 ; 5 C. B. 365 ; 5 Mass. 365 ; 2 Conn. 659 ; though mere may be tendered, if the excess is net to be handed back, 5 Coke, 114 ; 3 Term, 683 ; 4 Barnew. & Ad. 546 ; 5 Mees. & W. Exch. 306 ; and asking change does not vitiate un less objection is made on that account, 6 Taunt. 336 ; 1 Campb. 70; 5 Dowl. & R. 289; and the offer must be unqualified. 2 Term, 305 ; 1 Carnpb. 131 ; 3 id. 70 ; 4 id. 156 ; 1 Mees. & W. Exch. 310; 2 Dowl. & R. 305; 9 I Mete. Mass. 162; 20 Wend. N. Y. 47; 23 id.1 342 ; 18 Vt. 224 ; 1 Wisc. 141.
3. It is said that the amount must be stated in making the offer. 30 Vt. 577. See 31 Miss. 599. It must be made at the time agreed upon, 5 Taunt. 240; 7 id. 487; 8 East, 168 ; 1 Saund. 33 a, n.; 5 Pick. Mass. 187, 240 ; 8 Wend. N. Y. 562 ; 4 Ark. 450, but may be given in evidence in mitigation of damages, if made subsequently, before suit brought, 1 Saund. 33 a, n.; at a suitable hour of the day, during daylight, 7 Me. 31 ; 19 Vt. 587 ; at the place agreed upon, or, if no place has been agreed upon, wherever the person authorized to receive payment may be found, 20 Eng. L. & Eq. 498 ; 2 Mees. & W. Exch. 223 ; 2 Brod. & B. 165 ; 2 Maule & S. 120 ; and, in general, all the conditions of the obligation must be fulfilled. The money must have been actually produced and offered, unless the eircumstances of the refusal amount to a waiver, 10 East, 101 ; 7 J. B. Moore, 59 ; 3 Carr. & P. 342 ; 8 Me. 107; 15 Wend. N. Y. 637; 6 Md. 37 ; 6 Pick. Mass. 356 ;• 1 Wisc. 141, or at least be in the debtor's possession, ready for delivery: 5 N.
H. 440 ; 7 id. 535 ; 3 Penn. St. 381. As to what circumstances may constitute a waiver, see 2 Maule & S. 86 ; 1 Scott, 70 ; 2 Parsons, Contr. 154, n.; 1 Tyl. Vt.381 ; 1 A. K. Marsh. Ky. 321. Presence of the debtor with the money ready for delivery is enough, if the creditor be abeent from the appointed place at the appointed time o"f payment, 4 Pick.
Mass. 258; 7 Cush. Mass. 391, or if the ten der is refused. 3 Penn. St. 381 ; 18 Conn. 18.
4. Tender of specific articles must be made to a proper person, by a proper person, at a proper time. 2 Parsons, Contr. 158. The place of delivery is to be determined by the con, tract, or, in the absence of specific agreement, by the situation of the parties and circum stances of the case, 7 Barb. N. Y. 472: for example, at the manufactory or store of the seller on demand, 2 Den. N. Y. 145; at the place where the goods are at the time of sale, 7 Me. 91; 20 id. 325 ; 3 Watts & S. Penn, 295 ; 7 Barb. N. Y. 472 ; 5 Cow. N. Y. 518 ; 6 Ala. N. s. 326 ; Hard. Ky. 80, n.; 1 Wash. C. C. 328 ; the creditor's place of abode, when the articles are portable, like cattle, and the time fixed. 8 Johns. N. Y. 474 ; 4 Wend. N. Y. 377 ; 3 Watts & S. Penn. 295 ; 2 Penn. St. 63 ; 1 eMe. 120. When the goods are cumbrous, it is presumed that the creditor was to appoint a place, 5 Me. 192 ; 20 id. 325 ; 3 Dev. No. C. 78 ; or, if he fails to de so upon request, the debtor may appoint a place, giving notice to the creditor, if pos sible. 13 Wend. N. Y. 95 ; 1 Me. 120; Chipman, Contr. 51-56. Whether a request is necessary if the creditor be without the state, see 5 Me. 192 ; 2 Greenleaf, Ev. 611. The articles must be set apart and dis tinguished se as to admit of identification by the creditor. 7 Me. 91; 24 id. 316 ; 32 id. 3I ; 5 Johns. N. Y. 119 ; 4 Cow. N. Y. 452 ; 7 Conn. 110 ; 1 Miss. 401. See 4 Mass. 474; 14 N. H. 459. It must be made during day light, and the articles must be at the place till the last hour of the day, 5 Yerg. Tenn. 410 ; 3 Wash. C. C., 140 ; 19 Vt. 587 ; 5 T. B. Menr. Ky. 372, unless waived by the parties. See 2 Scott, N. s. 485, 5. In Pleading. lf made before action brought, 5 Pick. Mass. 106 ; 1 Parsons, Contr. 148 ; 1 Moore, 200; 3 Sharswood, Blackst. Comm. 303, tender may be pleaded in excuse, 3 Taunt. 95 ; 2 Bos. & P. 550; 5 Bingh. 31; 4 Barnew. & Ad. 132 ; 5 Pick. Mass. 291 ; 6 id. 340 ; that it must be on the exact day of performance. 8 East, 168 ; 5 Taunt. 240; 1 Saund. 33 a, n. It cannot be made to an action for general damages when the amount is not liquidated, 1 Parsons, Contr. 149 ; 3 Sharswood, Blackst. Comm. 303, n.; 2 Burr, 1120 ;. 2 Ad. & E. 82 ; 19 Vt. 592 : as, upon a contract, 1 Ventr. 356 ; 2 W. Blackst. 837; 2 Bos. & P. 234 ; 3 id. 14; covenant other than for the payrnent of money, 7 Taunt. 486 ; 5 Mod. 18 ; 12 id. 376 ; 2 H. Blackst. 837 ; 1 Ld. Raym. 566 ; tort, 2 Strange, 787; or trespass, 2 Wils. 115. See 3 Sharswoed, Blackst. Comm. 303, n. It may be pleaded, however, to a quantum. meruit, 1 Parsons, Contr. 149, n.; 1 Strange, 576, accidental et involuntary trespass, in the United States, 13 Wend. N. Y. 390 ; 2 Conn. 659 ; 36 Me. 407 ; covenant to pay money. 7 Taunt. 486; F. Moore, 200.
6. The effect of a tender is to put a stop to accruing damages and interest, 5 C. B. 365 ; 3 Bingh. 290 ; 9 Cow. N. Y. 641 ; 12 Johns. N. Y. 274 ; 3 Johns. Cas. N. Y. 243 ; 17 Mass. 389 ; 10 Serg. & R. Penn. 14 ; Wright, Ohio, 336 ; 9 Mil. 697; and it may be of effect to prevent interest accruing, though not a technical tender. 5 Pick. Mass. 106 ; 2 Cush. Mass. 475.
It admits the plaintiff's right of action as to the amount tendered. 1 Bibb, Ky. 272 ; 14 Wond. N. Y. 221 ; 6 Watts, Penn. 74 ; 2 Dail. Penn. 190 ; 1 Barb. N. Y. 114. The benefit may be lost by a subsequent demand and refusal of the amount due, 1 Canapb. 181; 5 Barnew. & Ad. 630 ; 5 C. B. 365 ; Kirb. Conn. 293 ; 24 Pick. Mass. 168 ; but not by a demand for more than the sum tendered, 22 Vt. 440, or due. 5 C. B. 378 ; 3 Q. B. 915 ; 11 Mees. & W. Exch. 356.