STATE CODES. New York is the pioneer in the work of codification. In that state the first act relating to procedure after the or ganization of state government was passed March 16, 1778. Various other acts were passed between 1801 and 1813. In 1813 there was a general revision of the law, and the subject of practice of the law. In 1828 the revisers collected into one act the various provisions relating to practice in all the courts which was made a part of the Re vised Statutes. It is said that this part of the Revised Statutes constituted the first code of civil procedure in New York. It embraced nearly all the practice in all the courts and has been the basis of subsequent code revision. In 1848 the "Code of Pro cedure" was adopted. David Dudley Field, the eminent writer on this subject, had be gun his work on law reform in 1839. In 1848 a commission of which he was chair man produced the "Code of Procedure," containing 391 sections, which was adopted in that year. This code was largely amend ed in 1849, and has received frequent amend ments at various times since that year.
The laws of Pennsylvania were extensive ly revised in 1833-1836, upon the Report of Commissioners appointed by the legislature, William Itawle, Joel Jones and Thomas I.
Wharton.
Codification has proceeded in many states, especially in procedure. The list of states cannot be given here.
The enactment of uniform laws on special branches of the law, in many states and in England, is a movement towards codifica tion upon proper lines. The act on Ne gotiable Instruments has been passed in nearly all the states ; the Warehouse Re ceipt Act, the Sales Act, Bills of Lading Act and the Stock Transfer Act have been passed in many states.
In Louisiana, the civil law prevails and there are complete codes framed there under. One feature of the Louisiana code should be carefully noted. Art. 21 declares that "in all civil matters where there is no express law, the judge is bound to proceed and decide according to equity. To decide equitably an appeal is to be made to natural law and reason, or received usages, where positive law is silent." This code was adopt ed in 1824 and took effect in 1825, the re vision of 1870 being the same code, with the slavery provisions omitted, and with such amendments as had previously been made. It is said that the power above quoted has never been exercised except to furnish a remedy or mode of procedure.