Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

BLANC SEIGN

BLENDED FUND

140

BLANC SEIG-N. In Louisiana, a paper signed at the bottom by him who intends to bind himself, give acquittance, or compro mise, at the discretion of the person whom he intrusts with such blanc seign, giving him power to fill it with what he may think prop er, according to agreement. 6 Mart. (La.) 718. BLANCH HOLDING. An ancientten ure of the law of Scotland, the duty payable being trifling, as a penny or a pepper-corn, etc., if required; similar to free and common socage. BLANCHE FIRME. White rent; arent reserved, payable in silver. BLANCUS. In old law and practice. White; plain; smooth; blank. BLANK. A space left unfilled in a writ* ten document, in which one or more words or marks are to be inserted to complete the sense. Also a skeleton or printed form for any legal document, in which the necessary and invariable words are printed in their proper order, with blank spaces left for the insertion of such names, dates, figures, additional clauses, etc., as may be necessary to adapt the instrument to the particular case aud to the design of the party using it. BLANK ACCEPTANCE. An accept ance of a bill of exchange written on the pa per before the bill is made, and delivered by the acceptor. BLANK BAB. Also called the "common bar." The name of a plea in bar which in an action of trespass is put in to oblige the plaintiff to assign the certain place where the trespass was committed. It was most in practice in the common bench. See Cro. Jac 594. BLANK BONDS. Scotch securities, in which the creditor's name was left blank, and which passed by mere delivery, the bearer be ing at liberty to put in his name and sue for payment. Declared void by Act 1696, c. 25. BLANK INDORSEMENT. The in dorsement of a bill of exchange or promisso ry note, by merely writing the name of the mdorser, without mentioning any person to whom the bill or note is to be paid; called "blank," because a blank or space is left over it for the insertion of the name of the indorsee, or of any subsequent holder. Oth erwise called an indorsement "in blank." 3Kent, Comm. 89; Story,From. Notes, § 138. j

BLANKET POLICY. In the law of fire insurance. A policy which contemplates that the risk is shifting, fluctuating, or vary ing, and is applied to a class of property* rather than to any particular article or thing. I Wood, Ins. § 40. See 93 U. S. 541. BLANKS. A kind of white money, (val ue 8d.,) coined by Henry V. in those parts of France which were then subject to England; forbidden to be current in that realm by 2 Hen. VI. c 9. Wharton. BLASABIUS. An incendiary. BLASPHEMY. In English law. Blas phemy is the offense of speaking matter re lating to God, Jesus Christ, the Bible, or the Book of Common Prayer, intended to wound the feelings of mankind or to excite contempt and hatred against the church by law estab lished, or to promote immorality. Sweet. In American law. Any oral or written reproach maliciously cast upon God, his name, attributes, or religion. 2 Bish. Crim. Law, § 76; 2 Har. (Del.) 553; 20 Pick. 206; II Serg. & R. 394; 8 Johns. 290. Blasphemy consists in wantonly uttering or publishing words casting contumelious reproach or profane ridicule upon God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Scriptures, or the Christian religion. Pen. Code Dak., §31. In general, blasphemy may be described as con sisting in speaking evil of the Deity with an impi ous purpose to derogate from the divine majesty, and to alienate the minds of others from the love and reverence of God. It is purposely using words concerning God calculated and designed to impair and destroy the reverence, respect, and confidence due to him as the intelligent oreator, governor, and judge of the world. It embraces the idea of detraction, when used towards the Supreme Be ing, as "calumny" usually carries the same idea when applied to an individual. It is a willful and malicious attempt to lessen men's reverence of God by denying bis existence, or Ms attributes as an intelligent creator, governor, and judge of men, and to prevent their having confidence in him as such. 20 Pick. 211, 212. The use of this word is, in modern .aw exclusively confined to sacred subjects; but blasphemia and blasphemare were anciently used to signify the reviling by one person of another. Nov. 77, e. 1, § 1; Spelman. BLEES. Grain; particularly corn. BLENCH, BLENOH HOLDING. See BLANCH HOLDING. BLENDED FUND. In England, where a testator directs his real and personal estate to be sold, and disposes of the proceeds as

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