Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

PRUDENTER AGIT, ETC.

PUBLIC CHAPELS

961

rorhial clergy to the bishop, on visitations. Tomlins. Prudenter agit qui prsecepto legis ob temperat. 5 Coke, 49. He acts prudently who obeys the command of the law. PRYK. A kind of service of tenure. Blount says it signifies an old-fashioned spur with one point only, which the tenant, hold ing land by this tenure, was to find for the king. "Wharton. PSYCHOLOGICAL TACT. In the law of evidence. A fact which can only be per ceived mentally; such as the motive by which a person is actuated. Burrill, Circ. Ev. 130, 131. PUBERTY. The age of fourteen in males and twelve in females, when they are held fit for, and capable of contracting, marriage. Otherwise called the "age of consent to mar riage." 1 Bl. Comm. 436; 2 Kent, Comm. 78. PUBLIC. Pertaining to a state, nation, or whole community; proceeding from, re lating to, or affecting the whole body of peo ple or an entire community. Open to all; notorious. Common to all or many; general; open to common use. A distinction has been made between the terms "public" and "general." They are sometimes used as synonymous. The former term is applied strictly to that which concerns all the citizens and every member of the state; while the latter in cludes a lesser, though still a large, portion of the community. 1 Greenl. Ev. § 128. As a noun, the word "public" denotes the whole body politic, or the aggregate of the citizens of a state, district, or municipality. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. The accounts kept by officers of the nation, state, or king dom, of the receipt and expenditure of the revenues of the government. PUBLIC ACT, or STATUTE. A uni versal rule or law that regards the whole com munity, and of which the courts of law are bound to take notice judicially and ex qfficio, without its being particularly pleaded. 1 Bl. Comm. 86. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR. A per son appointed by the probate court, to admin ister the estate of a decedent, when there is no relative living or competent to take the administration. Such appointment is au thorized by statute in several of the states. PUBLIC AGENT. An agent <»f ttie public, the state, or the government; a per AM.DICT.LAW—61

son appointed to act for the public in some matter pertaining to the administration of government or the public business. See Story, Ag. § 302; 93 U. S. 254. PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS. Public offices or stations which are to be filled by the appointment of individuals, under authority of law, instead of by election. PUBLIC ATTORNEY. This name is sometimes given to an attorney at law, as distinguished from a private attorney, or at torney in fact. PUBLIC AUCTION. A sale of proper ty at auction, where any and all persons who choose are permitted to attend and offer bids. Though this phrase is frequently used, it is doubtful whether the word "public "adds anything to the force of the expression, since "auction" it self imports publicity. If there can be such a thing as a private auction, it must be one where the property is sold to the highest bidder, but only certain persons, or a certain class of persons, are permitted to be present or to offer bids. PUBLIC BLOCKADE. A blockade which is not only established in fact, but is notified, by the government directing it, to other governments; as distinguished irom a simple blockade, which may be established by a naval officer acting upon his own discre tion or under direction of superiors, with out governmental notification. 2 Wall. 150. PUBLIC BOUNDARY. A natural boundary; a natural object or land-mark used as a boundary of a tract of land, or as tv beginning point for a boundary line. PUBLIC BRIDGE. One which forms a part of the highway, or which is open to the public generally, or to all who choose to use it, whether toll is required or not; as dis tinguished from a private bridge, which >s for the use only of those who own it and their licensees. PUBLIC BUILDING. One of which the possession and use, as well as the prop erty in it, are in the public. 34 N. J. Law, 383. PUBLIC CARRIER. A common car rier; one who offers to transport persons or goods for all such as choose to employ him , Distinguished from a. private carrier, (q. v.) PUBLIC CHAPELS, in English law, are chapels founded at some period later than the church itself. They were designed for the accommodation of such of the parishioners as in course of time had begun to fix their residence at a distance from its site; and

Archive CD Books USA