LEGAL RATES OF INTEREST.

MAINE.-Legal rate, six per cent. If more be agreed to be taken only legal interest can be recovered.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.-Legal rate, six per cent. (Banks are priv ileged to receive seven and three-tenths per cent.) If more be taken, the party forfeits three times the amount unlawfully taken, VERMONT.-Legal rate, six per cent. Interest paid beyond that rate may be recovered.

MASSACHUSETTS.-Legal rate, six per cent.; but any amount shall be legal if specified in writing. When the defence of usury is established, defendant shall recover his costs, and plaintiff shall forfeit three-fold the amount of interest unlawfully taken. The party paying usurious interest may recover threefold the amount of unlawful interest paid.

RHODE ISLAND.-Legal rate, six per cent. Unless a different rate be specified.

CONNECTICUT.-Legal rate, seven per cent. Plaintiff can recover the principal, but without the interest. Persons taking usury. forfeit the whole of the interest; half going to the party who prosecutes to effect, and half to the State.

NEW YORK.-Legal rate, seven per cent. All contracts whereby a higher rate is reserved, are void. Corporations cannot set up the defence of usury.

NEW JERSEY.-Legal rate, seven per cent. All contracts for a higher rate are void. Persons taking a higher rate, forfeit the whole value of the contract-half to the State, and half to the prosecutor. Greater interest than allowed in place where the contract is made, cannot be recovered by action in this State.

PENNSYLVANIA.-Legal rate, six per cent. Usurious interes cannot be recovered; and if paid, may be again recovered; but usury does not render the entire contract void.

DELAWARE.-Legal rate, six per cent. Whoever takes more forfeits the whole debt-half to the State, and half to the prose

outor.

MARYLAND.-Legal rate, six per cent. In contracts where moro is taken, only the excess over the legal rate is void.

VIRGINIA.-Legal rate, six per cent. Usurious contracts aro void, with the penalty of forfeiture of twice the amount of the debt

NORTH CAROLINA.-Legal rate, six per cent. All contracts for a higher rate are void, and the party exacting it is liable to a for feiture of double the amount of the debt-half to the State, and half to the prosecutor.

SOUTH CAROLINA.-Legal rate, seven per cent. The party re serving more, forfeits the entire interest, and must pay all costs. GEORGIA.-Legal rate, seven per cent. If more be reserved, the party forfeits the entire interest.

FLORIDA.-Legal rate, eight per cent., if by agreement; if no rate be specified, then six per cent. Usury laws entirely abolished.

ALABAMA.-Legal rate, eight per cent. In usurious contracta, the principal, without interest, may be recovered.

MISSISSIPPI Legal rate, six per cent., for the use of money; and upon other contracts; but contracts may be made in writing for the payment of ten per cent., but not higher.

LOUISIANA.-Legal rate, five per cent.; but parties may agree on any sum as high as eight per cent. Bank interest is six per cont. The penalty for usurious contracts is a forfeiture of the entire interest.

TEXAS.-Legal rate, where no rate is specified, eight per cent., but parties may agree upon any rate as high as twelve per cent Where more interest is reserved, no interest can be recovered.

ARKANSAS.-Legal rate, where no rate is mentioned, six per cent.; but parties may contract for any rate not exceeding ten per cent. Usurious contracts are void.

TENNESSEE.-Legal rate six per cent. Parties taking more, are liable to a fine of not less than the amount usuriously taken.

KENTUCKY.-Legal rate, six per cent. All contracts for a higher rate are usurious and void.

OHIO.-Legal rate, six per cent.; but parties may contract fo any rate as high as ter per cent.; if for a higher rate, the excess is void.

MICHIGAN.-Legal rate, seven per cent., with permission to agree upon any rate not higher than ten per cent., for the use of money, Contracts are not void for usury beyond the usurious excess.

INDIANA.-Legal rate, six per cent. Usurious interest cannot be recovered, and, if paid, may be regained; but usury does not rendor the entire contract void.

ILLINOIS.-Legal rato, six per cent. On written agreement for

loaned money, parties may agree upon any rate not exceeding ten per cent. In a suit on a note, if it be shown that it was not given for money loaned, judgment will be given for the principal sum with six per cent. interest.

MISSOURI.-Legal rate, six per cent. If plea of usury be sus tained, judgment shall be rendered for legal interest only, which interest shall be paid to the common school fund. In addition, a usurer shall, upon information to any Justice of the Peace, or Court, having jurisdiction, forfeit and pay to the common school fund the whole interest agreed to be paid.

Iowa.-Legal rate, six per cent. Parties, however, may agroc upon any rate not exceeding ten per cent. Illegal interest may be recovered.

WISCONSIN.-Legal rate, seven per cent. But parties may agree in writing upon any rate not exceeding ten per cent. If more be taken, the person paying may recover treble the amount paid, if action be commenced within one year from the date of such pay.

ment.

CALIFORNIA.-Legal rate, ten per cent. But any greater rate, or compound interest, may be reserved by agreement.

MINNESOTA.-Any rate of interest agreed upon by parties in contract, specifying the same in writing, is legal and valid. When no rate of interest is agreed upon, or specified in a note, or other contract, seven per centum, per annum, is the legal rate. judgments that may be recovered in any court of this State, shall, from and after the rendition of the same, draw interest at the rate of twelve per cent. per annum.

All

OREGON.-Legal rate of interest, ten per cent., for money lent or money due on settlement of accounts, from the day of liquida ting the same, and ascertaining the balance.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.-Legal rate of interest, six per cent Usurious contracts are void.

KANSAS.-Legal rate of interest, seven per cent. per annum, when no other rate of interest is agreed upon. Parties to any bond, bill, promissory note or other instrument of writing for the payment or forbearance of money, may stipulate therein for interest at any rate not exceeding twelev per cent. per annum. No incorporated banking institution in this State shall be entitled to receive more than the rate of interest specified in its charter, or, if no rate be specified, more than seven per cent. per annum. upon any loan or discount whatsoever.

NEBRASKA.-Legal rate of interest upon the loan or forbearance of money, goods or things in action, ten per cent., unless a greater rate, not exceeding fifteen per cent, be contracted for by the parties.

UTAH.-Legal rate of interest, ten per cent. But parties may agree in writing upon any rate of interest.

WASHINGTON.-Legal rate of interest, ten per cent. per annum. Any rate of interest agreed upon by parties to a contract, specifying the same in writing, shall be valid and legal.

NEVADA.-Legal rate, ten per cent. Parties may agree, in writing, for the payment of any rate of interest whatever on money due, or to become due, on any contract. Any judgment rendered on such contract shall conform thereto, and shall bear the interest agreed upon by the parties, and which shall be specified in the judgment; provided, only the amount of the original claim or demand shall draw interest after judgment.

COLORADO.-Legal rate of interest, ten per cent. The parties to any bond, bill, promissory note, or other instrument of writing, may stipulate therein for the payment of a greater or higher rate of interest than ten per centum per annum, and any such stipulation may be enforced in any court of law or equity in the Territory.

WEST VIRGINIA.-Legal rate of interest is six per cent. Excess of interest cannot be recovered if usury is pleaded.

DAKOTA.-The legal rate of interest is seven per cent. Parties may contract for eighteen per cent.

WYOMING.-Any rate may be agreed upon in writing, but in the absence of express contract, interest at the rate of twelve per cent.

IDAHO.-Legal rate of interest is ten per cent.

MONTANA.-Parties may stipulate for any rate of interest. When no rate is agreed upon, ten per cent.

NEW MEXICO.-The rate of interest is any amount that may be agreed upon. Where no agreement is made, six per cent. is the rate.

LIMITATION OF ACTIONS

IN THE DIFFERENT STATES.

MAINE.-Actions which must be commenced within six years after the cause of action accrues.-Actions of debts on contract not un der seal; for arrears of rent; for waste; trespass on land replevin and all other actions for detention and injury to goods; and all causes for action founded on contract or liability.

Within four years.-All actions against Sheriff.

Within two years.-All actions for assault and battery, false imprisonment, slander, and libel.

Within one year.-Actions against endorser of writ on judg ment, in the original action.

Cause of action accrues, in cases of open account, from the dato of the last item proved.

All personal actions not limited by the above provisions may bo brought within twenty years after cause of action accrues. Minors married women, persons out of the United States, insane, or imprisoned, may bring actions within the times above limited, after such disability is removed. If, at the time a cause of action ac crues agains. any person, he shall be out of the State, the action may be commenced within the time above limited after his return to the State. No action for the recovery of lands can be commenced against any person who has been in open, peaceable, and exclusive possession of the same for more than forty years.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE.-Actions which must be commenced within twenty years after the cause of action accrues.-All actions for the recovery of real estate; all actions of debt founded on a judgment or recognisance, or a contract under seal.

Within five years.-All rights in action, relative to real estate, by minors or persons insane, may be commenced within five years after such disability is removed.

Within three years.—All writs of error after judgment has boon rondered.

Within two years.—All actions for slander, assault and battery and wounding.

Actions on notes secured by mortgage may be brought so long as the plaintiff to action holds the mortgage.

If the defendant, at the time of the cause of action, or afterward, was absent from the State, the time of such absence shall be excluded in the computation.