Power to Receive Dividend.

KNow all men by these presents, that I, A. B., ot, do au thorize, constitute, and appoint C. D. to receive from the cashier of the Mechanics' Bank of - the dividend now due to me on all

stock standing to my name on the books of the said company, and receipt for the same; hereby ratifying and confirming all that may lawfully be done in the premises by virtue hereof.

In witness, &c., [as in General Custom-House Power.]

RELEASES.

ALL releases must be accompanied with a seal.

Every release must be founded on some consideration; other wise fraud will be presumed.

Where a party has a cause of action against more than one, either for money or injury, for which all are responsible, a release to one is understood to be a release to all.

General Release of all Demands.

KNOW all men by these presents, that I, A. B., of, &c., for and in consideration of the sum of - to me paid by C. D., of, &c., (the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge,) have remised, released, and forever discharged, and I do hereby, for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, remise, release, and forever discharge the said C. D., his heirs, executors, and adminis trators, of and from all debts, demands, actions, and causes of action, which I now have, in law or equity, or which may result from the existing state of things, from any and all contracts, liabilities, doings, and omissions, from the beginning of the world to this day. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this sixteenth day of May, eighteen hundred and sixty.

ABEL BUTLER. [L. S.]

Mutual General Kelease by Indenture.

day of

THIS Indenture, made this between A. B., of &c., of the one part, and C. D., of, &c., of the other part, witnessoth: That, on the day of the date hereof, the said A. B. and C. D. have each paid to the other the sum of five dollars; and each of them has cancelled and delivered up to the other certain covenants, bonds, notes of hand, and written contracts, upon which each of the parties claimed, and pretended to have divers claims and demands on the other: the said claims and contracts, so cancelled and delivered up, being supposed and intended to be all the claims

and evidence of claim by each of the parties hereto on the other. And in consideration thereof, each of them, the said A. B. and C. D., does hereby, for himself and his legal representatives, release, and absolutely and forever discharge the other, of and from all claims and demands, actions, causes of action, of every name and nature, so that neither of them shall have any claim on the other, directly or indirectly, on any contract, or supposed liability, or thing undertaken, done, or omitted to be done, from the beginning of the world to this day.

In testimony, &c., [as in General Release of all Demands.]

Release to a Guardian.

KNOW all men, &c., that A. B., &c., son and heir of B. B., deceased, hath remised, released, and forever quit-claimed, and by these presents doth remise, &c., unto C. D., of, his guardian, all and all manner of action and actions, suits, reckonings, accounts, debts, dues, and demands whatsoever, which he, the said A. B. ever had, now hath, or which he, his executors or administrators, at any time hereafter, can or may have, claim, or demand, against the said C. D., his executors or administrators, for, touching, and concerning the management and disposition of any of the lands, tenements, and hereditaments of the said A. B., situate, &c., or any part thereof, or for, or by reason of, any moneys, rents, or profits by him received out of the same, or any payments made thereout during the minority of the said A. B., or by reason of any matter, cause, or thing whatsoever, relating thereto, from the beginning of the world to the day of the date hereof.

In witness, &c., [as in General Release of all Demands.]

Release of Dower to the Heir.

KNOW all men, &c., that I, A. B., &c., relict of B. B., late, &c., as well for and in consideration of, &c., to me paid at or before, &o., by my son, J. B., &c., (the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowl edge,) and for the love and affection which I have to my said son have granted, remised, released, and forever quit-claimed, and by these presents do, &c., unto the said J. B., his heirs and assigns forever, all the dower and thirds, right and title of dower and thirds, and all other right, title, interest, property, claim, and demand whatsoever, in law and in equity, of me, the said A. B., of, in, and to [a description of certain parcel of land, &c., and how u descended to A. B. and B. ;] so that neither I, the said A. B., my heirs, executors, or administrators, nor any other person or per sons for me, them, or any of them, shall have, claim, challenge, or demand, or pretend to have, &c., any dower or thirds, or any

other right, title, claim, or demand, of, in, or to the said premises, but thereof and therefrom shall be utterly debarred and excluded forever by these presents.

In witness, &c., [as in General Release of all Demands.]

Release of Dower, in consideration of an Annuity given in a Will.

To all persons, &c., M. N., &c., widow, relict, and residuary lega tee of J, N., late of -, esq., deceased, sendeth greeting:

WHEREAS, the said J. N., in and by his last will and testament, duly signed, sealed, published, and declared in my presence, and with my approbation, bearing date did settle and secure unto and upon me, the said M. N., an annuity of -, to be paid unto me half-yearly, by equal payments, in lieu and full satisfaction of the dower or thirds at common law, which I might otherwise have, claim, or be entitled unto, out of all and every the lands, tenements, and hereditaments whatsoever of my said late husband, deceased, or of, in, to, or out of the reversion or remainder, rents, issues, and profits thereof: Now, know ye, that I, the said M. N., for and in consideration of the said annuity so secured to me as aforesaid, and in pursuance and part performance of the said last will and testament of my said late husband, do hereby declare myself fully satisfied and contented therewith, and do hereby remise, release, and forever quit-claim unto T. H., of and T. F., of trustees, appointed in and by the said last will and testament of my said late husband, (in their actual possession and seizin Dow being,) their executors, &c., all, and all manner of dower, &c., &c.

In witness, &c., [as in General Release of all Demands 1

Release of a Trust.

made between, &

To all, &c., A. B., &c., sendeth greeting: WHEREAS, by indenture, bearing date [here recite the deed,] in which said indenture the said A. B. doth hereby declare that his name was only used in trust, for the benefit und behoof of C. D., of: Now, know ye, that I, the said A. B., in discharge of the trust reposed in me, at the request of the said C D., have remised, released, and surrendered, assigned, and set over, and by these presents, for me, my executors and administrators, do freely and absolutely remise, &c., unto the said C. D., his executors, &c., all the estate, right, title, interest, use, benefit, privilege, and demand whatsoever, which I, the said A. B., have or may have, or claim. of or to the said premises, or of and in any sum of money, or other matter or thing whatsoever, in the said in denture contained, mentioned, and expressed; so that neither I, the

said A. B., my executors or administrators, or any of us, at any time hereafter, shall or will ask, claim, challenge, or demand, any interest, &c., or other thing, in any manner whatsoever, by reason or means of the said indenture or any covenant therein contained, but thereof and therefrom, and from all actions, suits, and demands, which I, my executors, administrators, or assigns, may have concerning the same, shall be utterly excluded and forever ebarred by these presents.

In witness, &c., [as in General Release of all Demands.]

LANDLORD AND TENANT.

A CONTRACT from a landlord, empowering a tenant to take possession, for a stated period, of certain property, at a stipulated rental, is called a lease or demise. It may be for a month, a quarter, one year, a term of years, for life, or at the will of either of the parties. Leases for less than a year require no written agreement; if for a longer period, they must be in writing; if for life, they must be written, signed, sealed, and witnessed, like any other important instrument.

No particular form is needed; any instrument that conveys the property in a plain, common-sense manner, to the tenant, at a stipu lated rent, payable monthly, quarterly. or semi-annually, as the parties may agree, is all that is required.

Where no agreement can be shown in writing for more than year, the tenant only holds the property from year to year at the discretion of the landlord.

When a person enters into possession of a property without ai agreement in regard to time, it is generally held that he is a tenant from year to year.

A tenant is responsible for taxes only when it is so stated in the lease. Verbal promises are of no effect. A lease must speak for itself.

A lease must be delivered to the parties for whom it is intended. If it should fall into the hands of a party accidentally, without the other intending it, it would be invalid. A lease, if for a valuable property, should be acknowledged before a Commissioner of Deeds, which does away with the difficulty frequently attending witnesses, who very often cannot be found when wanted: whereas

an authenticated document can be read in evidence without further

proof.

A lease of three years or more should be recorded in the county where the property lies, to protect purchasers of real estate, against secret or fraudulent conveyances.

Unless there is a provision in the lease forbidding it, the tenant has a right to underlet as much of the property as he pleases, s0 long as his lease runs. A mere tenant at will, however, cannot underlet.

A married woman cannot make a lease even of her own prop. erty; for her husband has sole control over her estate during his life, and he alone can demise it. Such leases are binding on her, however, only during the life of her husband.

A minor cannot make a lease for which he can be held on reaching his majority; it will bind the lessee, however, until the minor sees fit to release him. But if he receives the rent after his twentyfirst year, he thereby ratifies the lease, and becomes bound for its provisions. A guardian can give no lease that shall extend beyond the majority of his ward. A minor can become a lessee, but he is privileged to give it up when so disposed; he can hold the landlord, however, if he so desires. A married woman cannot lease property; yet, if she occupies a house, her husband will be liable to the landlord for the rent.

Where there are no writings the tenancy commences from the day the tenant takes possession. Where there are writings, and the time for the commencement of the tenancy is not stated, it will be considered as having begun at the time the writings were de livered.

A lease for a term of years, without mentioning the number, is good only for two years.

When a landlord consents to receive a substitute, the first ten ant is released.

A new lease invalidates a former one.

A lease by a mortgager is good only so long as the mortgagee re frains from foreclosing the mortgage.

When a landlord executes a lease on verbal misrepresentation, the tenant can recover a deduction from the rent for the fraud.