OR

THE FARMERS', MECHANICS', MINERS', LABORERS',
AND BUSINESS MEN'S

ADVISER AND LEGAL HELP.

CONTAINING

A CONCISE STATEMENT OF THE MANNER OF MAKING STATUTORY LAWS, AND THE MANNER

OF PUTTING THEM IN PRACTICE; TOGETHER WITH PRACTICAL FORMS OF COMPLAINTS
IN ALL ORDINARY SUITS AT Law, and FORMS FOR MECHANICS', MINERS' AND
LABORERS' LIENS; FORMS OF AGREEMENTS, FINDINGS, JUDGMENTS, DECREES,
AND OTHER VALUABLE COMMERCIAL
PROTESTS OF NOTES, CHECKS
AND BUSINESS FORMS; ALSO, THE LAWS OF CONGRESS RESPECTING
MINING CLAIMS, AND FORMS FOR CLAIMING THE SAME; ALSO,
THE MANNER OF LOCATING AND ENTERING THE PUBLIC
LANDS OF THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING DESERT
WITH THE
AND TIMBER LANDS; TOGETHER

NEW CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

By H. A. GASTON, Esq., ATTORNEY AT LAW,

Formerly Member of the Legislature of California, and late Speaker of the
Assembly of the State of Nevada.

PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR BY

A. L. BANCROFT AND COMPANY,

SAN FRANCISCO.

1880.

PREFACE.

It is not expected that this little work will make lawyers of all who may use it, and those who may suppose that the book will acquaint them with all the principles, or even the forms of law, will make a great mistake; for the principles of law have been developing for ages, and yet, with the progress which the human intellect is making from year to year, and from century to century, new principles of law are being discovered and applied to human action, and new forms of law are being adopted; and no sane mind will expect to see the wisdom of centuries crowded into so small a compass as this book, unless, indeed, the whole duty of man may be comprehended in the "Decalogue," and that comprised the whole work. The object of the book is, in a concise and simple manner, to aid men in the ordinary business of life, by providing them with plain and safe forms and explanations in common legal matters, and for many cases where it would be inconvenient and expensive to consult a lawyer; and in many cases where one can write a plain hand, and can copy the forms and fill the blanks correctly, providing the means for a neater and more complete legal document than many lawyers produce, because it would be more easily read.

At the suggestion of Messrs. Bancroft & Co., and for the convenience of those who may wish to purchase printed forms, the book has been enlarged beyond its original design, and Bancroft's Blanks have been adopted, so far as they could be conveniently, and have been alluded to by number throughout the work, so that any person desiring to use a printed form can obtain any one he may wish by calling on any stationer or bookseller, and giving the number of the form he may desire.

The author has been led to prepare this little hand

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