King v. National M. & E. Co.

4 Mont. 1
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 15, 1881
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 4 Mont. 1 (King v. National M. & E. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
King v. National M. & E. Co., 4 Mont. 1 (Mo. 1881).

Opinion

Galbraith, J.

The record in this case discloses the fact that there was a trial to a jury, in which the plaintiff produced and examined witnesses in support of his complaint and presented his case. None of the evidence thus produced, however, appears in the transcript. The rec[2]*2ord further discloses that thereupon a motion of non-suit was made and sustained. Although the appellant excepted to the action of the court in sustaining the motion of non-suit, he does not, as appears from his brief, insist or rely upon this exception to reverse the judgment. But this exception, even if insisted upon, unless the evidence was before us* could not be considered. There being no statement of the evidence in the transcript, it will be presumed not only that the non-suit was properly granted, but also that the plaintiff did not sustain his complaint or make out a prima facie case thereon. He must, therefore, be conclusively presumed to have had no cause of action. But if he had no cause of action, how can he now complain of injury done him by sustaining the motion to strike out portions of his complaint. How can he, an uninterested party, challenge the right of the defendant to do business in this territory or to plead the statute of limitations % He is, as appears by the transcript, uninjured and unharmed by the action of the court in relation to his motion, and for this reason alone, this court should not disturb the judgment. • The above reasons would be sufficient upon which to base our decision in this case, but the questions presented in the appellant’s brief, and relied upon by him for a reversal of the judgment, are important and entitled to a brief consideration.

They are, first, the right of the respondent to do business in this territory, it being a foreign corporation and having failed to file a copy of its charter as required by law. Second, the right of a foreign corporation to plead the statute of limitations in this territory.

In relation to the former, it is claimed by the appellant that by virtue of sec. 46, p. 419, of the Codified Statutes of this territory, the respondent was, up to the time of the institution of this action, incapable of and disabled from carrying on, conducting or transacting any business in this territory, or of maintaining and keeping a business [3]*3or managing agent or superintendent qualified or authorized to carry on, transact or conduct any business for the said respondent, and that by reason thereof the said respondent was disabled and incapable of purchasing, acquiring or holding any property, or of doing business of any kind, nature or description whatever in said territory.

This section, so far as it is necessary for the purposes of this inquiry to quote therefrom, reads as follows: “That hereafter all mining, manufacturing and other companies or incorporations, incorporated by the legislature of any state or territory of the United States, or incorporated under the general laws of incorporation of any state or territory, other than this territory, and incorporated for the purpose of carrying on or doing business of any kind, nature and description whatever in this territory, shall, before they proceed to do business under the charter or certificate of incorporation in this territory, file for record with the secretary of the territory, and also in the office of the recorder of the county in which they are carrying on business, the charter or certificate of incorporation of said company or corporation, duly authenticated, or of the copy of said charter or certificate of incorporation.”

This section and section 47, which follows, constituted, when first enacted, a separate and distinct act of the legislature, which was passed in 1867, and although reenacted in the Codified Statutes of 1872, yet it is to be construed as when at first passed in 1867, and as if a single and separate act. The act of 1867 contained but two sections, one (1) and two (2); section 1 thereof being identical with section 46, and section 2 with section 47 of the general incorporation act, as contained in the Codified Statutes. Section 47 of the general incorporation act isas follows: “That any company or corporation incor. porated as in section 1 of this act, that shall neglect or refuse for the period of thirty days to file for record their charter or certificate of incorporation, or copy thereof, with [4]*4the secretary of the territory and county recorder of the county wherein such business may be carried on, shall be deemed guilty of wilful negligence on the part of said company or corporation, and thereafter any person or persons maintaining or prosecuting any civil action in any court of this territory against said company or corporation so neglecting or refusing to file for record their charter or certificate of incorporation, or copy thereof, with the secretary of the territory and county recorder, heretofore provided, shall not be held to prove on trial the incorporation of said company or corporation by the original charter or certificate of incorporation, or act of incorporation, but the same may be proved by general reputation.”

From the history of these sections, it will be observed that where reference is made therein to “section 1 of this act,” or the words used are, “ as heretofore provided,” section 46 of the general incorporation act, and it alone, is thereby indicated. The above sections, 46 and 47 of the general incorporation law, being therefore a single act, and expressing the legislative will in regard to the subject matter thereof, must be construed together. The language used by the court in the case of Bradbury v. Wagenhart, 54 Pa. St. 180, and cited by appellant, is in harmony with our statute in regard to construction — section 513 of the Code of Civil Practice, — -and affords a simple rule of interpretation of legislative enactment and one applicable to this case. The language is as follows: “Whatever may have been the legislative thought, no ambiguity exists as to what they have said; and when the words of a statute are plainly expressive of an intent, the interpretation must be in accordance therewith.” Applying this rule of interpretation to these sections, constituting, as we have seen, a single act of the legislature, we are led to conclude that section 46, although its language is mandatory in its character, and requires of foreign corporations the performance of the acts therein mentioned, yet section 47 thereof prevents it [5]*5becoming a statute of absolute prohibition, and prescribes the consequences which shall result from a failure to comply with the provisions of section 16. The plain intent of the legislature by enacting this statute is to require of foreign corporations that before they proceed to do business under their charter or certificate of incorporation, that a copy thereof shall be filed as provided therein; and upon failure so to do, that although they may do business in the territory under such charter or certificate, such failure shall be deemed wilful negligence upon their part; and persons maintaining or prosecuting civil actions against them are not required to prove, on the trial, their incorporation by the original-charter, certificate or act of incorporation, but may prove the same by general reputation. Section 17, therefore, simply indicates the consequences, and those only, which shall result from a failure to comply with the provisions of section 16.

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Bluebook (online)
4 Mont. 1, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/king-v-national-m-e-co-mont-1881.