Wadsworth v The Queen of Spain
| Jurisdiction | England & Wales |
| Judgment Date | 28 May 1851 |
| Date | 28 May 1851 |
| Court | State Trial Proceedings |
7 Ann. c. 12. The Diplomatic Privileges Act, 1703
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Request your trial De Haber against the Queen of Portugal, 1851. WADSWORTHagainstTHEQUEENOFSPAIN. DEHABERagainstTHEQUEENOFPORTUGAL. PROCEEDINGSINTHECOURTOFQUEENSBENCHONMOTIONSFORPROHIBITIONSBEFORELORD-CAMPBELL,L.C.J.,PATTESON,WIGHTMAN, ANDERLE,JJ.,MAY10THAND28TH,1851.(Reportedin17Q.B.171,20L.J.N.S.Q.B.305;16Jur.164.) ProceedingshavingbeentakeninactionsagainstthereigningsovereignsofSpainandPortugalrespectivelytoattach,underthecustomofforeignattachmentintheCityofLondon,moneysinthehandsofthirdpartiesallegedtobethepropertyofsuchsovereigns HeldbytheCourtofQueensBenchonrulesforprohibitions ActionagainstForeignSovereign. Attachment. LawofNations. Noactioncanbemaintainedinthiscountryagainstaforeignsovereignforanyactdonebyhiminhispubliccapacityasrepresentinghisnation(1),norcanhisgoodsinthiscountrybeattached.Suchproceedingsarecontrarytothelawofnationsrecognisedandenforcedinourmunicipalcourts.(2)(DictaofSeldenandBynkershoek,disapproved.) Prohibition. ForeignAttachment. AprohibitionwouldgotorestraintheLordMayorsCourtofLondonfromproceedinginsuchanactiontoattachthegoodsofaforeignsovereignunderthecustomofforeignattachment,andsuchprohibitionmightbegrantedonbehalfofthesovereignwithoutanyappearanceintheaction,ortothegarnisheeevenafterhehadpleadednilhabet,ortoastranger.(3) Thisprocessofforeignattachmentcanonlyberesortedtowhenthecauseofactionariseswithinthelocaljurisdictionofthecourtfromwhichtheprocessissues.(4) (1)SeeTheFarlementBeige,5P.D.197,and.Mighellv.SultanofJohore,18941Q.B.149,whichdecidesthatourmunicipalcourtshavenojurisdictionoveranindependentforeignsovereign,unlesshesubmitstoit.Apreviouseaseastosuinguforeignsovereign,DukeofBrunswickv.TheKingofHanover,isreportedin6St.Tr.N.S.34,andvariouscasesonthequestionaretherecollected. (2)SeeTriquetv.Bath,3Burr.,1478;DeWutzv.Hendricks,2St.Tr.N.S.125,andauthoritiestherecollected,126n. (3)SeeMayorofLondonv.Cox,L.R.2H.L.289. (4)Seeibid. Thesetwocases,whichcamebeforetheCourtonrulesforprohibitions,andinwhichjudgmentwasdeliveredatthesametime,aroseoutofattemptstoenforceclaimsagainstthereigningsovereignsofSpainandPortugalbyattachingfundsbelongingtotheminthiscountryunderthecustomofforeignattachmentintheCityofLondon,(a) (a)ThecustomofforeignattachmentintheCityofLondondatesfromveryearlytimes,andisanalogoustotheScotch"arrestments,"theFrench"saisiearea,"andotherproceedingsinreinadfundandamjurisdictionemintheCapeColonyandothercountrieswhosejurisprudenceisbasedontheRomanLaw.SeeMayor,4.c.,ofLondonv.Cox,L.R.2ILL.239. Thecustomhasfrequentlybeencertified,butnotalwaysintheGeneform,totheSuperiorCourts WADSWORTHAGAINSTTHEQUEENOP SPAIN. ThefirstcaserelatedtotheunpaidinterestonthepublicdebtofSpain.Thisinteresthadfallenintoarrear,andhad bytheRecorderofLondon,bywordofmouth,inaccordancewiththeancientrightsofLondon.Inanoldcaseof22Edw.4.306,pl.11,Boll.Abr.554,itwasthuscertified: "ThatifaplaintbeaffirmedinLondonbefore,&c.,agsinstanyperson,anditbereturnednihil,iftheplaintiffwillsurmisethatanotherpersonwithintheCityisadebtortothedefendantinanysum,heshallhavegarnishmentagainsthimtowarnhimtocomeinandanswerwhetherhebeindebtedinthemannerallegedbytheother;andifhecomesanddoesnotdenythedebt,itshallbeattachedinhishands;andafterfourdefaultsrecordedonthepartofthedefendant,suchpersonshall 55] WadsworthagainsttheQueenofSpain,1851.DcHaberagainsttheQueenofPortugal,1851 formedthesubjectofdiplomaticeorre-arrearsofinterestonSpanishbonds,andspondencebetweentheForeignOfficeandproceededtoattach,underthecustomoftheGovernmentofSpainintheyearsforeignattachmentintheCityofLon-1825and1830,andfromthatyearonwardsdon,thesumof10,0001.,whichwasinthewithbriefintervals.In1847LordhandsofJoaquinScheidnagel,PresidentBrougham,onbehalfoftheSpanishbond-oftheSpanishFinancialCommissioninholders,presentedapetitiontotheHouseLondon,andMessrs.MartinandStone,ofLords,andLordGeorgeBentinckintro-bankers,whichsumheallegedtobetheducalamotionintheHouseofCommonspropertyoftheQueenofSpain. askingforreprisalsagainstSpain(Han- Therecordoftheproceedingsinthe sarcl,vol.91,pp.319,1149,andvol.93,MayorsCourtshowedthat,theplaintiff pp.1285-1307).(a) havingaffirmedaplaintinanactionof debtagainstthedefendant,andhaving suedoutasummonsforthedefendantto INTHEMAYORSCOURTOFLONDON. appear,areturnwasmadebytheSerjeant- In1850,Mr.T.P.Wadsworth(whobadat-MacethatthedefendanthadnothingtakenpartinurgingtheclaimsofthewithinthesaidcitywherebyshecouldSpanishbondholdersontheattentionofbesummoned,andwasnottobefoundtheForeignOffice,asappearsfromthewithinthesame. paperspresentedtoParliamentin1847That,thereupon,thedefendanthavingmid1853),leviedaplaint thatistosay,beensolemnlycalled,andnotappearingcommencedanactionintheLordMayorsbeforetheLordMayor,theplaintiffallegedCourtofLondonagainstHerMostbyhisattorneythat,Toaqu4tScheidnagelChristianMajesty,DonaIsabelSegundar,owedthedefendant10,0001.inmoneysQueenofSpain,claiming20,0001.fornumberedasthepropermoneysofthesaid defendant,andprayedprocessaccording findnewsuretytotheplaintiffforthesaidtothesaidcustomtoattachthesaiddebt;andjudgmentshallbethattheplaintiffdefendantbythesaidmoneysinthehandsshallhavejudgmentagainsthim,andthatheofthesaidScheidnagel,asgarnishee,soshallbequitagainsttheotherafterexecutionthatthedefendantmightappearinthe suedoutbytheplaintiff." LordMayorsCourttoanswertheplaintiffThedecisionoftheHouseofLordsinthe Mayor,ire.,oftheCityofLondonv.Cox,onthepleaaforesaid. L.H.2H.L.239,thattheoriginaldebt,orthe Theforegoingproceedingsaverredon therecordwerenotinpracticeobserved,(a)debtallegedtobeduefromthegarnisheeto thedefendant,musthavearisen,oroneofthebuttheplaintiffmadethefollowingpartiesbeacitizenoforresident,intheCity,affidavitofdebt,andgavenoticeingreatlyrestrictedtheuseofthecustom,attach-theMayorsCourtthatthedefendantmentshavingforsometimepreviouslybeenpossessedmoneysinthehandsoftheservedonapersonwhowasonlypassingthroughgarnishee. theCity.(SeeNortons"CityofLondon," 3rdedit.,1869,p.299;Pullings"Customs "IntheMayorsCourt,London. ofLondon,"2ndedit,188-192;Brandons"ThomasPageWadsworth,ofNo.11,Down"ForeignAttachment.")Asubsequentcase,Street,Piccadilly,"&a.,"makethoathandtheLondonandJointStockBankv.Mayor,saith:ThatHerMostChristianMajestyDoha&c.,oftheCityofLondon,1C.P.D.1,IsabelSegundar,QueenofSpain,isjustlyand5C.P.D.494,6App.Ca.393,decidedthatthetrulyindebteduntothisdeponentinthesumofpracticewhichhadbeenobservedformorethan10,0001.sterlingandupwardsforinterestupontwohundredyearsofproceedingwiththeat-andbyvirtueofcertainbondsorcertificates,tachruentwithoutthedefendanthavingbeenbearingdaterespectivelythe10thdayofsummonedandhavingmadedefaultwasbad,December1834,anddulymadeandenteredandthatthecustommustbestrictlyobservedintobyoronbehalfofherMajestythethentotheletter;also,thattheultimateprocessQueenRegentofSpain.inthenameofheragainstagarnisheetoenforceobediencebeingaugustdaughterthesaidDonaIsabel,&c.,thepersonal,accordingtothecustom,didnotapplydefendant,byvirtueofthelawdecreedbythetoacorporation.SincethisdecisionthecustomCortesandsanctionedbyherlateMajestythehasfallenintodisuse.SeeReportofRoyalsaidQueenRegentinthenameofherdaughter,CommissionontheAmalgamationoftheCitythesaidQueenofSpain;andofthetreatyandCountyofLondon,par.82,Parl.Papers,IbetweentheMinister,SecretaryofStateforthe 1894,c.7493,vol.17,p.1. FinanceDepartment,andMons.Ardoin,hanker (a)Astotheprinciplesregulatingthein-ofParis,on6thDecember,1834.Andwhichsaidterventionofonegovernmentonbehalfofits subjectstoenforceclaimsofthisnatureagainst aforeigngovernment,seeLordPalmerstons(a)Thevariancesbetweentheproceedingscircularletterof1843(quotedinHallsInter-enteredontherecordandtheproceedingsnationalLaw,p.278,andinPhillimoresInter-actuallyobservedinpracticebeforethedecisionnationalLaw,vol.2,p.9);also,LordSal;s-intheLondonandJointStockBankv.theburysreplytoadeputationofTurkishty_.ndMayorofLondonaresetforthinthespecial holders,TheTimes,Jan.7th,1880. casestatedinthataction,5C.P.D.497. 06 57] WadsworthagainsttheQueenofSpain,1851. [58 DeHaberagainsttheQueenofPortugal,1851. interestwasdueandpayableoncertaindaysnowpast. "T.P.WADSWORTH. "SwornattheLordMayorsCourtOffice,London,this30thdayofDecember 1850.Beforeme, "G.ASHLEY." OnthesamedayScheiclnagel,asgarnishee,wasservedwiththefollowingnoticeI- "WADSWORTHV.QUEENOFSPAIN. "Takenoticethat,byvirtueofanactionenteredintheLordMayorsCourt,London,againstHerMostChristianMajestyDonaIsabelSegundarQueenofSpain,defendant,atthesuitofThomasPageWadsworth,plaintiff,inapleaofdebtupondemandof20,0001.,Idoattachallsuchmoneys,goodsandeffectsasyounowhave,orwhichhereaftershallcomeintoyourhandsorcustody,ofthesaiddefendant,toanswerthesaidplaintiffinthepleaaforesaid:andthatyouarenottopartwithsuchmoneys,goodsoreffectswithoutlicenceofthesaidCourt. "CHAS.SEWELL,Serjeant-at-Mace."GEO.ASHLEY,plaintiffsattorney, "LordMayorsCourtOffice, "OldJewry." TherecordfurthershowedareturnbytheSerjeant-at-MacethathehadattachedthedefendanttheQueenofSpainbythesaid10,0001.inthehandsofScheidnagelasgarnishee;andthatthedefendantwasthereaftersolemnlycalledatthreeCourtsanddidnotappear;andthatatthefourthCourttheplaintiffprayedprocess,andthatScheidnagel,thegarnishee,shouldbewarnedtoappearon17thJanuarytoshowcausewhytheplaintiffoughtnottohaveexecutionofthe10,0001.theninthegarnisheeshands. ThegarnisheeScheidnagelthereafterappearedandpleadedNilhabet,thathedidnotoweordetainfromthesaiddefendantthesumof10,0001.,oranypartthereof,andThomasPatersonofLiverpool,merchant,filedabillofproofprayingtobeadmittedtoprovethatthe10,0001.washisproperty,andthatbeforethedateoftheattachmentthe,defendantbadgivenhimanordertoreceivethesamewhenpaidtothegarnishee. AnattachmentwasobtainedinthesameformagainstMessrs.MartinandStone,thebankerswithwhomthe10,0001.wasdeposited.TheyputinthesamepleaofNilhabent,andPatersonthesameproofclaimingthesum. OnJanuary29thapplicationwasmadetotheRecorderoftheLordMayorsCourttodissolvetheattachmentsoncommonbail(a)beingfiledonbehalfoftheQueenofSpain,onthegroundthataforeignindependentsovereigncouldnotbeheldtobail,whichapplicationwasrefused. (a)Seebelow,p.336n...
