TO THE
HONORABLE JOSEPH STORY,
ONE OF THE ASSOCIATE JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
My dear Sir:
In expressing to you my sincere acknowledgments for your permission to inscribe this work to you, I have afforded to me the opportunity to record my full sense of your high judicial character; of your deep and universal learning in the law; of the great value of your decisions on the important questions of constitutional and statute law which have come before the Supreme Court during your long and honorable presence in that tribunal, in the maintenance of those constitutional principles on which, only, our government can permanently rest; and of your arduous and successful labors to elevate and diffuse the science of jurisprudence in our country.
In other relations to you, I ask leave to declare my grateful feelings for your kind and affectionate friendship, and for the esteem with which you have always been pleased to regard me.
This work is indebted to you for its existence. It has been prepared according to a plan suggested by you; and in your approbation of the manner in which it has been edited by me, there is a perfect assurance that it will receive the sanction and support of all. This is a proud and complete title to the claims of the work to public patronage.
I have the honor to be,
My dear Sir,
Very respectfully and faithfully,
Your obedient servant,
RICHARD PETERS.
Philadelphia, January, 1845.
