ACQUITTANCE, contracts. An agreement in writing to discharge a party from an engagement to pay a sum of money. it is evidence of payment. It differs from a release in this, that the latter must be under seal, while an acquittance need not be under seal. Poth. Oblig. n. 781. In Pennsylvania, a receipt, (q. v.) though not under seal, has nearly the same effect as a release. 1 Rawle, R. 391. Vide 3 Salk. 298, pl. 2; Off. of Ex. 217 ; Co. Litt. 212 a, 273 a.
ACRE, measures. A quantity of land containing in length forty perches1, and four in breadth, or one hundred and sixty square perches, of whatever shape may be the land. Serg. Land Laws of Penn., 185. See Cro. Eliz. 476, 665; 6 Co. 67; Poph. 55; Co. Litt. 5, b, and note 22.
ACREDULITARE, obsolete2. To purge3 one's self of an offence by oath. It frequently happens that when a person has been arrested for a contempt, he comes into court and purges4 himself, on oath, of having intended any contempt. Blount, Leges. Inac. c. 36.
ACT, civil law, contracts. A writing which states in a legal form that a thing has been said, done, or agreed. In Latin, Instrumentum. Merl. Rep.
ACT. In the legal sense, this word may be used to signify the result of a public deliberation, the decision of a prince, of a legislative5 body, of a council, court of justice, or a magistrate6. Also, a decree, edict, law, judgment7, resolve, award, determination. Also, an instrument in writing to verify facts, as act of assembly, act of congress, act of parliament, act and deed. See Webster's Dict. Acts are civil or criminal, lawful8 or unlawful, public or private.
2. Public acts, usually denominated authentic9, are those which have a public authority, and which have been made before public officers, are authorized10 by a public seal, have been made public by the authority of a magistrate, or which have been extracted and been properly authenticated11 from public records.
3. Acts under private signature are those which have been made by private individuals, under their hands. An act of this kind does not acquire the force of an authentic act, by being registered in the office of a notary12. 5 N. S. 693; 8 N. S. 568 ; 3 L. R. 419 ; 8 N. S. 396 ; 11 M. R. 243; unless it hasheen properly acknowledged before the officer, bythe parties to it. 5 N. S. 196.
4. Private acts are those made by private persons, as registers in relation to their receipts and expenditures13, schedules, acquittances, and the like. Nov. 73, c. 2 ; Code, lib. 7, tit. 32, 1. 6; lib. 4, t. 21; Dig. lib. 22, tit.. 4; Civ. Code of Louis. art. 2231 to 2254; Toull. Dr. Civ. Francais, tom. 8, p. 94.
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