GUARANTOR, contracts. He who makes a guaranty.

2. The guarantor is bound to fulfil the engagement he has entered into, provided the principal debtor¹ does not. He is bound only to the extent that the debtor is, and any payment made by the latter, or release of him by the creditor², will operate as a release of the guarantor; 3 Penna. R. 19; or even if the guarantee should give time to the debtor beyond that contained in the agreement, or substitute a new agreement, or do any other act by which the guarantor's situation would be worse, the obligation of the latter would be discharged. Smith on Mer. Law, 285.

3. A guarantor differs from a surety in this, that the former cannot be sued until a failure on the part of the principal, when sued; while the latter may be sued at the same time with the principal. 10 Watts³, 258.

GUARANTY, contracts. A promise made upon a good consideration, to answer for the payment of some debt, or the performance of some duty, in case of the failure of another person, who is, in the first instance, liable to such payment or performance. 1 Miles' Rep. 277.

2. The English statute⁴ of frauds, 29 Car. II. c. 3, which, with modification⁵, has been adopted in most of the states; 3 Kent's Com. 86 requires, that "upon any special promise to answer for the debt, default, or miscarriage⁶ of another person, the agreement, Or some memorandum⁷, or note thereof, must be in writing, and signed by the party to be charged therewith, or some other thereunto by him lawfully⁸ authorized⁹." This clause of the statute is not in force in Pennsylvania. To render this statute valid¹⁰, under the statute, its form must be in writing; it must be made upon a sufficient consideration; and it must be to fulfil the engagement of another.

3. - 1. The agreement must be in writing, and signed by the party to be bound, or some one authorized by him. It should substantially contain the names of the party promising¹¹, and of the person on whose behalf the promise is made; the promise itself, and the consideration for it.

4. - 2. The word agreement in the statute includes the consideration for the promise, as well as the promise itself; if, therefore, the guaranty be for a subsisting¹², debt, or engagement of another person, not only the engagement, but the consideration for it, must appear in the writing. 5 East, R. 10. This has been the construction which has been given in Eugland, and which has been followed in New York and South Carolina, though it has been rejected in several other states. 3 John. R. 210; 8 John. R. 29; 2 Nott & McCord, 372, note; 4 Greenl. R. 180, 387; 6 Conn..R. 81; 17 Mass. R. 122. The decisions have all turned upon the force of the word agreement; and where by statute the word promise has been introduced, by requiring the promise or agreement to be in writing, as in Virginia, the construction has not been so strict. 5 Cranch's R. 151, 2.

5. - 3. The guaranty must be to answer for the debt or default of another. The term debt implies, that the liability of the principal debtor had been previously¹³ incurred¹⁴; but a default may arise upon an executory contract, and a promise to pay for goods to be furnished to another, is a collateral¹⁵ promise to pay on the other's default, provided the credit was given, in the first instance, solely¹⁶ to the other. It is a general rule, that when a promise is made by a third person, previous to the sale of goods, or other credit given, or other liability incurred, it conies within the statute, when it is conditional¹⁷ upon the default of another, who is solely liable in the first instance, otherwise not; the only inquiry¹⁸ to ascertain¹⁹ this, is, to whom was it agreed, that the vendor²⁰ or creditor should look in. the first instance ? Many nice distinctions have been made on this subject. 1st. When a party actually purchases goods himself, which are to be delivered to a third person, for, his sole use, and the latter was not to be responsible, this is not a case of guaranty, because the person to whom the goods were furnished, never was liable. 8 T. R. 80. 2d. Where a person buys goods, or incurs²¹ any other liability, jointly²² with another, but for the use of that other, and this fact is known to the creditor, the guaranty must be in writing. 8 John. R. 89. 3d. A person may make himself liable, in the third place, by adding his credit to that of another, but conditionally²³ only, in case of the other's default. This species of promise comes immediately within the meaning of the statute, and in the cases is sometimes termed a collateral promise.

6. Guaranties are either special or for a particular transaction, or they are continuing guaranties; that is, they are to be valid for other transactions, though not particularly mentioned. 2 How. U. S. 426; 1 Metc. 24; 7 Pet. 113; 12 East, 227; 6 M. & W. 612; 6 Sc. N. S. 549; 2 Campb. 413; 3 Campb. 220,; 3 M. & P. 573; S, C. 6 Bing. 244 2 M. & Sc. 768; S. C. 9 Bing. 618 3 B. & Ald. 593; 1 C. & M. 48; S. C. 1 Tyr. 164. Vide, generally, Fell on Mercantile Guaranties; Bouv. Inst. Index, h. t.; 3 Kent's Com. 86; Theob. P. & S. c. 2 & 3; Smith on Mer. Law, c. 10; 3 Saund. 414, n., 5; Wheat. Dig. 182 14 Wend. 231. The following authorities refer to cases of special guaranties of notes. 6 Conn. 81; 20 John. 367; 1 Mason 368; 8 Pick. 423; 2 Dev. & Bat. 470; 14 Wend. 231. Of absolute guaranties. 2 Har. & J. 186; 3 Fairf. 193 1 Mason, 323; 12 Pick. 123. Conditional guaranties. 12 Conn. 438. To promises to guaranty. 8 Greenl. 234; 16 John. 67.