69.- 3502. The prescription¹ mentioned in the preceding article, runs, with respect to the merchandise injured or not delivered from the day of the arrival of the vessel², or that on which she ought to have arrived; and in the other cases, from that on which the injurious words, disturbance³, or damage were sustained.

70. - §II. Of the prescription of three years. Art. 3503. The action for arrearages of rent charge, annuities⁴ and alimony, or of the hire of movables or immovables; that for the payment of money lent; for the salaries of overseers, clerks, secretaries, and of teachers of the sciences, for lessons by the year or quarter; that of physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries⁵, for visits, opera- tions, and medicines: that of parish judges sheriffs, clerks, and attorneys, for their fees and emoluments⁶, are prescribed by three years, unless there be an account acknowledged, a note or bond given, or an action commenced before that time.

71. - 3504. The action of parties against their attorneys for the return of papers delivered to them for the interest of their suits, is prescribed also by three years, reckoning from the day when judgment⁷ was rendered in the suit, or from the revocation⁸ of the powers of the attorneys.

72. - §III. Of the prescription of five years. Art. 3505. Actions on bills of exchange, notes payable⁹ to order or bearer, except bank notes, those on all effects negotiable or transferable by endorsement¹⁰ or delivery, are prescribed by five years, reckoning from the day when these engagements were payable.

73. - 3506. The prescription mentioned in the preceding article, and those described above in the paragraphs, I. and II., run against minors¹¹ and interdicted¹² persons, reserving, however, to them their recourse against their tutors or curators. They run also against persons residing out of the state.

74. - 3507. The action of nullity or rescission of contracts, testaments¹³, or other acts; that for the reduction of excessive donations; that for the rescission of partitions and guaranty of the portions, are prescribed by five years when the person entitled to exercise them is in the state, and ten years if he be out of it. This prescription only commences against minors after their majority.

75. - §IV. Of the prescription of ten years. Art. 3508. In general, all personal actions, except those above enumerated¹⁴, are prescribed by ten years, if the creditor¹⁵ be present, and by twenty years, if he be absent.

76. - 3509. The action against an undertaker or architect, for defect of construction of buildings of brick or stone, is prescribed by ten years.

77. - 3610. If a master suffer a slave to enjoy his liberty for ten years, during his residence in the state, or for twenty years while out of it, he shall lose all right of action to recover possession of the slave, unless the slave be a runaway¹⁶ or fugitive¹⁷.

78. - 3511. The rights of usufruct, use and habitation, and services, are lost, by non-use for ten years, if the person having a right to enjoy them, be in the state, and by twenty years, if he be absent.

79. - §V. Of the prescription of thirty years. Art. 3512. All actions for immovable property, or for an entire estate as a succession, are prescribed by thirty years, whether the parties be present, or absent from the state.

80. - 3513. Actions for the revindication of slaves are prescribed by fifeen years, in the same manner as in the preceding article.