Art. 145. He who pays a bill of exchange when it is due, and without opposition, or notice of objection, is presumed to be validly discharged.(21)

Art. 146. The holder of a bill of exchange cannot be compelled to receive payment for the same before its maturity.

Art. 147. The payment of a bill of exchange made on the presentment of a second, third, fourth, &c. of the set, is valid, when the second, third, fourth, &c. expresses that the payment of one renders the others void.

Art. 148. He who pays a bill of exchange on the presentment of a second, third, fourth, &c. of a set, without retiring that on which his acceptance is written, is not discharged in regard to third persons holding that accepted bill.

Art. 149. Objections to the payment of a bill is not admitted, except in case the bill be lost, or the holder has failed.

Art. 150. In case of the loss of a bill of exchange not accepted, he to whom it belongs may prosecute for the payment on a second, third, fourth, &c.

Art. 151. If the bill of exchange lost be accepted, the payment of it cannot be required on a second, third, fourth, &c. except by the order of the judge, and on giving security.

Art. 152. If he who has lost a bill of exchange, whether accepted or not, cannot present a second, third, fourth, &c. of the set, he may demand the payment of the bill lost, and obtain it, by order of a judge, on proving his property therein by his books, and giving security.

Art. 153. In case of refusal of payment, on a demand made, in virtue of the two preceding articles, the owner of a bill of exchange lost, preserves all his rights by a regular protest.

This protest must be made the next day after the bill lost became due.

It must be notified to the drawer and endorsers, in the forms and within the time hereafter prescribed for the notice of protest. Art. 154. The owner of a bill of exchange, lost or mislaid,

pour s'en procurer la seconde, s'adresser à son endosseur immédiat, qui est tenu de lui prêter son nom et ses soins pour agir envèrs son propre endosseur, et ainsi en remontant d'endosseur en endosseur jusqu'au tireur de la lettre. Le propriétaire de la lettre de change égarée supportera les frais.

Art. 155. L'engagement de la caution mentionnée dans les articles 151. et 152. est éteint après trois aus, si, pendant ce temps, il n'y a eu ni demandes, ni poursuites juridiques.

Art. 156. Les paiements faits à compte sur le montant d'une lettre de change, sont à la décharge des tireur et endosseurs.

Le porteur est tenu de faire protester la lettre de change pour le surplus.

Art. 157. Les juges ne peuvent accorder aucun délai pour le paiement d'une lettre de change.

§ X. Du paiement par intervention.

Art. 158. Une lettre de change protestée peut être payée par tout intervenant pour le tireur, ou pour l'un des endosseurs.

L'intervention et le paiement seront constatés dans l'acte de protêt ou à la suite de l'acte.

Art. 159. Celui qui paie une lettre de change par intervention, est subrogé aux droits du porteur, et tenu des mêmes devoirs pour les formalités à remplir.

Si le paiement par intervention est fait pour le compte du tireur, tous les endosseurs sont libérés.

S'il est fait pour un endosseur, les endosseurs subséquents sont libérés.

S'il y a concurrence pour le paiement d'une lettre de change par intervention, celui qui opère le plus de libération est préféré.

Si celui sur qui la lettre était originairement tirée, et sur qui a été fait le protêt faute d'acceptation, se présente pour la payer, il sera préféré à tous autres.

must, in order to procure a second, apply to his immediate endorser, who is bound to lend his name and assistance in an application to his own endorser, and so on, ascending from endorser to endorser, up to the drawer of the bill. The owner of the bill lost or mislaid must bear the expense.

Art. 155. The engagement of the surety mentioned in articles 151. and 152. is extinguished after the lapse of three years, if during that time there has been neither demand nor judicial prosecution.

Art. 156. The payments made on account, as part of the amount of a bill of exchange, operate in discharge of the drawer and endorsers.

The holder is bound to have the bill protested for the balance.

Art. 157. The judges cannot grant any delay for the payment of a bill of exchange.(22)

§ X. Of payment supra protest, or by intervention.

Art. 158. A bill of exchange protested may be paid by any intervening person, for the honour of the drawer, or one of the endorsers.

The intervention and the payment must be stated in the certificate of protest, or at the bottom of it.

Art. 159. He who pays a bill of exchange supra protest, is substituted in the rights of the holder, and bound to observe the same formalities.

If the payment supra protest, be made for the account of the drawer, all the endorsers are discharged.

If it be made for an endorser, all the subsequent endorsers are discharged.

If there be a concurrence of several persons, in the payment of a bill of exchange supra protest, he who effects the most towards the discharge is preferred.

If he on whom a bill was originally drawn, and against whom protest for non-acceptance has been made, presents himself to pay it, he shall be preferred to all others.

§ XI. Des droits et devoirs du Porteur.

Art. 160. Le porteur d'une lettre de change tirée du continent et des îsles de l'Europe, et payable dans les possessions européennes de la France, soit à vue, soit à un ou plusieurs jours ou mois ou usances de vue, doit en exiger le paiement ou l'acceptation dans les six mois de sa date, sous peine de perdre son recours sur les endosseurs, et même sur le tireur, si celui-ci a fait provision.

Le délai est de huit mois pour la lettre de change tirée des Echelles du Levant et des côtes septentrionales de l'Afrique sur les possessions européennes de la France, et réciproquement du continent et des îsles de l'Europe sur les établissements français aux Echelles du Levant et aux côtes septentrionales de l'Afrique.

Le délai est d'un an pour les lettres de change tirées des côtes occidentales de l'Afrique, jusques et compris le cap de BonneEspérance.

Il est aussi d'un an pour les lettres de change tirées du continent et des îsles des Indes occidentales sur les possessions européennes de la France, et réciproquement du continent et des îsles de l'Europe sur les possessions françaises ou établissements français aux côtes occidentales de l'Afrique, au continent et aux îsles des Indes occidentales.

Le délai est de deux ans pour les lettres de change tirées du continent et des îsles des Indes orientales sur les possessions européennes de la France, et réciproquement du continent et des îsles de l'Europe sur les possessions françaises ou établissements français au continent et aux îsles des Indes orientales.

Les délais ci-dessus de huit mois, d'un an et de deux ans, sont doublés en temps de guerre maritime.

Art. 161. Le porteur d'une lettre de change doit en exiger le paiement le jour de son échéance.

Art. 162. Le refus de paiement doit être constaté le lendemain du jour de l'échéance, par un acte que l'on nomme protét faute de paiement.

§ XI. Of the rights and duties of the holder.

Art. 160. The holder of a bill of exchange drawn from the continent and the European islands, and payable in the European possessions of France, whether at sight, or at one or more days, months, or usances, after sight, must demand payment, or acceptance, within six months from its date, under the penalty of losing his remedy against the endorsers, and even against the drawer, if the latter had made provision for the payment of the bill in the hands of the drawee.

A delay of eight months is allowed for the presentment of a bill drawn from the ports of the Levant, and northern coasts of Africa, on the European possessions of France, and reciprocally, from the continent and European islands, on the French establishments in the Levant, and northern coasts of Africa.

A year is allowed for the presentment of bills drawn on the western coasts of Africa as far as, and including, the Cape of Good Hope.

A year is also allowed for the presentment of bills of exchange drawn from the American continent and West-India islands, on the European possessions of France, and reciprocally, from the European continent and islands, on the French possessions or establishments on the western coasts of Africa, on the American continent and West-India islands.

Two years is allowed for the presentment of bills of exchange drawn from the East-India continent and islands, on the European possessions of France, and reciprocally, from the European continent and islands, on the French possessions or establishments on the East-Indian continent and islands.

The delays above mentioned, of eight months, one year, and two years, are allowed to be doubled in time of maritime war. Art. 161. The holder of a bill of exchange must demand payment on the day of its becoming due.

Art. 162. The refusal of payment must be verified, the next day after it became due, by a certificate, which is called a pretest for non-payment.