1857. The language of a writing is to be interpreted according to the meaning it bears in the place of its execution, unless the parties have reference to a different place.

1858. In the construction of a statute or instrument, the office of the judge is simply to ascertain and declare what is in terms or in substance contained therein, not to insert what has been omitted, or to omit what has been inserted; and where there are several provisions or particulars, such a construction is, if possible, to be adopted as will give effect to all.

1. Rule of Construction.-Penal Code, sec. 3, n. 4, ante. 2. Construction of Codes.-Penal Code, sec. 4, n. 1, ante.

1859. In the construction of a statute the intention of the legislature, and in the construction of the instrument the intention of the parties, is to be pursued, if possible; and when a general and particular provision are inconsistent, the latter is paramount to the former. So a particular intent will control a general one that is inconsistent with it.

1860. For the proper construction of an instrument, the circumstances under which it was made, including the situation of the subject of the instrument, and of the parties to it, may also be shown, so that the judge be placed in the position of those whose language he is to interpret.

1861. The terms of a writing are presumed to have been used in their primary and general acceptation, but evidence is nevertheless admissible that they have a local, technical, or otherwise peculiar signification, and were so used and understood in the particular instance, in which case the agreement must be construed accordingly.

1862. When an instrument consists partly of written words and partly of a printed form, and the two are inconsistent, the former controls the latter.

1863. When the characters in which an instrument is written are difficult to be deciphered, or the language of the instrument is not understood by the court, the evidence of persons skilled in deciphering the characters, or who understand the language, is admissible to declare the characters or the meaning of the language.

1864. When the terms of an agreement have been intended in a different sense by the different parties to it, that sense is to prevail against either party in which he supposed the other understood it, and when different constructions of a provision are otherwise equally proper, that is to be taken which is most favorable to the party in whose favor the provision was made.

1865. A written notice, as well as every other writing, is to be construed according to the ordinary acceptation of its terms. Thus a notice to the drawers or indorsers of a bill of exchange or promissory note, that it has been protested for want of acceptance or payment, must be held to import that the same has been duly presented for acceptance or payment and the same refused, and that the holder looks for payment to the person to whom the notice is given.

1866. When a statute or instrument is equally susceptible of two interpretations, one in favor of natural right, and the other against it, the former is to be adopted.

1. Construction of Codes.-Penal Code, sec. 4, n. 1, ante.

1867. None but a material allegation need be proved.

1868. Evidence must correspond with the substance of the material allegations, and be relevant to the question in dispute. Collateral questions must therefore be avoided. It is, however, within the discretion of the court to permit inquiry into a collateral fact, when such fact is directly connected with the question in dispute, and is essential to its proper determination, or when it affects the credibility of a witness.

1869. Each party must prove his own affirmative allegations. Evidence need not be given in support of a negative allegation, except when such negative allegation is an essential part of the statement of the right or title on which the cause of action or defense is founded, nor even in such case when the allegation is a denial of the existence of a document, the custody of which belongs to the opposite party.

1. Presumption in Criminal Cases.-Penal Code, sec. 1096, ante. 1870. In conformity with the preceding provisions, evidence may be given upon a trial of the following facts:

1. The precise fact in dispute;

2. The act, declaration, or omission of a party, as evidence against such party;

3. An act or declaration of another, in the presence and within the observation of a party, and his conduct in relation thereto;

4. The act or declaration, verbal or written, of a deceased person in respect to the relationship, birth, marriage, or death of any person related by blood or marriage to such deceased person; the act or declaration of a deceased person done or made against his interest in respect to his real property; and also in criminal actions, the act or declaration of a dying person, made

under a sense of impending death, respecting the cause of his death;

5. After proof of a partnership or agency, the act or declaration of a partner or agent of the party, within the scope of the partnership or agency, and during its existence. The same rule applies to the act or declaration of a joint owner, joint debtor, or other person jointly interested with the party;

6. After proof of a conspiracy, the act or declaration of a conspirator against his co-conspirator, and relating to the conspiracy;

7. The act, declaration, or omission forming part of a transaction, as explained in section 1850;

8. The testimony of a witness deceased, or out of the jurisdiction, or unable to testify, given in a former action between the same parties, relating to the same matter;

9. The opinion of a witness respecting the identity or handwriting of a person, when he has knowledge of the person or handwriting; his opinion on a question of science, art or trade, when he is skilled therein;

10. The opinion of a subscribing witness to a writing, the validity of which is in dispute, respecting the mental sanity of the signer; and the opinion of an intimate acquaintance respecting the mental sanity of a person, the reason for the opinion being given;

11. Common reputation existing previous to the controversy, respecting facts of a public or general interest more than thirty years old, and in cases of pedigree and boundary;

12. Usage to explain the true character of an act, contract, or instrument, where such true character is not otherwise plain; but usage is never admissible, except as an instrument of interpretation;

13. Monuments and inscriptions in public places, as evidence of common reputation; and entries in family bibles, or other family books or charts; engravings on rings, family portraits, and the like, as evidence of pedigree;

14. The contents of a writing, when oral evidence thereof is admissible;

15. Any other facts from which the facts in issue are presumed or are logically inferable;

16. Such facts as serve to show the credibility of a witness, as explained in section 1847.

1. Admissions and Confessions.-Penal Code, sec. 1102, n. 1, ante.

2. Alibi.-Penal Code, sec. 1102, n. 2, ante.

3. Circumstantial Evidence.-Penal Code, sec. 1102, n. 6, ante.

4. Corpus Delicti.-Penal Code, sec. 189, n. 5, ante.

5. Dying Declarations.-Penal Code, sec. 1102, n. 10, ante.

6. Conspiracy.-Penal Code, sec. 1104, n. 1, ante.

7. Depositions as Evidence.-Penal Code, sec. 869, n. 3, ante. 8. Opinion of Witness.-Penal Code, sec. 1321, n. 29, ante.

TITLE II.

OF THE KINDS AND DEGREES OF EVIDENCE.

CHAPTER I. KNOWLEDGE OF THE COURT, §1875.

II. WITNESSES, §§1878-1884.

III. WRITINGS, $$1887-1951.

IV. MATERIAL OBJECTS PREsented to the Senses, other
THAN WRITINGS, §1954.

V. INDIRECT EVIDENCE, §§1957-1963.

VI. INDISPENSABLE EVIDENCE, §§1967-1974.

VII. CONCLUSIVE AND UNANSWERABLE EVIDENCE, §1978.

CHAPTER I.

KNOWLEDGE OF THE COURT.

SECTION 1875. Certain facts of general notoriety assumed to be true. Specification of such facts.

1875. Courts take judicial notice of the following facts: 1. The true signification of all English words and phrases, and of all legal expressions;

2. Whatever is established by law;

3. Public and private official acts of the legislative, executive, and judicial departments of this state and of the United States; 4. The seals of all the courts of this state and of the United States;

5. The accession to office and the official signatures and seals of office of the principal officers of government in the legislative, executive, and judicial departments of this state and of the United States;

6. The existence, title, national flag, and seal of every state or sovereign recognized by the executive power of the United States;

7. The seals of courts of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, and of notaries public;

8. The laws of nature, the measure of time, and the geographical divisions and political history of the world.

In all these cases the court may resort for its aid to appropriate books or documents of reference.

CHAPTER II.

WITNESSES.

SECTION 1878. Witnesses defined.

1879. All persons capable of perception and communication may be witnesses.

1880. Persons who can not testify.

1881. Persons in certain relations to parties prohibited.

1882. Repealed.

1883. Judge or a juror may be witness.

1884. When an interpreter to be sworn.

1878. A witness is a person whose declaration under oath is received as evidence for any purpose, whether such declaration be made on oral examination, or by deposition or affidavit.

1. Witnesses.-Penal Code, sec. 1102, n. 27, ante.

1879. All persons, without exception, otherwise than is specified in the next two sections, who, having organs of sense, can perceive, and, perceiving, can make known their perceptions to others, may be witnesses. Therefore, neither parties nor other persons who have an interest in the event of an action or proceeding are excluded; nor those who have been convicted of crime; nor persons on account of their opinions on matters of religious belief; although, in every case the credibility of the witness may be drawn in question, as provided in section 1847. 1. Competency of Witness.-Penal Code, sec. 1321, n. 25, ante. 2. Defendant as a Witness.-Penal Code, sec. 1323, n. 1, ante.

3. Credibility of Witness.-Sec. 1847, ante; Penal Code, sec. 1102, n. 29, ante.

1880. The following persons can not be witnesses:

1. Those who are of unsound mind at the time of their production for examination.

2. Children under ten years of age, who appear incapable of receiving just impressions of the facts respecting which they are examined, or of relating them truly.

3. Parties or assignors of parties to an action or proceeding, or persons in whose behalf an action or proceeding is prose