CONFLICT OF LAWS.
The law of nations, strictly so called, was in a great measure unknown to antiquity, but is essen- tially the growth of modern times, under the com- bined influence of Christianity and commerce.'^ As intercourse among nations increased, and contracts, exchanges, sales, and successions became more fre- quent among persons domiciled in different countries having difierent laws on the same subjects, the im- portance of some common principles and general rules of right, of mutual obligation, became more and more obvious, and their necessity more urgently felt. As an instance of this : suppose two subjects of differ- ent countries enter into a contract, vahd in the place where it is made, but not in conformity to the laws ' 1 Ward, Law of Nations, p. 120; Id., ITl. Among a host of jurists who have displayed their research and acuteness on the subject of international law, the most prominent are Dumoulin, D'Argentre, Burgundus, Rodeuburgh, Paul Voet, John Voet, Boullenois, Bouhier, and Huberus; and their respective doctrines, pretensions, and merits are critically and ably examined by Mr. Livormore, of New Orleans, in his Dissertation on Personal and Eeal Statutes, a work which, as Judge Kent says in a note to p. 455 of his Commentaries, is very creditable to his learning and vigorous spirit of inquiry.
IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW. 93 of the country where it is sought to be enforced; it is plain, that unless some uniform rules are adopted to govern such cases, there will be an utter confusion of rights and remedies, and the grossest inequalities in the administration of justice between the subjects of different countries ; which, in the end, will entirely put a stop to their trade and intercourse. Thus we see the great importance of international law; yet until within the last fifty years,