Chap. 170.—An ACT to amend Chapter 21 of Acts of 1865-66, in rela-
‘tion to the Evidence of Parties in Suits.

~ Passed February 7, 1867.

1. Beit enacted by the general assembly, That the first
section of chapter twenty-one of the acts of the general
assembly, of eighteen hundred and sixty-tive, sixty-six, be
amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Ҥ 1. That no witness shall be incompetent to testify be-
cause of interest; and in all actions, suits or other proceed-
ings of a civil nature, at law or in equity, before any court,
or before a justice of the peace, commissioner or other per-
3on having authority by law, or by consent of parties to hear
2vidence, the parties thereto, and those on whose behalf such
ction, suit or proceeding is prosecuted or defended, shall, if
ther wise competent to testify, and subject to the rules of
vidence and of practice applicable to other witnesses, be
ormpetent to give evidence on their own behalf, and shall be
competent and compellable to attend and give evidence on
ehalf of.any other party to such action, suit or proceeding,
xcept as hereafter provided; but in any case at law, the
ourt may, for good cause shown, require any party to attend
in person and testify ore tenus, or exclude “his deposition
upon his failure to attend.”
2. This act shall be in force from its passage.