wing plan: All deeds made within a certain time, and
in which the name of the grantor commences with the same letter of the
alphabet, are bound up in one volume; thus, a volume marked "H
1820-1847," contains all deeds executed between those years by grantors
whose names begin with H. One index volume contains the names of all
grantors between those years in alphabetical order, another that of all
grantees, and both refer to volume and page of the books of deeds. A
third index gives the names of grantors and grantees, arranged
chronologically, according to the year in which the deed they were
parties to was executed.

"The original deed remain in the possession of the proprietors, but are
of secondary importance. They are written in a plain, legible hand on
paper, parchment being seldom used. The signatures of the parties are of
course requisite; but the seal, which is essential to a deed in England,
is in many States dispensed with. The custom of registering obviates the
necessity for those long recitals that so swell out an English
conveyance, and the shortest possible forms of covenants are preferred.
The American conveyance only witnesses that the grantor conveys the
property therein described, which, or part of which, was conveyed to him
by such a one by a deed of such a date, and a marginal note states the
volume and page where the deed thus mentioned is to be seen.

"The advantages of registration are,--greater security of title, and
brevity and economy in conveyances. The example of the United States
shows that there is nothing in the Anglo-Saxon laws of real property to
render such a system impracticable. Several of the most eminent lawyers
in Boston declared, that their registration was found to work easily and
safely; the only change desired was by a few, who expressed a wish that
more registers should be established, as, one for every district,
instead of for every county. They all expressed their astonishment that
a similar plan had not long ago been adopted in England. They admitted
that dealings with property were more simple in America, where strict
settlements are either not allowed, or not generally in use, but
maintained that the real obstacles to a registration in this country
lie not so much in the difficulty of carrying it out, as in the
prejudices of landowners, the self-interest of lawyers, and the
superstitious dread entertained by John Bull generally of anything to
which he is unaccustomed."[CH