Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/143

* PLEBEIANS. 113 PLEDGE. tensian law (B.C. 2S(i) the two hostile classes were at last amalgamated in one general body of Koman citizens with equal rights. Henceforth the term jioptdiis is sometimes applied to the plebeians alone, sometimes to the whole body of citizens assembled in the comitia cenluriota or Iributa, and plebs is occasionally used in a loose way for the multitude or populace, in opposition to "the senatorial party. See Patrician; Kome, History, PLEB'ISCITE (Fr. plebiscite, from Lat. ple- biscituiii, decree of the people, from plcbis, gen, sg. of plebs, people + scituin. decree, from scire, to know). The name given, in the political vocabu- larj- of modern France, to a decree of the nation obtained by an appeal to universal sufl'rage. Thus, Louis Xapoleon, for example, was made Emperor bj' a plebiscite. The word is borrowed from the Latin, ( See Plebeians. ) The same in- stitution has recently been making its way to the United States. (See Referendum,) In almost every State the validity of certain measures is made dependent upon the approval of the electo- rate, PLECOP'TEBA (Xeo-Lat, nom. pi., from Gk. irXiKt^v, plekciii. to twist + impbv, pteron, wing). An order of insects comprising the stone-flies. See Stone-Fly. PLECTAM'BONITES (from Gk. ttXcktU, plcktos, twisted -- ifi^oiv, ambon. ridge). A ge- nus of brachiopods with shells of semicircular outline, dorsal valve concave and ventral valve convex, with long, low hinge areas, and with the shell surface marked by fine regular radiat- ing ribs. Two species are common and well- known index fossils. Plectambonites sericeus, the earlier characteristic Ordovician species, has a wider, less convex form, with the ribs all of about the same size; while Plectambonites trans- fcrsalis of the Silurian has a rounder, more convex form with several delicate ribs inserted between larger ribs. Both these species are found occupying their relative positions in the Ordovician and Sihtrian rocks of North America, Europe, and Asia. PLECTOGKNATHI (Xeo-Lat. nom. pi., from Gk. 7rXeKT6s, plekfos. twisted + 7ra^os, gnatlios, jaw ). A group of bony fishes, having the skele- ton less perfectly ossified than in osseous fishes generally. It contains many highly aberrant forms, such as the globe-fishes. The maxillary bones are cocissified with the premaxillaries. The skin is usually tough or well armed with bony plates or spines. The fins are small, the spinous dorsal fin sometimes and the ventral fins always wanting. These fishes are for the most part 7)assive creatures and depend upon their arma- ture for protection. The order contains tliree suborders, namely, Sclerodermi, Ostracodcrmi, and Gymnodontes, and includes such forms as the trigger-fishes, trunk-fishes, pulTers, etc. See Plate of Plectognath Fishes. PLEC'TOSPON'DYLI {Neo-Lat. nom. pi., from Gk. TrXe/mSs, plelctos. twisted + <rTr6pdvos, spondijlos, <ri}6i'Sv'Kot, sphoncli/los. backbone), A gi'oup of teleost fishes, which consists entirely of fresh-water forms, and includes about eight families, to which belong the majority of all the fresh-water fishes of the world. The essential character of the order, as defined bv .Jordan (Fishes of Xorth America, Washington, 1896), lies in the modification of the anterior vertebrae, as in the Xematognathi. but the opercular bones are all present and the skin bears scales. It contains the three well-marked suborders, Eventognathi (the carps, minnows, suckers, etc.), Heterognathi (the tropical characinids, etc. ), Gymnonoti ( Gymnonotidse, etc. ). Compare Ostariophv-si. PLECTRUM (Lat., from Gk. irXijKTpov. pick- iron, instrument for striking, from irXricativ, ples- sein, to strike), A small instrument made of ivory, tortoise-shell, metal, or wood, used for plucking the .strings of certain nmsical instru- ments, like the zither and mandolin. In olden times it was simply held between the fingers, but now it is generally provided with a ring to slip over the thumb. PLEDGE (OF. plege, Fr. pleige. Olt. pieggio, pledge; of uncertain etymology, perhaps ultimate- ly from Lat. prcehere, prcehibere, to offer, from prce, before -+- habere, to have). Personal prop- erty delivered by one person to another to be held by him as security for the performance of an obligation, usually the payment of a debt. The term also denotes the legal transaction in- volved in making a pledge. The common-law pledge corresponds to the pignus, or pawn, under the civil law, although it cannot certainly Ije said that the common-law uledge was adopted from the civil law. A pledge is distinguishable from a mortgage in that the relation of the pledgor and pledgee is that of bailor and bailee, the legal interest of the bailee being his right to possession of the pledge with power to sell it upon non-paj'ment of the debt. Any personal property actually in existence and capable of delivery into the possession of the pledgee may be pledged. Future property (that is, property not yet in existence, as a ship yet to be built or cloth yet to be made) cannot be pledged. An agreement, however, for the pledging of future property creates a valid equitable lien which a court of equity will enforce whenever the property comes into existence. The so-called inchoate or potential property which the common law regarded as present legal prop- erty, although in fact not in existence, as crops planted but not grown, or the wool to be groTi upon sheep actually in existence, might also be pledged, while the mortgagee at common law acquired title to the mortgaged property. The pledgee has a right to retain po.ssession of the pledge only until the debt is paid or obliga- tion performed. He is bound to exercise due or reasonable care in preserving and protecting the property pledged. Whenever the debt or obliga- tion is due, he is entitled to sell the pledge and apply the proceeds to the payment of the debt, turning over the surplus, if any, to the pledgor. Before selling the property he is required to give fair and reasonable notice to the pledgor, and the sale should be made in such a manner as to secure the best price for the property. The usual method is by public auction at the place where property of the class pledged is usually sold. Notice of the sale and any particular method of sale may be waived by the pledgor. Equity also exercised its jurisdiction to foreclose a pledge bv directing a judicial sale of the property pledged, thus giving to the pledaee a remedy in addition to his common-law right of