Sawyer's Lessee v. Shannon and Boling

It is not intended at this time to give any decided opinion; I will therefore suggest an idea which may be attended to on both sides. Is it not a rule, in construing explanatory statutes, to confine the construction strictly to the letter? Otherwise there would be an explanation upon an explanation.2

2 see 6 Wil. ed. Bac. Ab. 388, and notes.