Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-29
s'BOycOtting'' i'm France.
from the London Times

The ''Droit de Marche'' had for it's headquar-
tiers the portion of Picardy which bore the omi-
nous name of 'Sangterre," now generally writ
ten "Santerre;" but it formerly extended over
Artois, Flanders, Champagne and the Isle of
France. At the present time it is practically re-
stricted to three cOmmunes near PerOnne. Under
its regime, if a landowner let a farm or piece
OF land to tenant, no matter under what cir
cpmstances, the tenant considered himself made
thereby cO-prOprietor in the land or the farm as
the case might be. The only clause in his lease
to which he paid any serious attention was that
concerning the payment of rent; everything else
was dead letter. The tenant claimed the right
to sublet his farm, to bequeath it, to give away
or to sell the right to its occupation, and so
forth. At the expiration of the lease the land
lord might let the farm to another person, &C
cording to his legal right; but what would
be the consequence? The old tenant
would Of course receive notice to quit he
and pronounce sees mOts sacrament
taux:-'Je mai jamais fat daffront a personne;
Jespere bien que personne ne men fers.' This
statement had the force of a sentence passed by
locality would become tenant of the land thus
vacated. So far as they were concerned the
land was, to use modern language, "boycOtted."
Ii farmer from distance became the tenant
he was subjected to one or more of the outrages
already mentioned, and deplOrable list of
crimes might be compiled by diligent student
Many acres of land have consequently been left
uncultivated for very many years; M. Saudi
breul gives examples dating back sixty years
from the date of his speech and I have myself
received similar information from a proprietor
who last year had land under similar disability
He would not recognize the ''Droit de Marche."
therefore his land was ''boycotted;" he could
not cultivate it himself, nor could he let it to
others.
This, however, is only what NJ Saudbreuil
calls ia force dinertie;" but to give an idea Of
the active force of this conspiracy for that is it's
proper designation, 1t Is necessary to mention a
few characteristic crimes. A proprietor Of 200
acres not having come to an agreement with his
tenants for the renewal of their leases, consoli-
dated the whole into one farm, built stealing
sufficient for the requirements Of holding of
that size, and let it to a Belgian farmer. In four
consecutive years, Immediately after harvest. the
farm buildings and the crops were burnt to the
ground, and at last the tenant was obliged to
thresh his corn as 1t was reaped on the field. OF
ordinary incendiary fires large crop might be
gathered from the records but evidence was
very rarely forthcoming to insure the conviction
OF the culpr1t. Among murders, may mention
that priest was shot at his own church door,
and no witness to the crime could be made to
give evidence; on another occasion man
was shot dead during mass in the church itself,
and although more than two hundred people
were present every one eWOfe that he or
she did not see who committed the deed. A
mayor of q commune became tenant Of land that
had been cultivated by tine owner during the ten
previous years. and before the first year Of his
tenancy was out he was murdered, but no trace
Of the assassin was ever discovered. 1 have Sc
lected these cases rs being of unusual atrocfty
but common murders were numerous, and rarely
were the murderers found guilty by the tribu-
nals In consequence OF want Of evidence. There
is on record, however, one remarkable case Of
man having been hanged for the murder of his
successor as tenant of piece Of land. The I'M
written code OF the supporters Of the "Droit de
Aarche" contained no provision for such an
event. and therefore the whole OF those persons
In the commune who pretended to possess the
"DrOit de Marche" of the land which they occu-
pied were summoned to a consultation. The
murderer was married man, and the decision
arrived at was that the most well-to-do unmar-
ried laborer in the commune should Immediate
~ marry the widow, the assembly undertaking
to subscribe for wedding present, set Ia chose
fut executed"
Every kind of 'boycotting" was practised
toward the person and family of the depoisteur.
for by that name the incoming tenant was
known, unless he made the outgoing tenant his
"Droit de Aarche, and was even his nominee
But probably the extent of this system may be
measured by the fact that nobody dared marry
the daughter Of depointesr. Among other
characteristics the farmers insisted upon paying
their rent in kind, and maintained this privilege
as symbol of their -proprietorship in the
land. Frequently the landlord did not know;
and was not permitted to know, the names or
persons OF his tenants. 1t was maintained that
SO long as he was paid punctually the rent
which he had stipulated for he had no business
to interfere or even to inquire as to the manage
ment Of the property. II the proprietor wished
to sell his land he must first offer It to the ten
ant, who claimed the ''Droit de Marche' in
every sense; otherwise he would find no pur-
chaser in the locality, and one from distance
would share the same fate as an alien tenant
The Mean Joke Played en- Sam Price.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sam Price, wood sawyer, living in Portland
Or, was enamored OF chambermaid In one OF
the hotels, but his fondness was unreturned.
He was however, allowed to continue his atten-
lions, and on every opportunity pressed his
suit. Recently an efeminate looking waiter,
dressed in neat young lady's costume received
Price when he came to pay his usual call to
the chambeimald. In the partially lighted
room the woOd sawyer did not detect the decep-
ton, and, as usual, pressed his suit and to his
great Joy was accepted. Price wished to con-
summate the nupt!ais immediately, and the
blushng maid in his arms consented. An ae-
compAce to the plot was the justice. and IN q
cold official way performed the ceremony. The
happy bridegroom with his bride retired to one
of the rooms Of the hotel, when the new wife
ran laughing into the hall. and the astonished
boarders jeering him. He was not allowed to
cal joke
'Cant ron trust me. darIina.~ murnured
6Elktns to the daughter Of Old Noneylender.
~10t without realestate soen1ty, replied Isar
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