The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-03
WEDDING TITLES
French Republic Defines Its Attitude
Toward Nobiliary Honors

Frances government, for the first time
since the Inauguration Of the present re-
public. near forty years ago. has recently
made a definite announcement in the ma
tional legislature of its attitude with re-
gard 10 nobiiary titles and. in view Of
the number Of marriages that are con-
stantly taking place between American
women and members of the Gallo aris-
tocracy, 1t is well that the matter should
be made widely known in this country,
where so much misapprehensiOn exists
with regard TO dignities Of this kind.
True. there have been brief cable dis
patches to the effect that France had de-
clded to impose Il tax upon titles and had
therefore decided to recognize them from
henceforth. Bus this information was
manifestly sent in ignorance Of the real
views Of the government. as contained in
the numbers OF the Journal Oficiel which
have just come to hand For, In the first
place. the legislature has enacted no new
tax upon titles, and certainly there can
not be any question Of a new departure
being made in according recognition 10
nobiliary honors. since that recognition
has never been withheld.
II is a mistake too, to imagine that
nobiliary dignities have been abolished by
this republic. in spite Of all the state
ments which have been made to the con
trary. There have been but two DEGREES
enacted during the last 80 years in
France abOlishing titles. and each of them
has been repealed. In August, 1872, at
the time of the first revolution, a law
was enacted doing away with the nObll-
ity as II then existed, and annulling all
the privileges and pTerogatiyes which II
had, up TO that date, enjoyed. Napoleon
in his proclamation as emperor some
years later created an entirely new no.
bility, consisting of dukes, counts, and
barOus. After his downfall the Bourbon
government, in its national charter and
constitution Of 1914. decreed that all Ma
oleonic titles should receive recognition,
nd that the nobiliary dignities abolished
y the convention of 1873 should be re
tOTed 10 the old aTistOCraCy, though
ithOut any political or official pTeroga-
Ives and immunities. In 1SiS, after the
verthrow OF King Louis Philippe, the
rovisional revolutionary government is
ned law, once more abolishing all titles
nobility. and prohibiting their use. But
his law was repealed by a subsequent
ne dated February a. 1S52. and has never
cen re-enacted since that time.
1t is, therefore. altogether wrong to say
hat titles are abolished in France. Quite
he contrary is the case. They exist by
'irtue Of the laws of 1914 and of 1852,
which are still in force and what is more.
hey have all along been officially recOg-
IIzed by the government Of the republic.
The latter. moreover, has continued with
iut intermission to tax these titles. and
% derive a revenue from their use, and if
he matter was brought up in the legisla-
IRE the other day in connection with the
discussion Of the budget it was merely
or the purpose Of devIsing some kind Of
Denalties for those evading the payment
# the statutory impost upon their nObil-
airy titles II is estimated that at the
present moment the treasury suffers a
oss of nearly 100000 francs year
through the nOnpayment of this particu-
ar tax. which Is in the nature Of the sue
ession duties in England. that is to say,
is not payable annually, but on the
'egistration Of the titles by the depart
nent Of justice, at the head of which is
he keeper of the great seal Of France
fees of a considerable amount are i'm
posed for registration. which is required
III the succession Of an heir to title. or
IN the assumption by an individual of
tiles which belonged TO his ancestors, and
% which he has right by virtue Of de-
scent in the male line direct, but which,
or one reason or another, have lain dor
usut for some time. Thus. a few years
ago the Comte Armand de Ia Rochefou-
,auId, on assuming his fathers title of
Duke Of Bisaccia, furnished the necessary
proofs TO the department of justice, and
)aid dues to the extent Of 1000 francs,
hat is 10 say. about $1,000. receiving in
-eturn the recognition by the government
f the dignity in question, and the au-
horization to use it in legal and official
documents as part and parcel of his name.
Tor one case such as that OF the Comte
Ie Ia Rochofoucauld, where the statutory
ees have been paid, there are thousands
where the requirement has been either UNI
consciously neglected, or else purposely
Vaded and until now there has been no
means OF bringing these tax dodgers TO
cCount. The law, as now amended, pro-
ides that 10 titles shall be used in Off
ial or in legal documents unless they
ave received the statutory recognition by
he government, and imposes a consider
bic fine upon any mayor, registrar con-
NJ, ia fact, upon any government official,
Who has permitted the use of a nobiliary
tile in a public document without having
ssured himself Of the recognition Of the
-s~-- .7-.~-. .--#--- 80
\ fine Of anywhere from 500 TO $1,000 is
very serious matter TO a rural mayor,
nd il viii cause him TO insist upon q
cry careful scrutiny of the necessary
authorization Of the department of jus
&c before ne permits any title TO be
lentioned in documents 10 which his
gn manual and seal are required. 1t
iii likewise serve TO put an end 10 an
buse which is largely responsible for the
Extraordinary number Of fictitious duke
oms, marquisates, cOuutships, and
barOnes now ia existence In France.
Heretofore il has been an extremely easy
matter for any one taking the trouble to
ingrauate himself with a village mayor,
or any public functionary Of the same
class, 10 induce him 10 prefix the predi-
cate of baron, or viscount, or marquis.
or prince. TO ones name in official docu-
ments. Sometimes it was done by the
official In question to oblige the owner Of
the principal chateau in the district In
other instances il would be done IN return
for q present, either In cash or In kind.
But the document thus obtained, whether
Il be q certificate Of BIRTH or marriage.
or OF death. or even q mere notarial act.
would serve from thenceforth 10 the
parties who had obtained il as q prima
facie proof that the dignitIes which they
had assumed without any warrant what
enavnr Wera sanctioned hv the sfate