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Dear
Friends & Family,
In
September of 1777, the gentleman at the  right,
François, Marquis de Barbé-Marbois was traveling from Boston
to Philadelphia, as secretary of the French legation to the
newly born United States. On the 6th of the
month, some 22 miles outside of Boston, he had this to say about
the inhabitants of New England:
No
form of activity is considered ignoble here as long as it is
useful to society. Sometimes, we learn that the keeper of
the inn was a colonel in the forces of the State; sometimes we
saw a priest himself getting in the crops or working in his
fields... One day we had a superfluity of
provisions. We said to our host, "Give this to
the poor." He hardly understood us, and no poor could
be found....
Here are no tolls on each bridge, no seignorial rights on
entering or leaving districts, no salt tax falling heavily on
some and lightly on others, no monopoly of good Dutch tobacco,
no smugglers or dealers in contraband salt, and no farm guards...
...The countryside was covered with harvesters and mowers;
all of them cheerful people, healthy, well-nourished, and
well-clothed. We spoke to one of them who seemed to be the
farmer and whom the others addressed as "major."
We made him talk about his farm and his way of living....One of
us asked him "who possessed 'the low and high justice,' how
much rent he paid to the lord of the village, how much it cost
each time a piece of property changed hands, who had the right
to the payment of a fifth and the fifth of a fifth, if he were
allowed to hunt and fish, if the cider press, the tower, and the
mill were far away, if he were allowed to have a dovecote, if
the tithe was heavy and forced labor frequent and painful, how
many bushels of salt he was obliged to consume, how much was the
tax on drinks, and if there was capital punishment for those who
were convicted of having tobacco plants in their gardens.
At all these questions, he started to laugh. He could not
form a conception of so many obstacles placed in the way of free
exercise of the right of property and the liberty of
individuals...
-- The Letters of François, Marquis de Barbé-Marbois, Duffield
& Co, NY, pp 88-91
Here's
to hoping we might always, (or at least again?), find such
questions "laughable!"
Don't
miss the upcoming FARMERS
BARN BASH!
It's going to be a blast! The Paradise Valley
Model A Club will be our honored guests, leading a costume
contest for the most authentically dressed Hoover-era Partisan,
Unionist, Gangster or Unemployed Factory
Worker. Come in your best double-breasted
pinstripe suit, Service Kahkis, or Gibson Girl
attire! Click the above link or call
909-790-TIME for more information. All
proceeds benefit the Future Farmers of America and the Alex Law
Memorial Fund.
Don't forget to keep checking the barn
events link at the top left. Jesse Cross
and Scott Riley are getting the historic packing shed ready for
another year of great dinners, banquets, music, comedy, and
drama. Some people say we don't need any more drama
around here, but we think differently!
Your Humble Servant,
James Riley
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