362 Readings in European History over by the French government to a company of finan- ciers called the " farmers general." These men and their agents were commonly disliked for obvious reasons. Toward the end of Louis XV's reign the agents of the "farm " obtained a lettre de cachet for the imprisonment of an unfortunate individual whom they mistook for an- other man of the same name. When the prisoner was released he brought suit against the " farmers," who were condemned to pay heavy damages. They applied, however, to the king's council, which annulled the deci- sion ; whereupon the court which had decided the case laid a solemn "protest " before the king denouncing the whole system of arbitrary imprisonment. Sire : 379. Protest Your Court of Excises, 1 having been impeded in the ad- of a French ministration of justice by illegal acts which cannot have lawagainst emanated from your Majesty personally, have determined lettres de that a very humble and very respectful protest should be cachet (1770). mac } e to y 0U concerning the matter. . . . Certain agents of the "farm "arrested an individual named Monnerat without observing any of the restrictions imposed by law. Shortly afterwards an order from your Majesty was produced in virtue of which the man was taken to the prison of Bicetre and held there for twenty months. Yet it is not the excessive length of the imprisonment that should most deeply touch your Majesty. There exist in the fortress of Bicetre subterranean dungeons which were dug long ago to receive certain famous criminals who, after having been con- demned to de ith, saved themselves by exposing their accom- plices. It would seem that they were condemned to a life which would have made death the preferable alternative. 1 This court {cour des aides), as well as the parlements, often sent protests to the king, criticising the policy of his ministers and council. The protests were frequently printed, and so served to rouse and culti- vate public opinion.
