1 Or. 92 | Or. | 1854
Several objections are made to the proceedings in the court below, only two of which deserve particular notice. Evidence was given on the trial to prove that the parties made a contract by which defendant in error was to cultivate, in wheat and rye, a certain quantity of plaintiff’s land—plaintiff to furnish seed, team, &o., and defendant to thresh and deliver one-half of the grain to plaintiff. Further evidence was given to show that defendant?, after taking possession of, did not cultivate the said land in wheat and rye, but permitted a volunteer crop of oats to grow upon it. The District Court instructed the jury that the “reasonable rent” of the ground was the rule by which to estimate damages for the violation of said contract. We regard this instruction as incorrect. Where the contract furnishes the measure of damages, no other will be adopted. The value of the grain which the plaintiff would have received from a compliance with the contract by defendant, is the proper standard for éstimating damages in this case. No injustice is worked by requiring a party to perform his agreement, or pay in damages what would be equivalent to a performance.
Judgment below reversed.