VIRGINIA 61 



pay for with its own produce, and so has been for a 

 long time indebted to the British merchants, whose 

 indulgence and confidence were almost without limit. 

 And now since this unrestricted credit is not to be 

 had from the merchants of other nations, the lack of 

 hard money is felt at this time more than ever before, 

 for equalizing the balance of the European trade which 

 is against Virginia. The money spread about the 

 country during the war is still a help; but as this be- 

 comes gradually exhausted, embarrassment will more 

 and more increase, unless new channels open for get- 

 ting gold and silver from the southern parts of 

 America, or unless the produce of the land is aug- 

 mented, as it may very well be, from the nature of the 

 soil. 



The want of hard money is felt not only in com- 

 mercial affairs but also in the collection of the public 

 revenues, and the government has been obliged to pass 

 an act proclaiming that tobacco, hemp, flour, grain, 

 and skins are to be accepted of the people in payment 

 of .their taxes. For this purpose special magazines 

 have been established and inspectors appointed, where- 

 by the state is subject to additional expense. And the 

 government, having to set up as a merchant, and pay 

 the costs of ware-houses, inspectors &c, must there- 

 fore exact more of the citizen who cannot pay cash 

 money, or suffer loss itself. 



Richmond has only one public sheet, issued twice a 

 week : + and so far as I know this is the only newspaper 

 in all Virginia. Nevertheless it is inferior in every re- 

 spect to the sorriest of the Philadelphia sheets, and in 

 comparison with these, seldom contains any articles of 

 importance; and in general this province is poor in 



