1835. ] 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



'57 



from the Indians. Vineyards were attempted; and ex- 

 perienced vine-dressers sent over lor this purpose. 

 The culture of silkworms was recommended with a 

 like anxiety; whilst anniseed, flax, hemp, wheat, and 

 barley, with various other productions, formed a large 

 and judicious lis 1 : forfeiture essay and experiment. Co- 

 lonies will, for a considerable time at least, reflect the 

 manners and pursuits of the parent state. During the 

 hist years of the reign oi James, a considerable taste 

 for ag-icultural inquiry prevailed; and numerous trea- 

 tises were published on the subject. The company 

 sent over several of those tracts, for the use of the co- 

 lony. It is not surprizing, that at this time, a rage for 

 speculative fanning prevailed in the colony. 



"The commerce of Virginia, from the nature of 

 things, was for a long time of little value. Before the 

 year 1614, she had no staple. But once, that she was 

 legalized as a a fair trader, and the industry of her cit- 

 izens was excited by the prospect of wealth and the se- 

 curity of freedom, her advances were unparalleled and 

 almost miraculous. In the year 1620, her tobacco was 

 more than sufficient for the English market, and the 

 continent was resorted to, as a vent for the superfluity. 

 — Hist, of Va., vol. 1, p. 305. 



Tobacco was not only the staple crop, but it soon 

 became, and long continued, the greater part of 

 the legal and current money of Virginia. Payments 

 and fines fixed by law were generally specified in to- 

 bacco—and that kind of money was not entirely 

 displaced until the revolutionary war. Even after to- 

 bacco was no longer a legal tender in payment, habit 

 and convenience continued to make tobacco notes, (or 

 the certificates of hogsheads of tobacco, and their 

 ta, being deposited in the public inspection 

 houses,) a common currency. It is not 40 years ago 

 since a tobacco note passed from hand to hand for the 

 sum that the hogshead would sell for, and the pos- 

 session of the note was the evidence of ownership. 

 There was much convenience in this before other pa- 

 per money had been authorized by law — and such a pa- 

 per currency had the rare advantage of being the rep- 

 resentative of real value. But this conversion of to- 

 bacco to current money, and at a fixed legal rate, doubt- 

 less aided in this respect the universal tendency of all 

 legal inspections of the qualities of commodities — that 

 is, of deteriorating the quality, and of course, ultimate- 

 ly, the market price. The legal inspection of tobacco 

 remains to this day a prominent feature of the absurd 

 and general inspection system: and the only redeeming 

 merit of this is, that the certificates of the inspectors, 

 as to the quality cf the tobacco, are universally and total- 

 ly disregarded as evidences of value. 



I proceed to give some of the early rates of value as 

 estimated in tobacco, and fixed by the governors' proc- 

 lamations. 



"During the administration of Captain Argall, to- 

 bacco was fixed at three shillings the pound. In 1623, 

 Canary, Malaga, Alicant, Tent, Muskadel, and Bas- 

 tard wines, were rated at six shillings in specie, and 

 sack.ninc shillings the gallon payable in tobacco. Sherry, 

 andAquavita?, at four shillings, or four and six-pence in 

 tobacco. Wine vinegar at three shillings, or four shil- 

 lings and six-pence in tobacco. Cider and beer vinegar 

 at two shillings, or three shillings in tobacco. Loaf 

 sugar, one shilling and eight-pence per pound, or two 

 shillings and six-pence in tobacco. Butter and cheese 

 eight-pence per pound, or one shilling in tobacco. 

 Newfoundland fish per cwt. fifteen shillings, or one 

 pound four shillings in tobacco. Canada fish, two 

 pounds, or three pounds ten shillings in tobacco. Eng- 



lish meal sold at ten shillings the bushel, and Indian 

 coin at eight." — Hist, of I a., vol. 1. p. 307. 



In 1G07, an improvement was made in the mode of 

 curing tobacco, which was deemed of enough impor- 

 tance to be stated in history. [Siilh, p. 147.] Pre- 

 viously, it had been cured in heaps. Mr. Lam- 

 bert discovered that it cured better hung on lines, or 

 on sticks, as in now customary. 



"One hundred dissolute persons, at the express com- 

 mand of his majesty, delivered by his marshal, were 

 sent over as servants, [in 1613,] much to the dissatis- 

 faction and inconvenience of the company, who were 

 obliged instantly, at the positive urgency of the king - , 

 to hire ships at an advanced premium. 



"At the instance and advice of the treasurer, one 

 hundred virgins were sent over as wives, for the pur- 

 pose of fixing to the soil, the roving and inconstant spir- 

 its of the colonists.'-' — Hist, of Va., vol. I, p. 206. 



"Such of these maids as were married to the public 

 farmers, were to be transported at the company's ex- 

 pense, but if they were married to others, that then 

 those who took them to wife, should repay the compa- 

 ny their charges of transportation.' — Stfth,p. 166. 



"The arbitrary conduct of the king, with regard to 

 the persons ordered for transportation, "was followed by 

 one equally flagrant and unjust, respecting tobacco, 

 contrary to the plain and express words of their charter, 

 which exempted them from all custom and subsidy for 

 twenty one years, excepting only five per cent, iipon 

 all such goods, Stc. '-as should be imported into Eng- 

 land," &.c. The Spanish tobacco, which generally 

 brought eighteen shillings the pound, and tobacco of Vir- 

 ginia, which was sold at three, were fixed by the finan- 

 cial logic of the farmers of the customs, at an average 

 ratio of ten shillings the pound; while with a conse- 

 quence perfectly consistent with the premises, a duty 

 of six-pence the pound was demanded on the whole." 

 —vol. 1, p. 207. 



'-Tobacco had become the staple of the country: and 

 with this article the colonists not only stocked the Eng- 

 lish market, but had opened a trade for it with Hol- 

 land, and established ware-houses in Middleburg and 

 Flushing. 



"The king, notwithstanding he professed on all occa- 

 sions the most marked dislike and aversion to this com- 

 modity, and had even labored to write it into disrepute,* 

 did not see with indifference the diversion of a part of 

 his revenue into foreign siates, by the trade of ti.e co- 

 lonists. In vain the petition of the colonists, and the 

 remonstrance of the company, attempted to soften or 

 remove the obduracy of the monarch. Their depu- 

 ties had to encounter the stern denial of justice from 

 the privy council, in addition to the frowns and inso- 

 lence of office. They were ordered to bring all 

 their tobacco into England, in despite of their privi- 

 leges as Englishmen, and the plain letter of thtir char- 

 ter."— vol. l,p.209. 



"This year (1620) was remarkable for the introduc- 

 tion of negro slaves into the colony — an evil, than 

 which, none can be conceived more portentous and 

 afflicting. A Dutch ship bound homeward from the 

 coast of Guinea, sold twenty of this wretched race to 

 the colonists." — vol. I, p. 210. 



In 1021, various tilings most needed 1 y the colony 

 were subscribed, or advanced on loan, 'by individuals of 

 the company in England, to be sold in Virginia on cer- 

 tain terms, for re-payment. The most remarkable ven- 

 ture enrolled, consisted of — 



*Scp at pngell, vol ii. of the Farmers' Register some amu- 

 sing passages est acted from Kiog James' Counterblaste to To-. 

 b<ic o. 



