34 



THE FARMERS' REGIStEtl. 



heads per annum, from which she derives a 

 revenue of ten millions of dollars. 



Kuti^ia, Spain, Portugal, and some ot" the minor 

 powers of Europe adhere to their various mono- 

 |)oliee under diHerent names, but all lending to the 

 manilest oppression of this our staple. And the 

 Germanic powers inciiided in the zoll varien or 

 commercial union of Germany, have not reduced 

 any portion of their transit duties or abated in the 

 slightest degree their commercial system in which 

 lol)acco is the article most heavily taxed, as it is 

 indeed in every nation in Europe, except Holland 

 and Belgium. They have met us in that spirit 

 of e(|ualiiy and justice which should ever exist 

 between nations having friendly commercial rela- 

 tions ; who have a right to insist upon and never 

 ehould be satisfied wiihout a Irce exchange of 

 conimerce on equal and reciprocal fooling. 



Treaties with several of the European govern- 

 ments expire in a few years, and a just regard to 

 the planting interest requires that ihey should not 

 be renewed unless the odious burdens and restric- 

 tions imposed upon the staple of tobacco be mo- 

 dififd. 



The treaty with iheHanseatic Towns ofLubec, 

 Bremen and Hamburg, expired by limitation in 

 December, 1839, but conMnuee in force until 

 twelve months' notice shall liave been given of 

 the intention to terminate it, and a fair opportunity 

 now presents itself to our government to do us 

 justice with these powers. 



The American Ministers at the Court of Great 

 Britain have for many years urged, with great 

 ability, on that government, the propriety ol'dimi- 

 nishing the duty on tobacco, as a matter of justice 

 to the United Slates on genera! principles of policy 

 and (ree trade between two friendly nations ; and 

 we have shown by arguments which we think it 

 would be difficult to answer, that, even as a mea- 

 sure of revenue, these excessive duties on this 

 article, to a great exient, defeat their own object. 

 But arguments have proved unavailing, and Great 

 Britain continues her duty of 72| cents per pound 

 on this product of our labor. 



With equal ability our Ministers to France, 

 commencing with Mr. JetJerson, in 1783, and 

 continued down to the present time by Gen Cass, 

 have remonstrated against the French system of 

 monopoly as injurious to the American tobacco 

 growing interest, and unjust by its departure from 

 that reciprocity and equality which the French 

 nation had insisted upon with some siernnes>;. in 

 iheir communications with our Minister in J785. 

 in all their comniercial intercou:se with the Uni 

 Jed Slates. Their remonstrances have met no 

 other response than an act of the French cham- 

 bers extending the law creating the monopoly of 

 American tobacco to the year 1852. 



By negotiation, therefore, nothing can be ex- 

 pected from her. The last ray of hope from that 

 source has expired, and the American Tobacco 

 planters must look to that tribunal which can 

 alone afford them relief for the evils they endure 

 — ID the Senate and House of Representatives of 

 the United States in congress assembled, we their 

 conetituents must appeal lor a redress of the 

 grievances herein set forth. And we rejoice that 

 this appeal has been most ably seconded from 

 other sources in vurione states in the union. 



Amongst our agents abroad communications 

 tVoiu Mr. Dodge and Mr. Miles have been repeat- 



edly received by our government, which evince 

 great zeal and labor in the ditl'erent spheres in 

 which liiey have acted. 



We have seen with pleasure a resolution intro- 

 duced into the Senate of Georgia to instruct their 

 senators, and request their re|)resentatives to use 

 their besi effort- to have a law passed by conjjresa 

 to tax all French wines, silks and brandies, in 

 projjortion to the duty which they lay upon our 

 tobacco in their ports. 'J"he governor of Virginia 

 has called the attention of the legislature of that 

 siaie to the subject in his message to them at their 

 present session, and submitted whether it is not 

 expedient, through their representation in con- 

 gress, to enforce the just claims of their tobacco 

 planters to a reduction of the enormous duties 

 imposed on tobacco by most European govern- 

 ments. 



And as early as January, 1837, the legislature 

 of Maryland unanimously passed the following 

 resolution : 



Resolved, That the senators and representa- 

 tives of this Slate in the conizress of the United 

 States be recinesied to lake under their especial 

 care this highly important and much neglected 

 interest, and that they be particularly requested to 

 oppose all and every adjustment of the present 

 fariti', without obiainiiig lor the tobacco interest a 

 fair and equal participation in the benefiis to be 

 derived from such adjustment." 



In conclusion, your committee recommend to 

 the convention the adoption of the following resc- 

 lutions : 



1st, Resolved, That the only effieclual remedy 

 for the evils the tobacco interest labors under from 

 the hiffh duties imposed by Great Britain, and the 

 monopolies of France and other nations of Europe, 

 is to be Ibund in the action of congress, by coun- 

 tervailing duties: and that the convention relies 

 on the wisdom of congress in discriminating be- 

 tween those governments which have and those 

 which have not manilesled a disposition to abandon 

 or modify their present oppressive duties and 

 restrictions imposed on tobacco from the United 

 States. 



2d. Resolved, That it be recommended to the 

 crovernment of the United Slates that the treaties 

 now in existence with foreign countries which 

 contain no stipulations for reciprocity in duties on 

 their res^pective products be not renewed. 



3d, Resolved That the governors of the several 

 sta'es ol' the union engaged in the cultivation of 

 tobacco, be earnesily rcquesied to call the atten- 

 tion of iheseveial lfgisl;ttures of their respective 

 states to this subject of the American tobacco 

 trade with foreign nations. 



4\b. Resolved, That a copy of the proceedings 

 of this convention be laid before the Senate and 

 House of Representatives of the United Stales, 

 and that the senators and representatives from 

 tobacco-growing states be earnestly requested to 

 take such speedy and efficient means as in their 

 judgment may be best calculated to accomplish 

 the^object contemplated by this convention. 



The report and accompanying resolutions hav- 

 ing been read — 



The convention was addressed at great length 

 by Hon. Philip Triplett and Hon. Jos. R. Under-_ 

 wood, of Kentucky ; Geo. H. Sieuart, Esq. of 

 Baliimore; Hon. Jas. Garland, of Virginia ;_ 

 Walter Bowie, Esq. and Hon. Daniel Jeniler, of 



