Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce Part 4

Tatham says, "Even the tavern keepers were compelled to exchange a dinner for a few pounds of tobacco." The law for the regulation of payments in tobacco was pa.s.sed in the year 1640. From these facts and incidents connected with the culture and commerce of the plant we see how intimately it was connected with both Church and State. Jones well said "the Establishment is indeed tobacco;" the salary of ministers was payable in it according to the wealth of the parish. In most parishes 16000 lbs. was the yearly amount, "and in some 20,000 lbs. of Tobacco; out of which there is a deduction for Cask, prizing, collecting, and about which allowance there are sometimes disputes, as are also differences often about the place, time, and manner of delivering it; but all these things might easily be regulated. Tobacco is more commonly at 20 s. per cent. than at 10; so that certainly it will bring 12 s. 8 d. a hundred, which will make 16000 (the least salary) amount to 100 per Ann. which it must certainly clear, allowing for all petty charges, out of the lowness of the price stated which is less than the medium between ten and twenty shillings; whereas it might be stated above the medium, since it is oftener at twenty than ten shillings.

Besides the payment of the salary, the surplice fees want a better regulation in the payments; for though the allowance be sufficient, yet differences often and illwill arise about these fees, whether they are to be paid in money or tobacco, and when; whereas by a small alteration and addition of a few laws in these and the like respects, the clergy might live more happy, peaceable, and better beloved; and the people would be more easy, and pay never the more dues.

"Some parts of the country make but mean and poor tobacco so that Clergymen don't care to live in such parishes; but there the payment might be made in money, or in the produce of those places, which might be equivalent to the tobacco payments; better for the minister, and as pleasing to the people."

We find further complaints from the London Company of the poor quality of the tobacco "sent home," in a letter addressed to the Governor, bearing date 10th June, 1622:--

"The tobacco sent home by the George for the company proved very meane and is yett unsold although it hath been offered at 3s. the pound. This we thought fitt to advise you concerning the quant.i.ty and the manner how it is raised, in both wich being done contrarie to their directors and extreamly to theire prejudice, the Companie is very ill sattisfied, will write by the next, more largely."

In the year 1620 the difficulties seem first to have been publicly avowed, (though perhaps before felt,) arising from attaching men as permanent settlers to the colony without an adequate supply of women, to furnish the comforts of domestic life; and to overcome the difficulty "a hundred young women" of agreeable persons and respectable characters, were selected in England and sent out, at the expense of the Company, as wives for the settlers. They were very speedily appropriated by the young men of the colony, who paid for the privilege of choice considerable sums as purchase money, which went to replenish the treasury of the Company, from whence the cost of their outfit and pa.s.sage had been defrayed.

This speculation proved so advantageous to that body, in a pecuniary sense, that it was soon followed up by sending out sixty more, for whom larger prices were paid than for the first consignment; the amount paid on the average for the first one hundred being 120 pounds of tobacco apiece for each, then valued at 3s. per lb., and for the second supply of sixty, the average price paid was 150 lbs. of tobacco, this being the legal currency of the colony, and the standard value by which all contracts, salaries, and prices were paid. In one of the Companies letters dated in London this 12th of August, 1621, we find this account of a portion of the _goods_ sent over in the ship Marmaduke:--

"We send you in this ship one widdow and eleven maids for wives for the people in Virginia; there hath been especiall care had in the choise of them for their hath not any one of them beene received but upon good comendations, as by a note herewith sent you may perceive: we pray you all therefore in generall to take them into your care, and most especially we recommend them to you, Mr. Pountes, that at their first landing they may be housed, lodged and provided for of diet till they be marryed for such was the haste of sending them away, as that straightned with time, we had no meanes to putt provisions aboard, which defect shalbe supplied by the magazine shipp; and in case they cannot be presently marryed we desire they may be putt to several householders that have wives till they can be provided of husbands. There are neare fifty more which are shortly to come, we sent by our most hon.o.ble Lord William the Earle of Southampton and certain worthy gentlemen who taking into these considerations, that the Plantation can never flourish till families be planted and the respect of wives and children fix the people in the soil; therefore have given this fair beginning for the reimbursing of whose charges, itt is ordered that every man that marries them give 120 lb. waight of best leafe tobacco for each of them, and in case any of them dye that proportion must be advanced to make it upp to those that survive; and this certainly is sett down for that the price sett upon the bages sent last yeare being 20 lb. which was so much money out of purse here, there was returned 66 lb.

of tobacco only, and that of the worst and basest, so that fraight and shrinkage reconed together with the baseness of the comoditie there was not one half returned, which injury the company is sensible of as they demand rest.i.tution, which accordingly must be had of them that took uppon them the dispose of them the rather that no man may mistake himself, in accomptinge tobacco to be currant 3s. sterling contrary to express orders.

"And though we are desirous that marriadge be free according to the law of nature, yett undervow not to have these maids deterred and married to servants, but only to such freemen or tenants as have means to maintaine them; we pray you therefore to be fathers to them in this business, not enforcing them to marrie against their wills; neither send we them to be servants, but in case of extremitie, for we would have their condition so much better as mult.i.tudes may be allured thereby to come unto you; and you may a.s.sure such men as marry those women that the first servants sent over by the company shall be consigned to them, it being our intent to preserve families and proper married men before single persons. The tobacco that shall be due uppon the marriadge of these maids we desire Mr. Pountes to receive and returne by the first, as also the little quant.i.ties of Pitzarn Rock and Piece of Oare, the copie of whose bill is here returned. To conclude, the company for some weighty reasons too long to relate, have ordered that no man marrying these women expect the proportion of land usually allotted for each head, which to avoid clamor or other trouble hereafter you shall do well to give them notice of."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Buying wives.]

In another letter written by the company and dated London, September 11th, 1621, they write:--

"By this Shipp and Pinace called the Tyger, we also send as many maids and young women as will make up the number of fifty, with those twelve formerly sent in the Marmaduke, which we hope shalbe received with the same Christian pietie and charitie as they were sent from hence; the providing for them at their first landing and disposing of them in marriage (which is our chief intent), we leave to your care and wisdom, to take that order as may most conduce to their good, and satisfaction of the Adventurers, for the charges disbursed in setting them forth, which coming to twelve pounds and upwards, they require one hundred and fiftie of the best leafe tobacco for each of them; and if any of them dye there must be a proportionable addition uppon the rest; this increase of thirty pounds is weight since those sent in the Marmaduke, they have resolved to make, finding the great shrinkage and other losses uppon the tobacco from Virginia will not leave lesse, which tobacco as it shalbe received, we desire may be delivered to Mr. Ed. Blany, who is to keep thereof a particular account. We have used extraordinary care and dilligence in the choice of them, and have received none of whom we have not had good testimony of their honest life and cariadge, which together with their names, we send them inclosed for the satisfaction of such as shall marry them; for whose further encouragement we desire you to give public notice that the next spring we purpose to send over as many youths for apprentices to those that shall now marry any of them and make us due satisfaction.

"This and theire owne good deserts together with your favor and care, will we hope, marry them all unto honest and sufficient men, whose means will reach to present repayment; but if any of them shall unwarily or fondly bestow herself (for the liberty of marriadge we dare not infrindge) uppon such as shall not be able to give present sattisfaction, we desire that at least as soon as ability shalbe, they be compelled to pay the true quant.i.ty of tobacco proportioned, and that this debt may have precedence of all other to be recovered.

"For the rest, which we hope will not be many, we desire your best furtherance for providing them fitting services till they may happen uppon good matches, and are here persuaded by many old planters that there will be good maisters now found there, who will readily lay down what charges shall be required, uppon a.s.surance of repayment at their marriadges, which as just and reasonable we desire may be given them. But this and many other things in this business we must refer to your good considerations and fruitful endeavors in opening a work begun here out of pity, and tending so much to the benefitt of the plantation, shall not miscarry for any want of good will or care on your part."

In 1622 a monopoly of the importation of tobacco was granted to the Virginia and Somers Island, companies.

"But now at last it hath pleased G.o.d for the confirmation no doubt of our hopes and redoubling of our and your courage, to incline His Majestie's Royall heart to grant the sole importation of Tobacco (a thing long and earnestly desired), to the Virginia and Somers Island Companies, and that upon such conditions as the private profit of each man is likely to be much improved and the general state of the plantation strongly secured, while his Majestie's revenue is so closely joyned as together with the colonie it must rise and faile, grow and impair, and that not a small matter neither, but of twenty thousand pounds per annum, (for the offer of so much in certainty hath his majestie been pleased to refuse in favor of the Plantations)."

On Friday the 22d of March 1622 the Indians attacked the plantations "and attempted in most places under the color of unsuspected amytie, and by surprise to have cut us all off and to have swept us all away at once throughout the whole lande had itt not pleased G.o.d of his abundant mercy to prevent them in many places, for which we can never sufficient magnifie his blessed, name."

But notwithstanding this terrible ma.s.sacre in which nearly four hundred persons were slain the colony increased in wealth and numbers as plantations were laid out and the colonists developed the various resources of the country. From the first planting of tobacco in Virginia by the colony it seemed to meet the royal displeasure of King James the First who falsely and frivolously sought to establish a connection between the balmy plant, and the influences of the Evil One.

In 1622 King James still opposing the cultivation of tobacco sought by every means in his power to discourage its growth and culture. He urged the growing of mulberry trees and the propagation of silk worms, as being of more value than tobacco. In a letter dated 10th June 1622, addressed to the Governor and Council of Virginia by the London Company we find this reproof for neglecting the cultivation of "mulberrie trees":

"His Ma{tie} (Majesty) above all things requires from us a proof of silke; sharply reproving the neglect thereof, wherefore we pray you lett that little stock you have be carefully improved, the mulberrie trees preserved and increased, and all other fitt preparations made for, G.o.d willing before Christmas you shall receive from us one hundred ounces of Silkworme seed at least, which coming too late from Valentia we have been forced to hatch it here."

In 1623 a letter was prepared for the colony by order of privy council of the king and addressed to Sir Francis Wyatt Knight and Captain General of Virginia and to the rest of the Council of State in which the colony is admonished to pay more attention to "Staple Commodities." That part relating to it reads:

"The carefull and diligent prosecution of Staple Commodities which we promist; we above all things pray you to performe so as we may have speedily the real proof of your cares and endeavors therein, especially in that of Iron, of Vines and Silk the neglect and delay whereof so long is to us here cause of infinit grief and discontent, especially in regard of his Majesties just resentment therein that his Royall grace and love to the Plantation, which after so long a time and long a supply of his Majesties favor hath brought forth no better fruit than Tobacco.

"Yett by the goodness of G.o.d inclyning his princely heart, we have received not only from the Lords of his Privy Counsell, but from his Royal mouth such a.s.surance not only of his tender love and care but also of his Royal intentions for the advancement of the Plantation; that we cannot but exceedingly rejoice therein and persuade you with much more comfort and encouragement to go on in the building up of his Royal worke with all sincerity, care and diligence, and that with that perfect love and union amongst yourselves as may really demonstrate that your intentions are all one, the advancement of G.o.d's glorie and the service of his Royall Majestie: for the particularities of his Majesties gratious intentions for the future good, you may in part understand them by the courses appointed by the Lords, whereof we here inclosed send the orders.

"And we are further to signifie unto you that the Lords of his Majesties Privy Counsell, having by his Majesties order taken into their considerations the contract made last Sommer by the Company have dissolved the same; and signified that his Majestie out of his gracious and Royall intention and princely favor to the Plantation hath resolved to grant a sole Importion of Tobacco to the two Plantations, with an exception only of 40,000 weight of ye best Spanish Tobacco to be yearly brought in.

"And it hath also pleased his Majesty in favor of the Plantation to reduce ye custom and importing of tobacco to 9d. per pound: And last of all we are to signifie unto you that their Lordships have ordered that all the Tobacco shall be brought in from both Plantations as by their Lordship order whereof we send you a copy, you may perceive."

In 1624 King James prohibited the importation of foreign tobacco as well as the planting of tobacco in England or Ireland. The following is a portion of the proclamation:--

"Whereas our commons, in their last sessions of parliament became humble pet.i.tioners to us, that, for many weighty reasons, much concerning the interest of our kingdom, and the trade thereof, we would by our royal power utterly prohibit the use of all foreign tobacco, which is not of the growth of our own dominions: And whereas we have upon all occasions made known our dislike we have ever had of the use of tobacco in general, as tending to the corruption both of the health and manners of our people.

"Nevertheless because we have been often and earnestly importuned by many of our loving subjects, planters, and adventurers in Virginia and the Somer isles; that, as those colonies are yet but in their infancy, and cannot be brought to maturity, unless we be pleased, for a time, to tolerate unto them the planting and vending of their own growth; we have condescended to their desires: and do therefore hereby strictly prohibit the importation of any tobacco from beyond sea, or from Scotland, into England or Ireland other than from our colonies before named; moreover we strictly prohibit the planting of any tobacco either in England or Ireland."

Thus King James by Proclamation and Prohibition set his face sternly against the growth and traffic in the plant, which opposition knew no alteration and continued till his death, which occurred in 1625. James was succeeded by his son Charles I. On ascending the throne Charles manifested the same hostility towards the plant which his father had.

He prohibited the importation of all tobacco excepting that grown by the colony, and throughout his reign made no change in the restrictive laws against its growth and sale. He continued its sale, however, as a kingly monopoly, allowing only those to engage in it who paid him for the privilege. The Company had now raised a capital of two hundred thousand pounds, but falling into dispute and disagreeing one with another, Charles thought best to establish a royal government.

Accordingly he dissolved the Company in 1626, "reducing the Country and Government into his own immediate ordering all patents and processes to issue in his own name, reserving to himself a quit-rent of two shillings for every hundred acres of land."

The first act was by proclamation as follows:--

"That whereas, in his royal father's time, the charter of the Virginia Company was by a quo warranto annulled; and whereas his said father was, and he himself also is, of opinion, that the government of that Colony by a company incorporated, consisting of a mult.i.tude of persons of various dispositions, amongst whom affairs of the greatest moment are ruled by a majority of votes, was not so proper, for carrying on, prosperously, the affairs of the colony; wherefore, to reduce the government thereof to such a course as might best agree with that form which was held in his royal monarchy; and considering also, that we hold those territories of Virginia and Somer isles, as also that of New England, lately planted, with the limits thereof, to be a part of our royal empire; we ordain that the government of Virginia shall immediately depend on ourself, and not be committed to any company or corporation, to whom it may be proper to trust matters of trade and commerce, but cannot be fit to commit the ordering of state affairs.

"Wherefore our commissioners for those affairs shall proceed as directed, till we establish a council here for that colony; to be subordinate to our council here for that colony. And at our charge we will maintain those public officers and ministers and that strength of men, munition, and fortification, which shall be necessary for the defence of that plantation. And we will also settle and a.s.sure the particular rights and interests of every planter and adventurer. Lastly, whereas the tobacco of those plantations (the only present means of their subsisting) cannot be managed for the good of the plantations, unless it be brought into one hand, whereby the foreign tobacco of those plantations may yield a certain and ready price to the owners thereof: to avoid all differences between the planters and adventurers themselves, we resolve to take the same into our own hands, and to give such prices for the same as may give reasonable satisfaction, whereof we will determine at better leisure."

From this time forward the Plantation seemed to prosper, Charles granted lands to all the planters and adventurers who would till them, upon paying the annual sum of two shillings payable to the crown for each hundred acres. Before the death of King James, however, the cultivation of tobacco had become so extensive that every other product seemed of but little value in comparison with it, and the price realized from its sale being so much greater than that obtained for "Corne," the latter was neglected and its culture almost entirely abandoned.

Arthur and Carpenter, in their History of Virginia, give a graphic and truthful picture of its cultivation during the reign of King James:--

"The first articles of commerce to the production of which the early settlers almost exclusively devoted themselves, were potash, soap, gla.s.s and tar. Distance, however, and a want of the proper facilities to enable them to manufacture cheaply, rendered the cost of these commodities so great, that exports of a similar character from Russia and Sweden were still enabled to maintain their old ascendency in the markets of Europe. After many fruitless and costly experiments in the cultivation of the vine, the growing demand for tobacco enabled the planters to turn their labor into a profitable channel. As the demand increased the profits became correspondingly great, and every other species of labor was abandoned for the cultivation of tobacco.

"The houses were neglected, the palisades suffered to rot down, the fields, gardens and public squares, even the very streets of Jamestown were planted with tobacco. The townspeople, more greedy of gain than mindful of their own security, scattered abroad into the wilderness, where they broke up small pieces of rich ground and made their crop regardless of their proximity to the Indians, in whose good faith so little reliance could be placed."

During the reign of Charles I. many families of respectable connection joined the colony, and from this time forward the colony increased in wealth as well as numbers. King Charles, to use the language of another, had now commenced "as a tobacco merchant and monopolist," and in 1627 issued a proclamation renewing his already strong monopoly more effectually, by appointing certain officers of London "to seize all foreign tobacco, not of the growth of Virginia or Bermudas, for his benefit, agreeable to a former commission: also to buy up for his use all the tobacco coming from our said plantations, and to sell the same again for his benefit."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Growing tobacco in the streets.]

Again in 1630 King Charles issued another proclamation, and among other restrictions limited the importation of it from the colony.

Quickly following this the King issued in 1632 another proclamation regulating the retailing of tobacco. In 1634 he also prohibited the landing of tobacco any where except at the quay near the custom house in London.

In 1636 Charles appointed Sir John Harvey to be continued governor of the Plantation. In 1643 parliament laid a tax for the year 1644, calling it Excise, and also laid a duty of four shillings per pound on foreign, and two shillings per pound on English tobacco. From what has already been written, it will be seen that both King James and his son Charles I. enacted the most stringent laws against its importation, nearly suppressing the trade, which caused the English farmers to cultivate it for home use; but another law was now added to suppress its growth on English soil.

Fairholt in speaking of the hostility of King James to the plant says:

"When Kings make unnecessary and unjust laws, subjects naturally study how to evade them: it is a mere system of self-defence; and as James nearly suppressed the importation of tobacco the English began to grow it on their own land.

But the Scottish Solomon who was on the alert, added another law restraining its cultivation 'to misuse and misemploy the soil of this fruitful Kingdom.' As this enforced the trade with the English colony of Virginia alone, it was soon found that Spanish and Portuguese tobacco might be brought into port on the payment of the old duty of twopence a pound; thus a large trade was carried on with their planters to the injury of the British colonists.

"Its use increased in spite of all legislative laws and enactments and James ended by prohibiting any person from dealing in the article who did not hold his letters patent.

By this means the trade was monopolized, the consumers oppressed, importation diminished, and the London Company of Virginia traders ultimately ruined. Those who are fond of excusing the evil acts of one of the worst of English Kings, pretend to see James' care for his subjects' health and wealth in these restrictions, totally regardless of the fact that James cared for neither when the monopoly brought large sums into his own pocket."

In 1632 Charles I. granted to Sir George Calvert (who about this time was made Lord Baltimore) the territory now known as Maryland; soon after receiving the grant he died, when his son took the grant in his own name. The next year he sailed from England with two hundred persons and settled in his new possessions. The colony from the first, prospered far better than the colony of Virginia and soon laid the foundation of a strong and substantial government. Like the Virginians they soon engaged in the cultivation of tobacco which seemed as well adapted to the soil as the other products, corn and English wheat. The Indians were found here as in the Plantation of Virginia planting tobacco as they did Indian corn and cultivating little patches of it near their wigwams choosing the most fertile soil the females of the tribe being the actual cultivators.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Natives growing tobacco.]

From this time forward both colonies developed into strong and flourishing plantations and with each succeeding year increased the cultivation of tobacco which had now become more extensively cultivated than all the other products combined. Its culture however was looked upon with the same disapproval by Charles II. who confirmed the old laws against its sale and cultivation. But notwithstanding the remonstrances of the Stuarts the plant grew in use and favor and could not be uprooted even by a kingly hand. The early cultivators of the plant received a fresh impetus from the importation of a new species of labor in the form of Negro slaves brought from the West India islands. They arrived in the Ship Treasurer "being manned by the best men of the colony who set out on roving in ye Spanish dominions in the West Indies" and after a successful cruise against the Spaniards returned with their spoils including a certain number of Negroes.

Rolfe in alluding to the importation of Negroes says:

"About the last of August came in, a Dutch man-of-warre that sold us twenty negars."