V ^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A 1.0 l; ^ Bi ■2.2 S L& 110 li& K^iiXE^ < ^ ► Fhotographic Sdmces Ccnporation ^ V 33 WIST MAM STMIT WnSTIR,N.Y. USM (7U)t72-4S03 i\ // .1^ * - J / " — w ^ —Jf 7ibe CASE of tht Planters of Tobacco in Virginia^ Z^ as reprefentcd by themfelvcs^ fg^^^ by the Prejident of the Council and Speaker of the Houfe of Burgeffes, E the Council and Burgcfll-s of Virginia., the mod ancient of the Britijb Colonies in America^ now met in a General Allembly, having under our Confidcration the diftreffed State of tiie Tobacro Trade, which chiefly employs thelnduftry of the King's Subjedts here, and is their only Support, find ourfelves obliged, fromaScnfe of Duty to His M.ijefty, and our own Sufferings, to reprefent, The Pro^refs ot that Trade through a long Courfe of Yf ars -, the many Mifchicfs that have attended it through the various Changes it has undergone by fevcral Ads of Parliament ■, and the particular Hardftiipi /hich are now impokci upon iii by tl\e unjiift Dealings of mod of our Faftors, the Tobacco Merchants in Great BritiUH. Tobacco, after the Ad of Tonnage and Poundage made in the Twelfth Year of King Charles the Second, until the Firft Year ofKingJamcs the Second, was liable only to the old Subfidy of One Penny, and the additional Duty of another Penny per Pound •, and du- ring that Time the Duties were no great Burthen upon the Merchants •, and the Frauds in the Cuftoms (if there were any) were to inconfiderable, that they did little ifkt\ the Platiilers. But their principal Difadvantage then was, that the Ufe of Tobacco was not fo much grown into Ci^m, and the Quantity imported into Et^land, though it was vadly kfs than At this Time, didexoeca theConfumption i yet it was a more profitable Trade, and p^^ luM yielded a much better Revenue in Proportion than all the Duties do now. . Sy the I ft of King James., an Imjpofltion of Three Vcactter Found was adiied, to fa^ |>aid.trith feveral Abatementi by the Confumprioner befbrfrhe mould be permitted torecdve «t from the Merchant} and in the mean Time, the Merdimt or Importet* was otm '" '"' ^viQ Bond with one or more fufficient.Securitie9, or to procure two other Perfons toi jnd to che King, not -to deliver any Tobacco to tite Buv^befbre the Duty Ihddl^''' I ^jffjA A.ptt mOik he flip uld not fell or eaport it b^iorie th^'Exj^rktidn yf !P^ '^ I •'^ - - MMJro Wfa IM llflfUlaiUSh, topylheDuty. v* 1 ' ^ Tmk Bbnds weriixr be diLharged by Certificate bf the Buyct'f havmg p^id the IMity; or giviiig Bond to enort it i and the Merchant or Importie^ Was liable once in Three MbntHs |o aGCQunt upon Utth to die CoiMnifllonersof the Cuftoms, and his Wd^houtb to.^ ioMsMi Sot all TobMOO renaining inhb Handa from Time to Time ; «nd in dit lib' I ihqi^fiuli.ligrJiMhefkyinencof the Duties >diich fhouM be found doe, his Bonds iMncW * beivaiined'iiND.the^Eacheauer, there to beprofecuced according to the Courfe dfiLkir;, ; Tben ttwre arofe a fuffioent Tempdaiibii to defraud i!he CufttimV, and.the Ruflniii^'6;f TobtMCo became foot avery gitac Abofii) but in othfr Refpeas the Coaribbfthe Ti^ nxj Nnle altered, the Price was raiied in i)M» Degree in Pi«portion te) the Duties, and thtf Impoft winuth bcnor fecured to the Ctom^ than b^ dc Method intMduced^ afterWtl^ by iht-yA. «Bd 8th of Kug WiOum^ which obliged die Impoi«e^ to gin Bond fbrth

Mfcialtp-ywide, and grievous to the M^rchiints ; bin!' Experience has pot r yet ri|fta»i»d aBf.AdtenHigefiomdiellierchants bonding the Dutggs > not- were the l*e^ple of Fvmi^. am—Blrttriii the Imoiwtidcil c h s that were fuggeflBd'Vb the ptflidmehr; 'affti ifere dK |;Moncbttp«i .ullkh dkat AlttrMiMi was made » but *nbi^''AbtiM did fnoh iM ftpm dUMein mginlio iteJCing and Bnple. The Merchants iA^'bo^ tiVii^diiUer~ i. aginingiiMtCcntit bf 4#. taiiad^ i fm in all thuir Accounts afldNvVrdk;' ^hev c!tif7; ' |> « * Mx^ mv m m m mm iiy i iT) M i siyia M i »b»n di»-T»ltooc<»%»a^ ^ |WB ^ Fcnoy|Md, and the M M AhovcAn^hth Ikfif IOC get StodintW' die Tobacco, iumoft o^dMiir. Accounts;) ik4 upon %.• 4 » k h- lii-^ — kt r..,.. 7>,* . «.~ ifc, . ^Jsj»..wii';-4: :^^w^aa Th* copy fllm«d h»n hat b—n r«produc«fi thanks to tho o*noro«ity of: Library of tha Public Archlvat of Canada L'axamplaira inmt f ut raprodult oriea A la ginArosIt* da: La bIbllothAqua das Archlvas publlquas du Canada Tha Imagas appaarlng hara ara tha bast quality posslbia conaidaring tha condition and lagiblllty of tha original copy and In kaaping with tha filming contract spscif ications. Original copies In printed papar covara ara fllmad beginning with the front cover end ending on the lest pege with e printed or Illustrated imprea- sion, or ths back cover when epproprlete. All other original copies ere filmed beginning on the first pege with e printed or lllustreted impres- sion, end ending on the lest pege with e printed or lllustreted impression. The last recorded freme on eech microfiche shell contein the symbol — ^- (meening "CON- TINUED"). or the symbol ▼ (meening "END"), whichever epplles. Les Imeges suiventes ont 4tA rsprodultss evee le plus grend soin, compte tenu de le condition et de le nettetA de i'exempielre film*, et en conformiti evec lee conditions du contret de fllmege. Lee exemphiires orlglneux dont le couverture en pepier eet ImprimAe sent filmte en commen^ent per le premier plet et en termlnent soit per la darnlAre pege qui comporte une emprelnte d'impression ou d'HIustrStion, soit par le second plet, sslon Is ess. Tous les eutres exempleires orlglneux sent fiimAs en commen9ent per le premlAre pege qui comporte une emprelnte d'impression ou d'lllustrstlon et en termlnent par la dernlAre pege qui comporte une telle emprelnte. Un dee symboiss suhrants apperettre sur le dernlire image de cheque microfiche, sslon Is ces: le symbols -^ signlfie "A 8UIVRE", le symbols V signlfie "FIN". Msps. pistes, charts, etc., mey be filmed et different reduction retios. Thoss too lerge to be entirely Included In one exposure ere filmed beginning In the upper left hend corner, left to right end top to bottom, es meny fremes es rsquired. The following diegrems illustrete the method: Les certes, planches, tebleeux, etc., peuvent Atre filmAs A des taux de rAduction diff Arents. Lorsque le document est trop grend pour Atre reproduit en un seul cilchA, 11 est fllmA A pertir de I'engle supArieur geuche, de geuche A droite, et de heut en bee, en prenant le nombre d'imeges nAcesseire. Les diagrammes suivents iiiustrent le mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 fv ^- it;' .5- ^ . m : n ' m ,tl ^ , im* ' ^w vf^ m ln ij Mffrf fefsitrfffj.pt -i-^ .' -.u. ■■! i - . ! »- . VI. v- . I fi ,^|^>r^v^f^ite?'fi^r^ X *'*^ Q ^ T s* 5- ' . o o a 5^ g !»;. > , ■*» 3 **> ^* ''^^tfUHK^f^^^i^ " 1?'^'-' ' 1 * i *' ■.i-'m ( a). .** ■iMii 'ir •-»-!>» I- ^ ■ ^ *!« * I ■ t-' : upon many SuIm to more than the whole Balance coming to the t^lai^tr)-. t)ivrrs A(^i of Parliament have been fiiice made in fevera] Reigns tor amancins the 'i>ade t and we con* ceive that the Prohibition to import Bullc Tobacco was To far ukful, as to make the Run- nma of it more difficult : Kniarging the 1 iine for Exportition to Three Years, drawing bock the whole Duty upon Exportation, and reducipQ^he fcviral Difcouncs and Allow- •nCM upon the refpe^ive Duties to one uniform Abatement, have produced fome good Efl^s. But fo long as the Merchant is truftcd with the keeping of Tobacco in hi^ owa Wuthoufet, and the Payment of the Duties continues under the prefent Method, we ap- prehend no Expedient will be found adequate to the Milchiels dcfigned to be remedied. FoTs with rel'pe^ to the King, it is very obviou^ from many recent Ihftances, that ma- ny of the Merchants are forced to contract Debts at the Cuftom-Houfe far exceeding the valve of their Eftates, which has occafioncd the lx)(% of vaft Sums of Money to the Re- value. The Planten find an unaccountable Difference in the Weights ot their Tobacco when it is Ihipped off here, and when it is weighed again at the Cuttom-Houfes in Great Britain^ efpecuUly in Lntdon. It will be very clear fix>m an Enquiry into the Balances paid every Year into the Exchequer, that not above one half of the Tobacco which muft necef- farily be confumed in Gnat Britain can have paid the Duties : And it may be worth while tDConfider by what Means it has been poflibte tor many Merchants who havefail'd, and thereby difcovered the ill State of their Aftiiirs, to nuinuin tlu-ir Credit tor many Years at the Cuftom-Houfe. It will be, without Doubt, a very great Difficulty upon us at this Diftance, to give anr clear Account of the Ciufes which produce fuch Evils, and whatever we are able to ofler upon the SubjeA, may poffibly amount only to a probable Conjcii^ure. Yet if Rc- oourfe be had to the Number of Hogfheads imported and exported, and a jult Calculation nude of the Weighu of one Ho^fliead with anot}ier, (which may now beeafily known from chefcveral Cuftom Houfes m Grtat Britain, as to Virginia Tob-icco, feeang the net Weight when it goes from hence, by a Law lately made here, is marked upon everr Hogjlbead by fworn Infpedors) there will remain a very pr^nant Sufpicion, toftt a oonuderaSe Part of the Frauds muft proceed from weighing the Tobacco upon the Landing of it^ either through Corruption or Negligence : And if this be probable, the< Mexdunt having the Tobacco in his oM^n Warehoufes, or his Servants, Coopers, or Por- itxi, may cake out of a great Number of Hogfheads a large Proportion of tlie whole, and -— *-- tne Favour and Connivance of a corrupt Officer, when it comes to be weighed again portation, may obtain a Debenture for a greater Quantity, and thereby not only . the Crown ot the Duty which oujsht to have been paid, but even receive a D.aw- k never paid: And we think it impoffibk to account in any Degree far fuch iHriAotlief Manner. — ' '* ■" "' *'*- * — •^ ' Wc OCMioefare it it no hard Matter for a Man of a fnaall Fortune to make a confiderafali Fi- gjire in Trade by a large Credit at the CuOomHoufe » for if a Merchi^t, for Examplet cnienFive Hundred Hog(head>of Tobacco, which he fells for the Home Confumption, W^ ))(Wls the Dutiea, though they are payable aC the End of Eigboten Months, no Pro- ' li^^ifiue againft lum till after the Time allowtd for Exportation, then lie oannocbe mo- upon fuch a Bond vdthin thrae Yean^ and fo long he has to contrive a Way to dif- J|;it, which may be done in this Manner : V he can procuse theiame <^aMlcy every tm^ hy ezportinK the Conrijp;nment of every Third Year only, the Dcbentuft (if any bo- '' vfill Altar it to D9 for the ume Tobacco that was entered Two Yean before^ will dif- ;all the Bonds that can beproiecuted eoinft him, and reimburfe him far ^^at he was 3 to pay down fsx the Firft Pfenny : So by fuch a Mapagfnienc a Merchant may ' widi good Credit a confiderable Time upon the Money hs really owes to the Crown \ I if he is very dexterous, may a^ually difcoarge all his Bonds* and by the Frauds in the Toghtt at the Landing and Shipping oiF, gain a great deal of Money. A flagrant In- ' : of this Sort, we are informed, was difcovered bjr the Ccnmiikmersof the Cuftoms, 10 the Cafe of Mr. ABJjfori^ and without Doubt many more have renaained undifcov«red. Jka this Method of bonding the Duties turns fi^ moeh to the Prgudice of The Clown, it it ■olefs injurious to the Phuum, not only beoMfe it cannot be expefted, while fbdi enor- mous' PrafUoesfiibfift in the Trade, that the Tohacoo which really pays the Duty can fell at any tolerable Piioe> but die Merdumts, c^ially in Landm, have it in their Itower to 'i the SubieAiofthcTobefioo Colonies in many grievous Inftances. One has baen al- 1 iKtheir Cp mw i fTim ti f and we nuift hitg Leafc t»oll ftr ¥» fe veral ',ytirf»afffqiiw, whp they foil our Tobacco for the Home Confomptton, think them- Wfet flMBrno Obligation to fecure the Duties, but deliver it to the Retailer upon a lon^ Cicditi as they pteeend t and if he happens to become a Bankrupt, the^ hold the Planter tjig^tg^ to lepay all the Charges of that Tobacco, including the Dtities, and even their A ., own •'* ■■>.■'* m %= ■*~- * 1 % >^ (J) f' ' t I ; -•♦* ■■1-." wiucb ilk Maat, 4 14m, nfciir MybfoMe il li tb hav« Kb toUcco hramM M IMk miIm M«ch«u £%b«n or NinetBt* i^undi dn Mt Pmdhict I which b foonribfe ACIrcMtAiiicti chat fome AMvVMife tP Iht Mcfdunt to make good all Debti i and chofe ditt wiU HOC fuhak UhlWr Tcrmt in «qiiii>uaUf npoicd to RMin« aiid he that hai the The Tm luid Qwnk which ii as AJlcuwance t» the Fraeimn of Z.««riM upon all wafl- CoPvnqfdijciMi if «|iOCh« hvivr Anicli wpcnus : It k dcduOed ^ut of the net Tobacco ± pftfium f^a iipoQ fumf 9*W to any Retailer, and amounts to above Twenty ShiN Uflfi upo« ■• HqpWli W« "^ allpiml at the Cuftom Houfe Eight Pounds up> on « Hogl^id hor .AA of ^liaioint for Draught, and Two Pcundi for Sample \ but this cho MW^Um ifV PM)A Cifb convero to his own Ulii, and thereby deprivei the Phuite^ of aUiMC StvcnShiiUap ippon cmr Hogfliead, and very often merc< And whereas for- nwrly «U thf P«qrvMiipi uppn ToImgco did amount to little more than Five Shillings ftr HmlMMt «ilUh«««g|Mnve dW tftecd canfideiably what wm mdly paid, the pre- knt SpV of AderchMia h»v« of Ikk contrived to raifc that Anicle to upwards of Ten Shil- Ungi^MaU their Arrmapi and very frrauently to raoie than Fifteen Shillings. One ex- traordiatfy ChMM, «iiiofi( others, i» ThreB Pence a HagOicad, amounting to betwecrt Four uA Five Hundred Pounds a Year from fiiyiiM, and a* much from ManlartJ, lute- ly impofed upon us, without our Confent, to defray their Enpences in applying to ihr ^rlianicac upop #ny Otcaflon to relieve ws from the Hardfiiips we groan und-r : 1 low well th^ de((rvc ihi» Money, will beft apiWMr from the Records of FarliAincnt. We do admit thf A^ of rtrliamcnc whicn laft fctded the Abatements upon prompt Pay- meat of the Dukn w« dcfigned for the Good of the Planters, and is fo en Account of reducing the Pm><^ ■<> wlvt they are at preiisat i but the Merchants have fo cietcniMii'd by their own Decrees, as to ingrofs, in great Meafure, the Advantage of this Dtfcount to tlunn- felvcs. For it it the Mibfurtune of the greateft Part of the Sliippcrs of Tobacco, not to be able to remit Money tQ p&y down the Outiei, thougl) fome are i but they are obliged by the mifterious Rules of Trade, to lodge in the Hands of their Corrcfpondcnts double the Sum that would 1^ fii0ifiieac for that Ptrpofc, or at leaft a very great Overplus i whereby the Merchant is mamfeftjy in a much better Condition when he allows hisCorrcfpondent here the AdvuMP of the DifQowtfs, thw> whf^ he takes it to himfelf, and makes it not worth any ManVwnile to keep Money to anJce the prompt Payment of the Duties upon his To- bacco, feeing upon the Merchants Terms of allowing the Difcount, and their unreafonable DeUys in bringing the Money back to our Credit, no body can nuke Four fier Cent In- Qndhand very feklom fo much. Befides, the Plamer without Money, muft, m a fair way dr liplk! Ue vti y a tipwi tly, if neetiKhtyijfvntltlfl^tD tMf DifctaflCof Sevbi per Cent per AiaMtfi, allowed by the 9th of the late King, upon the Payment of the Duties within Eigh* tae^ Months : For it is a very great Abufe in the Trade, that the Merchants arc too hady oa-nyny Occafiqns in felling Tobacco, in order to raife ready Money for their own Pur- pofact^aod fj^p*^ they i^cep their Accounts back fcveral Years from their Correfpondents, npQe^ M^. y^ fi*f ^c ">^ "^vcr twelve any Money upon the Sales of Tobacco within Ekhm^nAl(|pili4^ frofn the Importation. Yet we know not one Inflance of any Allowance bfipgiwupe Uptft- thi( Article by any Merchant in London^ though it has been made by f(pe 'ih»''1irm our firft Settlement Dom uadtr the i&me Circumftances that the like Eftates are in England) are altered by irtKii)g(iur Lands fubjed to the Payment of their Book Debts, in order to enable them taftint us Wver Credit. It will not become us, nor do we prefume to difpute with the W^^^ cf W l^rliament % but wc are juftly alarmed with the Confequences of the additi- onalPower the Merchants will have now to opprefs us more than they have ever done before i ait apprehenfive they cannot be reftrained but by the Laws of their own Confciences, {. — themfelves Maftera of the Eftates in both the Tobacco Colonies, unlefs'we by' oh^arliame&UL Miw!i«M6lde «t|&l««a^t thefe Colonies who emplOfjr aSove Four Hmched Sail OTSnipa, nrnnWn mdrf th&n fburThoufand Seanilbn, confume of the Manufa^res of Great Bntam to the Value of near half a Million yearly, have fo confiderable a Share in fupporting the Balance of Trade with Foreign Nations, and raife fo great a Revenue to the Crown, without being one Farthing Expence to our Mochtr Country, will be thought worthy the Confiden^tion of a Briti/b Parliament. Ta r 'mi ^■'►4 i J. r U ) To this End we humbly Propofe, that the MnclMaa be m loMer numu ibiely truftcd with the iuqiing ofTobacco, bill ihac the fiunr be dcpoAaKi ia WarchouM under the Lock and Key ot the King and Mcichanc % thac ail the lOidet be icdmd co Four Prnce 1'hree Farthings the Bound, which is the net IXty, ac pirienc, after dUboumins the Twenty Five ftr Cent i that no Bonds be taken far Iccuring the I>itiee upon Importation i that all Tobacco be wci^^hcd when it is landed, and weighed agsUi when fold and delivered out to the Reuiler or Exporter i that fuch Retailer My down the Duty according to the laft V^cisht, and only remain anfwcrable to the Merchant for the Overplua of the IVice i that all Tobacco be exported Duty-free, and the fame Time allowed for Exporutioii as is now i an<^ thar fonx feverer Penalties be annexed to the relanding of ToDocco deliverctl out for K ^rta'ion, or felling it at home : By this Method no Alteration will be made in nfpcil to the Dutv, but that will be better fecured, and cannot fail of be> ina cncreafcd by luDprefling the Multitude of Frauds, which muft needs arife from the NKTchtant's having tne Tobuco in his Power, and bonding the Duties : Many Perjuries will be prevented i tM Merchant will then have no Intereft m lelftning the Wftishts, but for the fake of his CommifTions will fee that Juftice be done to the King and the Planter, and the Cuftom-Houfe Books will be a Check upon him if he does any wrong % the Plantera will be able to chufe their Merchana for their Probity and kind Treatment, and not for their Riches or Credit i the Sword will be taken out of their Hands, and the Balance held more equally between them and us. Yet we cannot doubt, but many ObjeAions will be raifed by our Enemies to this Scheme, and terrible Confequenccs muft be foretold, to follow upon it, even with Rrfpcdfc to our fclves : But however that may be, we have this Confolatk>n in being aifured, that we cannot be in a worfe Condition than we are at this Junfture i and if the Trade (hould not be rcftored to a better State, we (hall at leaft be fecure in our Povertyi and be de« iendcd from thofe who feck to undoc us. fytUiamihurg^ June a8, 1739. Signed in the Nam and Behalf of tbt Council, RoBtBT Carter, Prefident. JoHtt Hot tow AY t Speaker of tie Houfe of Bwitfpts, tttt'^^fSif- r <*«>«. I