The Virginia Gazette

Mr. Parks,

Please to give the following Letter a Place in your next Gazette; and you will oblige

Your constant Reader,

PHILANTHROPOS.

Sir, For EO has treated Timothy Touchtruth contemptibly enough; but since I have heard some Gentlemen worth Notice, use some of Timothy's Arguments, in order to render our Tobacco Law odious, I think it not amiss (purely on that Consideration, waving both Timothy's obscure Stile, and obsolete Way of Spelling) to answer what he seems to mean.

In order to which, I shall reduce his broken Hints into some Form, and consider the Arguments he makes use of for abolishing this Necessary Law.

1st, Officers Fees are encreased.

2dly, The Law is not equal, as to what is allowed the different Parts of the Colony, for making their Tobacco convenient.

3dly, The Inspectors have not executed their Office impartially.

4thly, The Inspectors are not rightly appointed.

5thly, Provisions are risen.

6thly, The Rents of Land are encreased, to the Ruin of the poor Tenant, the Loss of the Landlord, and the Depopulation of the Country.

I shall endeavour to answer each Objection in its proper Place. And

1st, I own that Officers Fees and Publick Encouragements, differ in Value as Tobacco rises and falls, and must do so until some certain Price is put on all Tobacco that becomes so due. But would any sensible Man think himself injured, if such Rewards and Encouragements are more valuable than formerly, when he considers that the Commodity he pays 'em in still rises in Value : and that very Commodity is what chiefly supports his Family.

2dly, It must be a very penetrating Genius that can ascertain the Difference in Value of Tobacco made in the Several Counties of this Colony, better than the Representatives of each County met together in full Assembly.

It was that worthy Body of Men which made such Deductions for Conveniency, as appeared to them reasonable.

3dly, I believe many Inspectors have not done their Duty : And perhaps some Magistrates have not done theirs. But I never heard any wise Man cry out against Magistry, because some Magistrates were faulty. Wat Tyler, and Ket the Tanner, were indeed of that Opinion: and as they made Use of Club Law to support it, were effectually confuted by Ratio ultima Regum.

4thly, By Timothy's sly Innuendos, any inconsiderate Person might imagine he propos'd to imitate one of these Men : But I rather think him to be Crack-brain'd, and Hellebore a proper Medicine for such a Boutefeu.

5thly, I acknowledge that Grain, Beef, and Pork, are risen in their Value : If we had imported any of those Necessaries, that Objection might have been of some Weight ; but as we still continue to export them, certainly the High Price must be to our Advantage. ---- As to that Favourite Notion of A STINT, I will only refer to the Proceedings of Our Mother Country, Britain, of which Wool has been always a Staple Commodity.

Give me Leave to ask, Are not the Cloaths made of that.

that.

that very narrowly inspected? Is not Regard always had to the Quality of such Cloth? And what but that has kept up the Woollen Manufactury? I readily agree that Our Staple is not so necessary to the Well-Being of Mankind, as the former: But as we are fallen into that Method, I think we are under a Necessity of making the Produce of our Country as valuable as we can. And whenever we find that we can make more Good Tobacco, than we can gain by, our Reason will direct us to Stint Ourselves. But,

6thly. The Law ruins poor Tenants. Where People had, before this Law, taken Leases, their Rents being payable in Tobacco, if their Landlords will not give them Leave to quit their Plantations whenever they find themselves aggrieved; I believe this to be a Grievance worthy the Consideration of our Next Assembly.

If our Gentry have, by Forbearance with their Tenants, fallen Short of their Rents now, I believe they did (or would have done) so, in 1724. Then there was no Inspectors.

I will conclude with, Those Persons who make a rigorous Advantage of this Law, wou'd have been as severe Before it was made.