Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-04-29
NEw-YoRk. April IS.
TOBACCO.

Tobacco in the government OF France,
may serve to shew the correctness of
Bonaparte's conceptions of the nature
of commerce -
Palace of the Thuilleries, Dec. 90. 1910.
" Napoleon, Emperor OF the French,
King of Italy, Protector of the Confe-
deration of the Rhine. Mediator of the
Swiss Confederation, &c.
"The finances have been the con.
slant object of my thoughts, the 6nan-
ces of great kingdom must furnish
the means to make head against cir
cumstanccs, and to provide for the ex-
traordinary or accidental circumstan.
ces OF war, without having recourse
to new imposts, which always pro-
duce but little in the first year in
which they are imposed.
(" The nations most enlightened in
these matters have thought, that the
only means which could fulfil this OBJ
ject %as to have recourse to advantage
Gus loans by these they lay burthens,
by anticipation, on the following gene
ration, and sacrifice to the present mo.
ment what is the dearest to men--the
welfare of their children. They con.
sign one generation to the curses of
those that follow it.
e" We have adopted other principles.
We are aware that great number of
taxes are necessary, which in ordinary
times may press little on the people,
the rate not being high, and that they
may be in condition, in extraordinary
times, to supply all the necessaries of
the treasury by merely augmenting
the tariff. We have considerably d.
minished the real and personal tax
es.
We have established the CONSOLE
dated duties, and the tax upon salt, a.
voiding the errors and abuses of which
France had SO much to complain, un.
der the system of the farmer. gener-
al and the gabelles. Tobacco, which
OF all other things is most suitable to
taxation, had not escaped our attenti-
on. Experience has shcwn us the i'm
propriety of all the measures hitherto
adopted. The manufactures were not
very numerous, yet it was evident that
it was necessary still to diminish the
number. The price of the fabricated
tobacco was as high as at the time of
the general exclusion. The smallest
part of The produce came into the trea-
sury; the rest was divided amongst
the manufacturers. To so many abu-
ses was added another-that the plan.
ters were entirely dependent on the
manufacturers. After m Azure delibe.
ration, we are of opinion that all these
considerations, and the very interest
of agriculture, render Il necessary that
the manufacture of tobacco and snuff
should be carried on by a particular
committee, for the benefit of the pub
lie chest that the public revenue ari-
sing therefrom will be sufficiently Sc
cured by the said committee, being
obliged exclusively to manufacture the
said article of the produce of the
French ground that the principles &
customs of the said mandatory re-
naming the same, the planter will not
be injured by the establishment of the
said committee and lastly, that with
out increasing the burthens Of our
people, we shall obtain a branch of
the public, revenue, which is estima-
ted at about 10000. 900 of francs, and
which while it permits US to abate an
equal sum of real and personal taxes,
reserves to the Exchtquer Of our king
dom measure hich at all times meet
the circumstances and necessities OF
the times. Our full ESTABLISHING emit
requires an annual sum Of 100000, 900
francs. and 900 ,ooO,o 900 are required
in time of maratime war, which,
however, in the present critical and
extraordinary circumstances, when
the dearest interests of the realm, and
the honor of the crown, are to be
defended and asserted, may rise to
100000, 900. In order to obtain
that sum, we stand not in need OF
loans, sales, or new taxes the sole
increase or decrease Of the tariff Of
taxes will suffice to attain that grand
object. After having heard our
Council Of State, we have decreed,
&c. &c.
rhe decree that follows declares