Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-04-09
FaoM THE BALANCE.
Exchange Of 7'atacco 70, Wo,nen

,-'.5s " = 6VucCo Jof w omen.
, vTglnia. SO named in honor us Elizabeth tho
,' Sueeh o. England was the eldes, sister
siDo,g tn. British American colon;e. and a.
t@s never been scrupulous in claiming from
.'er younger sisters the full amount of respecs
anu homage that belongs to seniority.
me nrst effective settlement of this An
Seh. Dominion, as Virginia has been called.
W. III the year 1903; thirteen years before
IN seueneht OF Plymouth in NJ England.
nc eugrapts came over to Virginia. not by
pairs, as the creatures went into the Art. bxe
"i'hout wives and families and were mere ad.
seh'urers IN quest OF wealth, who deteruined
AS soon as their fortunes should be made. TO
return to England As,his determination. car.
req INTO effect, might have been fatal to the
.oi'ny' Or Edwin Sandys in order to attach
.oi'nts' 10 the SOIL and to prevent their
return, advised the Proprietors in ENGLAND 10
sena them over cargo OF young women. and to
eA g, these Necessities of life for tobacco.
t"is Pruuent advice WAS followed; and ac-
coruingiy' IN the year 1920, ninety girls were
sent 10 the Virginia p anlers at one time. A
species OF commerce SO highly advantageous
was not declined by the planters. The love Of
wo.'en IN uiis instance, completely triumph, d
soruiu aVarlce, IN so much thar flies Of
gallant frglnians were to be seen. carving
S n' 20 the sup with hasty step, their buns
a'es or tobacco, and after making the exch:Roe
conducting home their dear spouses At FIRST
rye value Of awite was estimated at 100 pounds
VI tooacco, but as tie sale OF this precious com.
lhoaity Was rapid, the price SOON rose Ia 80
pou'os' 4hGeea 1t reflects no small deg Of
nsno. upon the generosity and gallantry OF the
planters, that they should voluntarily rive such
prices ior their wives especially when 1t is
considereo that king James of England Who
was 80 outer an ei!emy to smoaking, that with
ms own roy al hand he wrote a book against r..
hao P'ohio'ted the Ylrginians from raising to-
pacco beyond the annual quantity OF 90 pounds
eaeh' Under these circumstances, the pur.
onaSe oi we mgsi have cost planter fifty
per cent. more than HE whole crop a whole
year.
IL would seem that come Of the pianters
were under the necessity OF purchasing their
wives upon credit-and in order to prevent
evasions OF payment, WHICH otherwise might
nave happened, especially if they found
themselves Cheated in their bargains, the ge-
neral assembly enacted that "the price of
a wife should have the precedence of all
other debts in recovery aud pa, ment, be.
cause, (says the assembly, of all kinds of
merchandlze this was the mist desirable."--
In fact though bona>fide debts have not al.
way been recoverable in Virginia, by law
YET In TINS Instance of the post desirable
kind OF merchandise, the legislature, much
to Its honor, soIemnly ordained that in case
of the purchase of wife on credit, the pur.
chaser should pay the tobacco even to the
last ounce, that he had CONTRACTED to give
for her. ky
The memory of such remarkasle piece
OF history as have been relating. ought. 7
think, to be perpetuated by sorae public
monument. AS wool is the staple Of Britain
and the prime source of it's wealth, it has
been custom, time out Of mind, for fhs irst
lord OF the treasury to sit upon wool sack
land with equal, if not greater propy.ety.
might the speaker of the Virginia assembly
be seated upon sack of tobacco-seeing
this odoriferous plant has not only beer skS
staple of commerce in the ancient dominioris
but also the basis olpopulation. ''"t
ZENO.