The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-01-26
INTERESTING REPORT,

-tHf9-
INTERESTING REPORT,
From the Committee On thu subject oI
Tobacco Warehouses submitted 10 the
HOUSE OF Delegates, on the 18th Iosl.
BY NJ May
Tn. committee To enquire whether any
abuses exist nj The warehouses; of this
commonwealth contrary To- thu laws aud
injurious to The planters, big leave to sub
MI thf following spoft.
The attention of your committee has
ben principally directed TO the ware
house, IN Tins city at which, the inspec
ton is attended With great waste and loss
t. the planters. II has not been pracli-
cable tn ascertain, with precision, the *
tent of that los butt Is In pro0l, that
one individual has purchased, within pr.
nod of about eighteen months, eighty
Thousand weight of loose tobacco at a
pre-. fixed l., the inspectors and nnder.
Stood IL be for lhr benefit of the bands,
rmplo, ed 10 then respective warehouses.
! II Mas also proved that the same lndiyd1.
| II had PuIchas IN one year, City thou.
sand weight ui loose tobacco, from Shoe
ke warehouse alone.
The eaNses assigned by the Witnesses,
for this enormous waste. are Isl drafts
made for distribution among persons at
tending az purchasers, either really or pro-
Il srdly 2nd. trimmings b, order Of the
Inspector, 90 account nf damage 10 the
tobacco from green hogshrads, weather,
Sr.; 5rd. drafts by smukcrs and chrNnrs.
ohu call It the warehouses 10 supnl,
! Themselves IN that mode, while the insppc-
tors are otherwise engaged and ith, IN
ihr opinion ot the conmlitee,) probable DE-
! pred tons by the bands. to lncrpase Il
waste, OF which tney derive the benefit.
When to these losses, are added tn.
sample. which Is unnecessarily large, and
an arbitrary DEDUCTION for expected def
otenCy m lhr ,ubs' qurni weighing. an op-
trr~siVe tax Is impnsrd on tins b anch al
lab"ur, for thr beneiit ui hose, who hive
mol the senblance ufa clun upon It
In the opinlun of your committee, In
inspectors are required by Law, t. sell all
the loosr tabat CO, and tn pay the proceeds
into the treasury. But this provnlon, ha-
sIng been made "hrn much tobacco IA
picked at the warthnuses, the inspcctnf =
appea 10 have interpreted II, 10 apply *
olnstely Il thr waste from that source.
Your committee are aware that the IN
tftesis OF tn planters require thai such a
Distribution OF sampits should he made Il.
n"ns the purchasers, as viii enable them
II ascertain fully, the kind and quality nj
the totaCco aud that waste must TAX.
Pl &C, M proportion 81 that distribution -
Bot they at Of opinion that this vast,
VII he greatly dlmmlsh,d d, by taking from
the hands. the temptation To augment it.
} 10 thIs end u Is recommended, that III.
Ihrd Inspector be required 10 attend at the
warehouses ~ Richmond. who shall hav,
thr same powers and perform the same
du'ies with the other inspectors, ~ order
the bettrr 10 Supertntend thu opening anI
cooprr'ng 81 the hoG,heads. and ~ pre-
serve aud sell he Waste tobacco. II ma,
aiSn be expedient 10 require. thai h, for,
stripping the tobacco, II should he weighed
and certified Ia the owner or his agent, I,
enable him. by comparing II with he tart
and nett weight afterwards, 10 ascertain
the extent of his loss hy the process Of IN
sp"ction; and 10 render the inspectors ia.
Bile, when il shall exceed reasonable a.
mount. The WITNESSES who have been ex
amined, generally concur in the nplnior
; that II ought not To exceed ten pounds
3 tor each hogshead, where no trimming i.
} requisite.
II also appears, tina, large quantities q
tobacco (s0metimes loose, and sometime,
packed IN tubs and ctsksJ which hav,
most probably been siolen, ave sold =,
black and white hoatmen in Richmond
Fhey are believed frequently 10 eludr III.
powers ofthr Inspector Of boats hy forged
permits and manfests. II IS rerummendrd
e. that the sales of such tobacco be who'll,
s prohibited. except under the superntrn
drnce NJ one of the inspectors, and Vii,
should he empowered 10 retain il for ;
reasonable time m the warehouses. wher
he shall suspect that It has been stalrn.
The oh'bIhon of the inspectors from
dealing ~, or deriving auy emulument fon
2 the s7'Fs oftobacco, although founded il
w'slom, has npt been very strictly OBJ
. s'rsed m Richmond. Il was the OPINION
OF several Witnesses, thu, the violation u
: we Ia" N this respect, bad frequently pro
: dn'"d an improper eoity and prefer nj,
: IN favour OF those planters who allow I,
= tne Inspector an pmalumcnt unou thei
SAFES anu although other witnesses, e
: quailS respectable, were of a different u
= pihion, YOUR committee recommend a,
i 'lhrent provision to ensure strict oh
s'r'ance OF that valuable feature of the in
spectlnn Law.
Many extensive and intelligent shipper
ana dealers. were examined IN relation I,
n '''r benefits Of the system oil inspection
: some some recommend strongly its entire abo
e -i',"a; Others thought that il could not b.
safely dispensed with and in this opinio
{ y"ui commlttee concur.
c The prohibition, however, to export re-
fused tobacco, is believed to be unwise