Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-02-28
TO THE LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA

" ! '1h
The memorial Of The undersigned, respectfully
shcweth that your memnrlalisls are cItIZens OF The
town Of Iynchburg, OF the couutics OF Amherst,
Bedford and Campbell-many OF them extensively
engaged IN the purchase of Tobacco, aud many
in It's cultivation. and all solicitous that the trade IN
this great staple may be placed on a tcetlng' at
once safe To he planter, and satisfactory to the
buyer. That this subject has oilen engaged the sGrl-
Gus attention of the Legislature is sufficiently lttested,
by the various euactments which are found on our
statute-book. But many as these enactments are,
your memorialists aie OF Of opinion that the public
good will be promoted by some further Legislation
at this time. They beg leave to state, that Tor the
last years, the quantity OF Tobacco which has
been brought in casks 10 the town Of Lynchburg
from the surrounding country, aud inspected at the
several warehouses, has been about an average Of
hoeshcdds 10 each year.
This Tobacco being Inspected according 10 law, is
in the general sold publicly, and = competition al
ways existing FOR II among the buyers, The planter is
sure 10 receive for II lis proper and reasonable value.
During The same time, a large quantity OF Tohac-
co in an unprlzed state, has been annually brought
to this market and sold, beng what is commonly cal
led - loose or unptized Tobaeco."-Ihis quantity
has been gradually Increasing for several years, and
If it does not at present. your memorlallsts think II
will very soon amount TO al least onc-Iourth of the
entire crop brought to the Lynchburg market Tor
sale. The growing importance OF the trade IN this
loose or unprized Tobacco, has for sometimes at
tracted public attentIop,-and II being represented TO
the Common Council Of the town of Lynchbnls, that
extensive frauds were pefpctIated on the planters, IN
weighing. buying and selling the same, that body IN
the year 1885 passed an ordinance for the regulation
of said trade, appointing " wcighmasters,' who act
ed on oath, and who were directed 10 weigh IN pa
tent balances. all loose Tobacco before the same was
ld.-tn this ordinance, mgny oil the evils com
blamed of, ia connection with the trade in loose To-
bacco were r~emedied, but owing to IA late decision OF
the magistrates of the town, that it can only be en-
forced IN the actual limits of the town, and not IN the
half mile, without and around the town, over which
the court has jurisdiction, the Common Council Will
probably be induced to repeal the said ordinance, and
so the community is left exposed to all the evils
which originally led to its passage.
Your memorialist have long been OF opinion that
this subject was worthy the attention OF the Legs
lature, and they deem he presenta snltable occasion
to bring ii TO their vlcH. ltsee1ns to them that pub
lie policy, the interests Of planters and buyers, and
the promotion OF good morals, all conspIe TO make II
desirable. lhat the trade in loose Tobacco. (Which
is now avery large and important one should be
regulated BY law-That no loose Tobacco shall be
sold in the town of y%nchburg, unless the same shall
first have been carried TO some one Of the public
warehouses;, there inspected, examined and weighed
by the inspectors, and the name OF the owner. and
tLe ouantity, entered of record on the warehouse
books.-That this regulation VIII condnce TO the
public rood, seems TO your memorialists most mani
fest. The public are interested in keeping up the
several Tobacco warehouses in the town of Lynch
burg, and in having them under the control Of COM
pe,ent inspectors, because thus the revenue TO The
state, derived from The duties on tobacco is Increas-
ed, and the safe keeping Of he Tobacco itself is Sc
cured for the community who raise l..-lithe whole
Tobacco raised in the surrounding country, were
prized in hogshcads and brought TO Lynchbura, anc
inspected in the several warehouses;, The emolnment'
derived by inspectors and pioprietcrs for The same
would not be more than "A reasonable remuneration
!, for the capital expended, and the lahor enga
ged in this service. But when we recoilec
that about oae-fourth par, of he crop IS at presen
brought to market, and sold in the Loose OF unpfi
zcd state, aud that the quantity thus sold seems L
he annually increasing. and cunncct with II the al
d,t,onal fact, hat the tuItufc Of Tobacco IS dIi'ilhlah