Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-12-04
For the Enquirer.

For the Enquirer.
THE TOBACCO INTEREsT-THEN NEGRO TRADE
THE TARIFF-THE CURRENCY.
Messrs Editors gloomy picture drawn
in my last communication. the condition Of The
tobacco growing sections OF Virginia, contrasts
most slrikinely with the prosperity OF other por-
tons OF The Union. Bul assure you that II is a
true picture. Our tobacco Planters must change
their habits radically, or The commercial world
must lessen or remove existing restrictions upon
the tobacco trade, else We must continue 10 go
down, down, deeper anu deeper, IN The depths oi
adversely. This is too plain 10 require argument.
For, repeat, that We Garnet make one per cent
per annum upon slave labor, employed in max
ing tobacco. Indeed most OF our calculating
planters will tell you, thai they cannot make any
clear prof, al all; and, as before stated, II IS be-
coming matter OF noloriety, that negro raising,
and negro selling, afford the only reliable means
of paying Tor our supplies from abroad. Let Inc
Northern paiLanLaroplsLs look TO il, Their tender
consciences are shocked at the idea Of making d
traffic in human fesh-separaIing man and wife,
parent and child. | ask who reap The proceeds
of this traffic The answer is, that The Northern
manufacturers come In for the largest share. We
are compelled 10 sell negroes 10 square up with
our merchants for goods, wares and merchandise,
consisting mainly Of lbe products Of those manu-
facurers and il is In that way that our merchants
are enabled 10 become such lavish dealers in pro-
tected manufactures.
This vaunled system OF projection 10 home
industry" reduces alnUsttu nothing Tie profits OF
our home industry-not only by The taxes which
il imposes for 'pro,ec'lon" but By restricting our
foreign trade, upon which We are dependent Tor
markets Tor our tobacco.
As Democrat, | can rejoice with you in the
reduction OF this pluntering ''protectire" system;
but, as tobacco planter, must tell you, that The
reiaicincs of our Democratic brehren in other
quarters, a, The already reyiving prosperity OF
agriculture generally, fall upon the ears OF The
Virginia tobacco planters very much like "a jig
al a funeral" We hope for better times, when
the free trade system of England shall come into
full reciprocal operation with our own Tariff Of
l646;-ior, it is plain, that when we are LETT Tree
TO buy from abroad, we shall be the better enabled
to sell abroad. But depend upon it, Messrs.
Editors, there is still too much Tariff, both al
home and abroad, 10 Justify any well-ounded es-
peciaiion Of The permanent prosperity OF the To-
bacco interest.
What shall we do2 Whilher shall we go?-
are questions which hundreds OF orr planters are
propounding 10 themselves. "Sell your negroes,
and pay your debts" is The only encouraging an
swer which they can get. And what then 3
"Why, we mus - I" manufacturing, too" reply
the Southern Taff men. "Virginia," they con-
tend, us bound Io become manufacturing State"
Such is liz culi comiiolt which they give us, un.
der hr nniighleaus eXaciion> ul The hi9h IarIf
system. We must sell of our slaves, make
slaves I our children, and build up an ar.locra
cy Of manufacturing task masters, 10 lord II over
HE once free, viiluons and happy Two hogshead
men" oil Old Virginia
People OF Virginia Watch AMI beware uf
those vito have entered milo an unholy alliance
with vunr oppfcs>ors and are now adding insnli
IL inIary, ty calling u7oa You 10 IoI'ake yonr
com .irld> rnd tobacco barns. AID lela1c your
selves Ia ineivr,S cheer On AMI sustain those
who are exeiiiny themselves 10 break down r.
slricions and monopoIies, and secure 10 you your
rights, OF buying where you can buy cheapesI,
and bartering The surplus products OF your toll
for such commodities as you cannot make for
yourselves.
But have digressel from my orisina purpose,
which was 10 call the attention oil your readers 10
the foul game of some o. The banks, in filling the
channels OF circulation with their small notes,
through The insrumentalily OF Tue negro traders;
thereby excluding The circulation OF hard money
This game must be lhwared II is needless 10
enlarge farther upon The evils Of an exclusive pa.
per currency. There is no good reason, not even
plausible prelext, for loleraling either the issue
or circulation OF small notes. The rates Of TO
reign exchange are such, that gold and silver are
flowing in rapidly from abroad. There is an am
pie supply already in the country 10 hll all The
channels Of circulation now filled BY bank noles,
in our retail dealings. In the Southwest The cur
rency consists mainly Of gold and silver Why
should are, who are stocking The Southwest with
laborers be doomed TO receive in return Tor them
nanght but shin plaster currency? Down with
every legislator who would aid Inc banks in loTc-
ing such a currency upon US
have called the old law forbidding the circu-
lation of small notes GonscTr0tire law. Your
printer, by a c0pit0l"C" would give the late SELF
named Conservative parry The credit Of tina, law.
They do not deserve il. Their leaders, in viola
ton of their solemn pledges, have placed them
selves in the front rank Of The shin.plasIer parry
used The word conservative" in no such tech
nical sense-but simply meant that The law was
conservative OF sound currency
One more blunder allow me 10 correct. twas
bunder Of my own. which was overlooked in
the hurry OF writing. | cannot better correct il
than BY rewriting The sentence in which il &C.
ours. Let me repeat, then, that we do an unsafe
business in exchanging our slaves even for large
bank notes from abroad; for even they are liable
TO depIeciate in our hands. But large notes
would mostly be used in LARGE commercial trans
actions-and would, probably, in some reason.
able time, return 10 the banks that issued them,
either for payment or in settling up balances
But see how differently, see how iniquilousy the
game works, when the banks issue their small
notes 10 the traders TO buy negroes with. We
swap our slaves for shin-plasers, which viiale
fnsive circulation and driving off The little stock
Of specie which vicious banking and vicious e-
gislalon had LEFT in use among Us.
a EafcND To TIE Sprctr STINDIpn