The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-07-20

oOutll as VIGIL as the Nortn; that II
covers the whole Union,| and is s'equally
guarantee for the unmolcsted enjoy
mcnt Of the democratic institution, in
all its parts; and trust further, that
they will no longer close their eyes to
the fact, that SO far, as those in whose
welfare they express SO much feeling
are concerned, this foreign interference
has been and must inevitably continue
to be, only evil"
-.s1-o.e.-B----
(EItructs from De Bows Rcview.l
Tobacco.
The history Of tobacco, as luxury,
is striking illustration Of the incfli-
cheney of human laws to control the
inclinations of mankind. When CO.
lumbus discovered the continent of
the Western world, he found that, in
some of the religious ceremonies of
the Indians, Il plant was thrown into
the fire, the smoke ofwhiclI, according,
produced the same effects upon the
officiating Piachc, as the mephitic va
pors Of Delphos upon the Pythian
priestess; responses were given, and
oracles delivered, under the influence
of a peculiar intoxication. This plant
was tobacco; which was probably used,
also, as luxury by the subjects of
Montezuma, as it was smoked over
the whole of America at the period of
the Spanish conquest. Its introduc-
ton into the Old World soon fol-
lowed; and although it was opposed
by every power, both civil and re-
ligious, yet it's use has become SO
general, that it is not only regarded as
the solace and enjoyment of the
luxurious in every rank of life in
civilized Europe, but has been i'll
troduced wherever Europeans have
found their way; even into the islands
Of the Pacific Ocean, by t. cir ad-
vcnturous discovercrs. ''ln the Sand
wich Islands," says kotzebuc, "To-
bacco is now SO generally used, ti,at
young children learn to smoke before
they walk, and grown up people
carry the practice to such all excess
that they have fallen down scnsclcss,
s..a,4. 4lien di..S. in consequence.
There Is reason for believing. -rnat
the first time the Spaniards saw to-
bacco smoked, as a luxury, WAS at
an amicablc interview between Girl
lalva, Spaniard, and the Caciquc Of
Iabasco, after victory which Gri-
jalva, who, under the auspices of
Nclasqucs, conducted an cxpedi-
ton from St. Jago dc Cuba,
in 1918, had gained over the Indians.
ut Potonchan. 1t was from the name
OF the place Of this interview, which is
lndlScrlminatcly called Tnbasco and
Iabaco, that the plant received the
appcllation, which Hernandez de To
lcdo then imposed upon it, and which
it still retains.
In the following year, 1919, Cortes,
who had commenced his career of
ambition, transmitted propitiatory
present to Charles, as a specimen of
the wealth and productions of the
territory he had conquered for him; us
a part Of this tribute, tobacco
first found its way into Europe, and,
through the Venetian and Gcnocse
traders to the I.evcnt, it was intro.
duccd into Turkey, Arabia, Persia,
and the whole of Asia. 1t was, not
however, until the middle of this
century that it attracted considerable
notice.
In 1861 some seeds oftobacco were
given by a Dutch planter to Jean
Nicot, Lord Of Fillenain, and Master
of Requests in the French court, who
was then the Ambassador of Francis
ii. i'll Portugal. Nicot sent them to
Catherine dc Mcdicis, who afterwards
patronIZed 1t as II medicine; and thence
1T obtained the name of IIerbc
Rclne until her death. The generic
namc, Ntcoftuna, was imposed BY Lin
n"us; and is the appcllation now
employed.
About this period, the monarchs of
the world combined, rs it were,
to crush, by force, the evils which
they anticipated from the introduction
Of tobacco into their dominions.
In England, Elizabeth published an
cdlct against its use, assigning as
a reason, that her subjects, by en-
ploymg the same luxuries as bar
barlans, were likely to degenerate into
barbarlsm; and in the following
reign. James wrote his celebrated
"Counterblastc to Tobacco" in which
he remarks that the custom of
smoking SIS loathsome to the eve.
hateful to the nose, harmcful to
the braine, dang to the lungs; and
III the black sinking fumc there
OF, nearest resembling the horrible Sly
gan smoake Of the pit that is bot
tomlcss; whilst, ut the same time. he
imposed prohibitory duty of six
and eight pence per pound on
its Importation, and enacted that
no planter in Virginia should
raise more than one hundred pounds of
it in one year.
Charles continued this impost, and
made tobacco royal monopoly, as it
Is ut the present period, in the Meth
crlands and in France. An amusing
furt M ,,...l -