Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-06-03
TOBACCO INSPECTION.

TOBACCO INSPECTION.
Nothing affecting the Tobacco interest in this
State can fail to attract the public attention. To-
bacco forms too largea staple of our domestic pro-
duct, and foreign expectation, ever to be sub
ject of public Indifference. For long period in
our history, it constituted the chief part of the
public currency, and was the medium in which
the State as well as public officers received their
dues. No inconsiderable portion of the public
revenue, too was derived from this source These
public considerations were thought to Justify that
degree Estate interference with the pursuits and
interests of private industry which is observable
in the Legislation of Virginia on this subject, Il
policy certainly not in consonance with the ge-
MUS of a free State, and only to be indicated by
the state of society in which that legislation had
its origin.
But the system itself, which took its rise from
date as early as 1929, has been marked by a
wise and salutary caution-and in no respect more
conspicuously than in that part of it which re-
CARDS the appointment and tenure of office of the
Inspectors and Commissioners who are charged
with the duty of superintendence and control over
this most important interest. The appointments
or recommendations for appointments lin most in
stances equivalent things) were conlded to the
most respectable body of men to be found in each
locality-the county or corporation courts-whose
position, character, and personal part icipation in
the interests confded to them, were a certain
guarantee at once for the intelligence with which
these appointments would be made and the ftE
ness of the persons appointed. And this guaran-
tee was farther strengthened by pecuniary penal
ties, provided by law for the faithful performance
of duty, to be summarily enforced by any party
injured. 1t was an admirable system-approyed
by time and experience, and heartily appauded
by those to whose business and bosoms it came
home. Moreover, it consorted with the genius
ofthat old republicanism which aimed at the dis
tribution of power into many responsible subdvi-
sions. But it suited not the temper of Democra-
cy, whose leading trait is the concentration of
power office, patronage in the hands of one-ofa
chief-to be made and promoted by place hunters,
who shall make and promote that in turn. Ne
YER, indeed, had that system an enemy, before the
domination of that faction under which Virginia
retrogrades and groans-whch has dried up her
resources-dwarted her mlnd-and now threat
ems her peace in most vital point.
Will the Tobacco planters on James River ever
be brought to believe that Joseph Johnson of Har-
rison, better knows the qualifications of an inspec-
tor of Tobacco in Richmond, land that too with =
out even responsible recommendation than
the County Court of Henrico AMY more than
the Richmond manufacturer can be brought to
think he understands the discipline of factories =
ind +bo eofr ID
very instincts of interest and self preservation be
extinguished in the stolid zealotry of party? Yet
the bill now passed by the Democracy in
the Legislature proposes to give these appoint
ments to the Governor-unaided by the recon-
mendation of the Courts uniformed by respon-
sible advisers and not the public interests
alone but the private rights of the proprietors of
warehouses are to be given over incontinently to
his control. Mr.. Darlington, in the SEN
ate, made an effort for which he deserves the
thanks of the whole tobacco interest," to repel this
insolent invasion of public and private right. He
moved as an amendment:
provided however That shall be the right of the pro
pretors of any such warehouse Inspectors
provided for in this sections and in the the Gov
ernor declines to appoint the Inspectors so recommended
he shall file with the First Auditor his for such
REFUSAL and shall transmit such proprietor copy of
the same"
But it availed nothing. The patronage of the
offices ofinspectors of lumber, fish, honr &C., had
already taken the same course 1t was given to
the Governor by wlom the public service was
immediately illustrated by some petty proscrip
tions, and improved by some transmontane impor-
tations into office. This was about the era when
the party, divorced by the reverse of l845, from
its long continued hold on the Federal Treasu-
~, turned with mingled hate and disappointed
rage upon the State officers, the Council of State,
the Auditors and Treasurer departments. The
inspection law as to flour and corn meal, bread,
salt, fish, pork, beef, tar, pitch, turpentue, mm-
ber lime, hemp, butter, guano, &c. signalized that
suspicious era-all this patronage was given to
the Governor; and aow an alfront to the public
feeling is meditated, (restrained merely by the
decent shame Ola few IN the extrusion from of
flee and bread of venerable, worthy, and trusted
officers in the capitol, seemingly that no posi-
BILE mixture OF compassion, enity or justice may