The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-10-28
How an Irishman Raised Tobac-
CO aud tho WInd at the Same


How nn Irlshman Raised Tobac4
CO aud tho WInd Rt the Same
Time. 81
The cultivation of tobacco has long been
forbidden in Great Britain, but by some
oversight the prohibition was not extended
to ireland until the following incident, mar.
rated by DR.. Shelton Mackenzie, rendered
its necessity obvious
About the year 1879. an Irishman, named
Carroll, returned to his native land, after
many years. residence in the United States,
where he had realized sufficient means to
purchase the estate in Tipperary, on which
his forefathers hsd resided from immemOri.
al time. Mr.. Carroll, who was an active.
} minded, speculative man, had lived in our
! Southern States for several years, where he
had made himself familiar with all relating
J to the growth, treatment and preparation OF
tobacco. He had accidently ascertained
that there was no law prohibiting the cul-
tivation Of the plant in Irelynd. According
ly, having brought over with him, by ano.
! ther accident, as much Of the tobacco seed
as would suffice for a few acres Of land, he
had the ground carefully prepared, and COM
mitteG the seed TO it. Devoting himself to
wedding, hoeing, and all the other requisites
for success, he had the satisfaction, in due
time, of sending into the market in Dublin
and in Cork, sundry bogsheads of leaf to-
bacco. equal to the average quality of that
imported from the United States. He put
on it the A American prices too, and got them.
But the Excise Officers were soon acquainted
with what he had done, seized every pound
of this Irish tobacco, and proceeded to take
the usual steps to "exchequer" him. They
believed themselves very wide.awuke, while
their intended victim alone was in that sta.
ton. In due time, the legal measures b av-
ing reached maturity, Mr.. Carroll presented
himself 10 the Irish Attorney General, in-
formed him the tabacine prohibition did not
legally extend to ireland, and recommended
him to make virtue of necessity, and with
draw all the Exchequer cults at law. The
Attorney General would gladly have done
this, us his own legal ignorance or careless.
ness would nave been publically proclaim
ed had they proceeded But shrewd Mr..
Carroll did not stop with this. He exacted
from the Irish Government full compensa.
ton for the damage he had sustained. in his
character AID in purse, by the public seizure
of his produce, muggIed-nor did he put
small estimate upon his damages. How
ever, the money was paid, and the Excise
Commissioners flattered themselves tnat
they had seen the last Of MI. Carroll. Not
50 for they had letter from him, some six
months later, saying that he had put the
whole of his land into tobacco cultivation,
aud, as they had paid him so well for the
last crop, he wished to know whether they
would purchase the forthcoming at the same
rate. The result was, the Excise Board had
to compromise, aud agreed to pay $4,000
Tor MIR. Carruli'S next tobicco crop, he un-
dsrtaking not again to 60 into that branch
of agriculture. Finally in the year 1881,
the Government had to get an act Of Par.
lament wholly prohibiting tobacco growing
in ireland, and, in Mlrsh, 1882, got sec
ond act passed, authorizing the purchase OF
Irish grown tobacco, with u view 10 its be.
ing destroyed. ..
Mr.. Carroll's neighbors do declare to this
day that the sowing and consequent grow
ing of tobacco in the second year was only
one ot his ingenious devices, und that he had
really sown grim where the EXcisemen be-
Iieved he had placed tobacco seed. The
whole transaction put some $l50,000 into
this ami lble gentleman'S s pocket.