M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-11-04


How an Irishman Raised TObaC-
co and the Wind at the Same
Time.
The cultivation of tobacco has long
been forbidden in Great Britain, but
by some oversight the prohibition was
not extended to Ireland until the fol.
lowing incident, narrated by DR.. Shell
ton Mackenzie, rendered its necessity
obvious:
About the year 1929, an Irisbmar
named Carroll, returned to his native
land, after many years. residence II
! the United States, where he had real
lied sufficient means to purchase the
estate in Tipperary. upon which his
| forefathers had resided from immem
orial time. Mr.. Carroll, who was al
active.minded, speculative man, haC
| lived in our Southern States for sew
eral years, where he had made him
self familiar with all relating to the
growth and treatment, and prepara
ton of tobacco. lie had accidentally
ascertained that there was no law pro
! Ihibiting the cultivation Of the plant
in Ireland. Accordingly, having
brought oyer with him, by another ac
cident, as much of the tobacco seed as
would suffice for a few acres of land
he had the ground carefully prepared,
and committed the seed it. Devot.
ing himself to wedding, hoeing, and
all the other requisites for success, he
had the satisfaction, in due time, O
sending into tile market in Dublin
and in Cork, sundry hogsheads of lea
tobacco, equal to the average quality
of that imported from the United
States. lie put on it the American
prices, too, and got them. But the
excise officers, soon acquainted will
what he had done, seized every pounC
of this Irish tobacco, and proceeded
to take the usual steps to "eXchequer'
him. They believed themselves very
wide.awake, while their intended vic
tim alone was in that situation. Ir
due time the legal measures having
reached maturity, Mr.. Carroll presen
ted himself to the Irish Attorney Gen
eral, informed him the tabacine pro
hibition did not legally extend to Ire
land, and recommended him to makC
a virtue Of necessity, and withdraw al
the Exchequer suits at law. The At
torney General would have gladl,
done this, as his own legal ignoranc
or carolessness would have been pub
licly proclaimed had they proceeded
But shrewd Mr.. Carroll did not sto,
with this. He exacted from the Iris
Government full compensation for tn
damage he had sustained, in charac
ter and in purse, by the public seizur
} of his produce, as smuggled-nor di
he put a small estimate upon his dan
} ages. However, the money was pait
and the Excise Commissioners fattel
: ed themselves that they had seen tn
last of Mr.. Carroll. Not so; for the
had a letter from him some six month
later, saying that he had put the whoI
D of his land into tobacco cultivation
r and as they had paid him so we'll ft
the last crop, wished to know whetht
3 they would purchase the forthcomin
q at the same rate. The result was, tll
i Excise Board 70 compromise. agree
/: to pay S1OO,OOOfor Mr.. Oarroll'S ne7
S tobacco crop, he undertaking nj
: again to go into that branch of agr
culture. Finally, in the year 1873.
J the Government had to get an act
i Parliament wholly prohibiting toba
J, co growing in Ireland, and, in MarcI
$ 1882, got a second act passed, autho
}, izing the purchase of Irish grown t
!, bacco, with view of its being de
! troyed. ..
e Mr.. Corroll's neighbors declare
r this day that the sowing and cons