Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-03-08
MI SCELL A NY.
Tobacco.

Tobacco.
The custom of smoking is Of unknown antiq-
uity but whether tobacco or some other herb
was used is not certain. The Mexican ma
tves used tobacco not only as an article OF
luxury, but to alay hunger and thirst, and as
a remedy for diseases. Smoking was practiced
by the North American Indians. Declarations
of war and treaties of peace usually began and
ended with smoking tobacco. The stems OF
their pipes or calmuts used on all such occasions
were adorned or decorated with the feathers
from the wings OF birds, aud other ornaments,
which gave them al attractive appearance.
The Introduction and use Of the herb into En-
rope, is regarded as being subsequent to the dis
covery Of America by Columbus. On his arrival
at Cuba in 1892 he and his little company first
observed the custom OF smoking cigars. Ac-
cording to Humboldt, the seed Of this plant was
first sown in Portugal in 1859. The herb was
introduced into Spain in 1860, and into France
the same year by the French Ambassador at the
Court of Portugal. Jean Nicot forwarded some
seeds, procured in the course of his mission, to
the oueen-mother Catharine de Medicis i and on
his return from Portugal presented the plant to
her. This honor was claimed also by Thevet,
the oueeu's aluloner, but was not granted, as the
name Of Ncot still designates the herb botani'
cally, it being called Nicotiana. The word to-
bacco ia derived by some from 7abacO, the
the name of province in Yscstan; a word
thought to be the term by which the Instrument
or pipe used in smoking the herb was designa-
ted, it being transferred By the Spanisrds, as
supposed, from the pipe to the herb itself.
Tobacco was introduced into Italy by the
POpe's Nuncio, st. Croix, and was known as
tbs hsr5 QfSt Croiz.' 1t was introduced into
Eoglsnd in the reign OF Queen Elizabeth, In
1854, who granted Sir Walter Raleigh apatent
for the possession OF q newly discovered and fer
tile country, then named Windaagoca, afterward
christened by the Queen by the more euphoni-
Gus name of Virginia, in allusion to her own
yirginity.
Sir Walter Immediately fitted out several YES
sells and sent out an expedition. This colony
suffering from Indians and famine returned in
the fall Of 1856. The following year he aent out
another colony, which made the first importa-
ton of tobacco into England. About this time
he obtained $4,000 acres of forfeited lands in
the counties of Cork and Waterford, and hrst
introduced the cultivation of the potato and the
tobacco plant.
Being desirous of improving his new posses
sions, Sir Walter took to the habit OF smoking
and did his best to introduce the practice and
make il fashionable.' 1t is stated that ladies,
great and noble men of the Queens Court did
not scruple to blow pipe sometimes very So
ciablv. Whether Her Majesty joined in this So
cial recreation is not quite clear.
The following anecdote gives q glimpse OF
Sir Walters habit of smoking Having des-
patched a newly appointed servant for some
beer, he lighted his pipe and commenced smo-
king When the servant returned he was thun
der-struck at seeing volumes of smoke issuing
from his masters mouth, and thinking his
BODY must be on fire, in order to extinguish it.
dashed the beer in his face AT lSlington, Raj
eigh frequently entertained his guests on mug
of ale with nutmeg and pipe
James |, did not look upon tobacco with favor
for he not only refused its precious stinke,' as
he called it. but endeavored in his famous Coun-
terblast,' to restrain its use among his subjects
on the plea that it made their bodies weak and
unft for labor. In 1904 he issued, without con-
sent of Parliament, q royal warrant raising the
tax on tobacco from two pounds to six shillings
and ten pence for every pound valus'-a meas
ure prompted by his hatred Of tobacco and jea
uusy of the increasing prosperity of the Spanish
West Indies, whence large importatlons had been
made.
Pope Urban VIII, issued bill threatening
excommunication to all those using tobacco in
churches The King of Persia and the Gar OF
Muscovy forbade its use under pain of death,
with the mild alternative OF having his nose cut
off for taking snuff.
What james left undone in prose, Joshua Syl.
vester undertook to accomplish by verses, called
Tobacco Battered and the Pipes shattered
But in spite of king and poet, the use OF TO-
bacco continued to increase; and in 1910 his
Royal Majesty granted a charter to the Virgin
ia Company, and the possession of all the ISL.
euds on the coast of Virginia, the soil being a.
dapted to the cultivation of tobacco. In 1920
the attention of the King was attracted TO the
drug tobacco At this time 'he had taken to
himself the preemption of all the tobacco i'm
ported, considerable quantities of it being receiy
ed from Virginia, the colonists, as he complain
ed, having so overstocked the market that he
could not afford to give them more than three
shillings pound for it and out of pity to the
country, the King likewise commanded that the
planters should not make more than one hund-
red weight per man, and forbade its importation
by any but those holding his letters patent to
do so. To make this monopoly still more val
liable the growth of tobacco in Ireland was for
hidden, in 1924, and the Importation of foreign
tobacco forbidden Boston Courier.