The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-07-24
1.-THE TOBACCO WAR"
AN OLD FIGHT RE-oPENED OVER FORTY
THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF
TOBACCO SEIZED.
A British Bark I'm Custody Of State
Officers.

A British Bark I'm Custody Of State
Officers.
For two hundred years. as colony and
sovereign State. Virginia has been passing
acts ia relation to the inspection Of unmanu-
ftc,ured tobacco. The laws arc now in many
respects in such confusion 90 to forbid any
but accomplished experts ascertaining really
what is their true intent and purpose. At
the last session Of the General Assembly an
attempt was made to simplify complicated
passages and to make important modifci-
tions, but 1t met with vigorous opposition,
and after long and exciting contest the
two houses satisfied their consciences
by virtually taking no action. All over
the tobacco growing region of the State
the tobacco ipspe clion M&s have since
been the SUBJECT of much discussion, and in
some counties candidates for office have sue
ceedpd 10 making the question OF re'ainiDg
the laws In their present condition an issue
in the selection of candidates for the Legis.
lature. Here in Richmond there has been a
great, although not quite unanimous feeling
in favor OF the abolition Of all compulsory
inspections. but while urging and advoca.
ting that reformation, our tooacconiSls and
tobacco dealers have scrupulou>ly obeye ed
the laws as they understood them.
Yesterday evening the British bark Tar
peiap, Captain Young, when about to get her
clearance for Liverpool, with cargo of 700
hogsheads or packages OF unmanuactured
tobacco, valued az 100000, was seized by
virtue of the following warrant:
"SrATE OF VIRGINIA, CITY OF RlCHAoND-to
wit:
"To John L. WeatherJord, Special Con
stable. Whereas, upou examination OF John
l.. W eathcrford upon oath, have just cause
TO suspect and believe, and do believe, tbat
there is now sccreted on board bark Tarpeian
of Liverpool, now lying IN this port, in said
city, one lot of aninspected ooacco IN viola
ton Of State law THESE are therefore to
command you, in the uame OF tie Common
wealth of Virginia, forthwith to go on board
and seize such unlnspected tobacco as may
be found therein.
"Giren under my baud this 23l day o!
July, 1873. W. Il. GRANGER, j. p
The following is the return made by De-
tcclive Weaheriord of all the "uninspect'
ed" tobacco found:
"Executed by seizing S02 packages Of to-
bacco believed to be unlnspected under the
laws of Virginia on board vessel Tarpeian
this 23d July, 1879.
"JonS L. WEATHERFoKn.
Especial Constable"
The 302 packages seized were packages or
hogshcads Of strips; the other tobacco found
was leaf, and proved 10 have been properly
inspected.
Justice Granger issued his warrant upon
the affidavit and at tue request Of indepen-
dent Detective Weatherford, and under the
two following sections or chapter So Of the
Code Of 1878:
"5G. No manufactured tobacco, wbe.
thcr stemmed or unslemmed, shall be eX.
ported or put on board OF any vessel or boat
for that purpose unless the same be packed in
boysheadS or casks, and unless II sha have
been inspected and arked, or branded, by
inspec:o :ors of tobacco in the manner pre-
scribed by Jaw. Ii any person shall ship or
export any tobacco contrary to this section,
he shall forfeit one dollar for every pound OF
tobacco so shipped or exported. And the
commanding Off .er of any slca vessel or
boat in which any such tobacco IS found,
shall Iorieit twenty doIIsrs for every hum
dred weight OF such tobacco, and proper
lonate sum for less quantity"
81. \ justice, upon Information given to
him on oath that there is good cause 10 suS.
pect that there is uninspected tobacco
in casks, bulk, or parcels on board a
vessel or boat in violation Of the
preceding section, shall issue his war
rant to the sheriff. sergeant, or constable
of his county or corporation, commanding
him 10 60 on board such vessel or boat and
seize any such upinspectcd tobacco as may be
found therein. The officer executing such
warrant shall carry any such tobacco SO
seized before the same or other justice, VINO
shall cause the said tobacco TO be carried To
The nearest warehouse established by law Tor
The inspection Of tobacco, and there inspect
Cd and marked, or branded according to
law"
Section Sc was the section upon which the
sharpc.t fight OF "the tobacco war" was
made at the last session of the General AS
sembIy. There were many who desired 1t
repealed, especially in view of the tact that
hundreds of bogsheads of tobacco were
being shipped from Lynchburg (where there
are no State warehou>e>) every mouth. and
upon which the eye OF Il Virginia inspector
never rested.
The tobacco caught on board the Tarpeian
was shipped by Me>srs. Barksdale, Hatcher,
Enders, Gentry, and others, all well.known
and highly honorable tobacco.dealers of this
CITY. The mere mention of their names in
this community and State is a sufficient
guarantee that they have done wrong. if at
all, unDtentionaIly.
Judge Wow. Crump is counsel for the
shippers, who claim that every ounce OF the
tobacco seized has once been inspected.
They are accustomed to buy their tobacco
from State warehouses after the tobacco has
been duly inspected. Then they stem it and
pack the strips for expectation. They say
that to have 10 submit the strips TO q second
irspccton, and consequently TO break each
hog>head or package in three or four places,
would be to ruin The strips, rs rbcy will not
stand breaking like the upstemmed tobacco.
Further, it is represented, and so far rs
our reporter could ascertain not denied, that
for ll,lf century at least, III the face OF all
the Stutc'r inspectors, publicly and openly,
strips have been exported from Richmond
without undergoing any inspection other
than that TO which they were subjected be-
tore the stem was removed. 1t Is also stated
that twenty. five or thirty years ago this very
question was for brief time obtaining pub
nc attention, and MIR. james Ca>kle and
Others took the opportunity TO ak the ad'
vice of the then Attorney.General oil the
State. who gave as bis deliberate oplnon that
strips from inspected tobicco intended Tor
eyportation did not require to Oe again in
spected.
Some weeks ago Mr.. Weatherlord was
about 10 se:ze lot Of strips found on board
of steamship Of the Old Dominion line,
,horn taiuu 6nubt whether the HOrO