The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-04-10
TOBACCO.
A Graphic Delineation of the
@ Pernicious Effects of its Use.
ditor Of the Arorristown Gazette:

+" 1t is somewhat doubtful whethe
the use of tobacco as a narcotic wa
known in the East before the disco'
cry of America" Keysers in hi
Geography of Plants. expresses tn
opinien that the smoking Of Tobacco
is of great antiquity among the Chi
nese, because on very cid sculpture
he has observed the very same to
bacco pipes which are in use now
The smoking Of tobacco was founC
by Columbus to be practiced in th'
West Indies. It has been prsvalen
from unknown antiquity amongst th'
American Indians as far north a:
Canada. The calanut. or pipe o
peace. is indispensable TO the rati
fcation of treaty, and smoking to
gether has even greater Significance
of friendship than eating together
has amongst other nations" Some
authorities give the credit of intro
dueing tobacco into England to Sir
Francis Drake, some to Sir Walter
Raleigh, and others to Ralph Lane.
It is evident that Sir Francis Drake
took Ralph Lane and tobacco both
together into England; and no one
will dispute the agency Of the gal
liant knight. Sir Walter Raleigh, for
he sent out some in his employ
Stills History Of Vtrgiaia.
Chambers says: The seed was
first brought to Europe by Gonzalo
Hernandez de Oriedo. who intro.
duced it into Spain, where it was
first cultivated as an ornamental
plant, till Nicola Menardes extelled
it as possessed OF medicinal virtues.
There is no mention OF smoking in
Shakespeare, yet 1t is certain from
other evidence, that it was well
known in England in his time. To
bacco was first recommended for its
medicinal virtues, which were greatly
exaggerated, but it soon became an
article of luxury. The Popes full
minated against it the thunders of
the Church ; the Priests and Snltans
of Turkey declared smoking crime.
and decreeing its punishment by the
most cruel kinds of death. The
pipes of smokers were thrust through
their noses in Turkey, and in Russia
the noses of smokers were cut off in
the earlier part of the 18th century.
King James /. Of England issued a
Counter blaste to tobacco. in which he
described lis use as ga custom loath
some to the eye, hateful to the nose,
harmful to the brain. dangerous to
the lungs, aud in the black sinking
fumes thereof nearest resembling the
horrible Stygian smoke of the pit
that is bottomless."
The use of tobacco has continued
to increase to the present day-the
luxury of rich aud poor, Of civilized
nations aud savage tribes. The wri-
ter of this article. constant and
inyeterate smoker, proposes to treat
both sides Of the question, "Does it
pay to smoke p
l have often thought if smoking
pays any one, it is the Irish railroad
builder, the man of the "pick and
shovel" with his black navy tobacco
and short stem pipe. How he sucks,
grunts and whiffs. 1t seems a real
luxury and salvo to the poor hard
worked man. But does not that mar
cotic influence keep that railroader
a ditcher all his life? 1t does not.
cost him more than ten cents week
Who could wish to deny poor man
a luxury SO cheap, and so dear to
him? So long as he has his pipe he
has refuge to which he cam iiy from
trouble. How he seems to enjoy it I!
How it rests him! Besides. this sin-
gle luxury of smoking at COST. of
little over a cent day. is the full
equivalent of all the luxu-ies VIII ch
wealth can buy. None but smoker.
or one who has been a smoker. can
realize this truth. but it is truth.
That short black pipe does actually
place the srailroadeF, so-far as mere
luxury goes, on par with Tom
Scot. the great Railroad King. Gen.
Grant. or the Prince of Wales B ,ur-
bon. champagne, turtle, game. AID
all the ether luxnriouss commodities.
are not. taken altogether. so much TO I
those who can daily enjoy them. as
poor Paddy's pipe is TO him. j
Now the short pipe and common
strong tobacco is just as good TO the
poor man as the fne regalias could |
be 10 the rich. that cost two thsusaud |
dollars Thousand IN Havana. aud
sixty cents each in America. If You
should give one Of those fine cigars
10 the railroad ditcherss ten to one
he would prefer to cut IL up and.
smoke IT, ia his pipe. and then lie
would not find it as good as tlle to-
bacco he usually smokes. The poor.
laborerss pipe Is q patent equalizer.
TO the enjoyment Of pleasures pure.
" luxurious there is a limit which Is
soon reaehed-and 7 maintain that.
. poor man gets as mnclro of this kind |
of nleasnre ont of his nine as. a /