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very few of them be paid in Money (for almost every one
would make Tobacco enough to pay fees &c. when it might
be paid at home & without Inspection) the Regulation of
Foreign Coins in reality can't Materially affect the Value or
Credit of the Paper Currency altho if the Clause was repealed
and the Residue of the Law should remain in force, Paper
Money from the great demand, would be more Valuable, yet
if no part of the Inspection Act should Continue there is
Room to doubt, whether it would become more Valuable than
it is now.
On this head it may not be impertinent to observe to your
Lordship that your Province is so Circumstanced in Respect
of its situation, Soil and Climate, as to suit the Planter and
the Farmer, the Lands Convenient to Salt Water are Cov-
eted by the Planter, the Frost not happening there, till the
Tobacco may be conveniently Housed and Secured, and the
Situation being Convenient for Shipping. The Inland parts
of the Province being Subject to Early Frosts and much
Trouble and Expence attending the Carriage of a Bulky
Commodity are unsuitable to the Business of a planter but
with a Proper Industry will Pay the Farmer for his Labour,
the Produce of these Lands are generally Sold to the Neigh-
bouring Colonies and the Price for it paid in Gold & Silver
Currency and the Clause was intended as an Indulgence to
the Farmers, who are generally an industrious and frugal
People, that they might Pay the Coins they receive for their
Commodities in the Neighbouring Colonies and to protect
them from the Injustice of oppression as it is indubitably the
Interest of the Province rather to Divide and Diversify the
Employments & Labour of the People & encourage the Settle-
ment of the Back Lands, than force every man under every
disadvantage to become a Planter or by the oppression of
Usurers or Extortion of Sheriffs to migrate to some other
Colony This Clause is esteemed of great Advantage to your
Lordships Tenants.
As to your Lordships fourth objection We must admit that
the Matters contained in the Act are various and a more
proper Title might have been framed, but your Lordship will
be pleased to observe, that the Variety of Matter contained
in the late Inspection Law was as great, had the Clause Set-
tling the Proportion between foreign Coins and Paper Money
not been inserted in the Present Act. It is recited in ss XXX
" that the excessive quantity of Tobacco in some measure
depreciated the Commodity and in order to tempt People to
pursue other employments than that of Planting those who
should not make Tobacco are allowed to discharge the
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Lib. J. R.
& U. S.
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