John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 1173

The demise of Spotswood's tobacco program sent the tobacco industry into a tailspin.  The planters did not realize that overproduction, and a low quality, kept prices low.  In the 1720's, the problem was bad, and the assembly passed a law against tending "seconds".  (After the tobacco stalks were cut, or the leaves were stripped off, new growth (suckers) sprouted from the bottom of the plant.  They would grow rapidly, and, within a few weeks, could also be harvested, as "seconds".  This not only added to overproduction, but the "seconds" were of much lower quality.)  Another measure was called "stinting".  The stint laws set a limit on the number of tobacco plants which a worker could tend.  For slaves, the limit was set at 6,000 plants per worker.  Non-slave holders were allowed 10,000 plants per worker.  The law was very difficult to administer because of the difficulty of counting plants and workers, especially in the more remote regions.  (In the recent past, laws dictated that a tobacco farmer be allowed a specific "acreage allotment" of tobacco, depending on his total farm acreage.  Today, the "allotment" is in pounds of tobacco; he can sell only as many pounds as his "allotment" allows, regardless of how much he produces.)

In 1727, William Gooch became Lt. Gov. of Virginia.  Generally, one could obtain positions of this type with only the support of powerful supporters in England.  The Colonial Governors found there were two groups of people who were ready to stab them in back.  One group was in England, and consisted of politicians and merchants.  The merchants were especially powerful, and a governor needed powerful friends in England to ward off their attacks.  The other group, ready to stab the governors in the back, was composed of the people living in the colonies.  Major Gooch owed his support in England to Sir Robert Walpole, first Lord of the Treasury, and Chancellor of the Exchequer.  If Gooch had no friends in Virginia, he at least did not make any more enemies than he had to.  This could hardly have been said of Spotswood, who seemed to go out of his way to alienate people.  Actually, it was more of the case that Spotswood thought he was right, and refused to listen to anyone else.

Gooch used his personal charm and political acumen to develop a favorable relationship with Virginians early in his tenure.  Some have said that Gooch's biggest asset was extraordinary tact.  Potentially, the largest problems were going to arise between the merchants in England and the planters in Virginia.  For example, Gooch and the planters proposed building a lighthouse on Cape Henry, but the idea was rejected by the Board of Trade in London because the merchants there were opposed to it (they thought they would have to pay for it through increased taxes).  Also, Virginia wanted to impose a duty on imported liquors, but the merchants complained loudly enough to get the Board of Trade to scuttle the act.  Other acts of interference by the merchants also created a strong resentment in Virginia against the merchants.  [One senses the building of an opposition in the colonies to the way Colonial affairs were administered.  If England had treated the people in the colonies like full citizens, and not as people to be ordered about, there probably would never have been a revolution.]

In the first years of Gooch's administration, an argument developed over the act of Parliament which prohibited tobacco to be imported into England unless the leaves were on a stalk.  That is, loose leaves could not be imported.  Because of this prohibition, contraband tobacco in the form of loose leaves was brought into England by sailors without paying dues.  Gooch sent arguments to London explaining why that act of Parliament should be repealed, and, in doing so, made friends of the planters.
(21 May 01)