Page:Life And Letters Of Thomas Jefferson -- Hirst (IA in.ernet.dli.2015.89541).pdf/32

 Colomal Virginia and Jettersons Borhood the Bistory of the Corony tobactg came to be the recog nized medium of exchange and standard of value A pound rreight of tobaeco was the unit in which Laborr, salaries, and takes were paid Eyen the English Mardens, brought over in the early days of the Colony to Marry Its Backelors, were paid for in tobacco. One Writet, Forgetting the history of Colonial paper moreys and of the Contr nental curteney, which during the Revoracionary Wat became a bygord for worthessness, has deplored the in stability of to bacco money Occasionally, it is trve, as a Fesult of an amusually heary crop, the price tell to a penny or even a halfvenny per pound; tot for long periods the price was tairty stable at about three pence. And to baccd had one suppeme advantage Over paper MORE7; IE pO5- sessed an Inttinsie Valce. It never tell or could tall to Nothing, like a continental paper dolar, Thless, Or UIIII men ceased to smake. We shall see later how bitterly the aeraymen of the Established Charch of Vireinia resented a Iawr which compelled them to take their salaries in the depreciated paper curteney of the Colony instead of II to Bacto Firginian to bacco coutd onty be shipped to Britain, and the Monopoly caused some shatp contests betheen the Brginia Assembly and the government at home. Indeed a Vithiian Patriot contemplating these incidents, onte went 3o far as to declare thata tme history of tobacco would be the history of Enghsh and American Iibert In the first half of the eighteenth centary, Vireinid to ts one of the happiest communities of white men in the Fotig. It was as a rute very loyal as well 25 very p105 Berons. Arogal governor presided over a Dominated CouE CII, resembling the House of Lords, and an eected House of Burgeooes as Jeatore of its righte as the House of Com- [5]