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Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
Virginia Magazine of History and Biography Author:Virginia historical society Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE Virginia Magazine HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY. Vol. III. JANUARY, I896. No. 3 CULPEPER'S REPORT ON VIRGINIA IN 1683. [fkom Macdonald Mss.—Va. State Lirkak... more »y.] In the first part of the original of this re|x1rt of Lord Culpeper, which bears the date of September, 1683, he replies briefly to each of the Instructions which had been given him on receiving his Commission as Governor, these replies showing in various aspects, though in a meagre form, the condition of the Colony at that time. We print only the closing portion of the report, in which the account is more extended and comprehensive. Some of this matter is of special interest as throwing new light on the Plant-Cutters' Rebellion, an event in the latter part of the history of Virginia in the 17th century only second in importance to the Insurrection headed by Nathaniel Hacon. The Rebellion, so called, took place in 1682, and it arose in consequence of the failure to secure a cessation of tobacco culture by the co-operation of the tobacco raising Colonies. In consequence of the great quantity of tobacco produced, it had sunk to a ruinous price. The necessities of the people drove them to desperation, and they resolved upon a forcible cessation, so far as Virginia was concerned. The growing tobacco of one plantation was no sooner destroyed than the owner having been deprived, either with or without his consent, of his crop, was seized with the same frenzy, and ran with the crowd as it marched to destroy the crop of his neighbor. The tumult reached its height in Gloucester county, but extended to Middlesex, New Kent and York. The commotion was finally put down bv the militia. It was estimated that ten thousand hogsheads of tobacco were destroyed. I shall acquaint your Lords1" with what I have done in Relation to the C...« less