TOBACCO TRADE. (Hansard, 5 August 1845)

§ Mr. Sheridan
called the attention of the House to the petition of Richard and James Keynes, grocers of Shaftesbury, which had been printed, and 1509 advertised, the circumstances of which they complained. It appeared that these persons, in prosecuting their regular trade, received a cask of tobacco which was regularly invoiced to them, and which had not been in their possession half an hour before it was seized by the Excise Officers, upon the plea that the tobacco was adulterated. The Report of the Committee on the tobacco trade, had shown the extreme difficulty that existed on the part of the most scientific and expert chemists to detect adulteration in tobacco; he thought, therefore, that this was a hard case, and he would move for a Select Committee to inquire into the subject.

§ Mr. Cardwell
observed that the person from whom the petitioners had received the tobacco had been recently proceeded against by the Excise, and incurred heavy penalties. The suspicions of the Excise were, consequently, excited, and they made the seizure. They continued to be of opinion that the tobacco was adulterated. Not, however, suspecting any fraud on the part of the petitioner, they gave notice that it was not their intention to proceed for penalties, but that they could not allow it to be sold as genuine tobacco, and therefore should proceed for its condemnation. The petitioners had, therefore, everything that was necessary for the vindication of their character. As to the analysis, the difficulty of proof rested with the Excise. The officers of revenue had done precisely that which was their duty—they had prevented adulterated tobacco being innocently sold as genuine tobacco, and the petitioners had received every reparation which their character could require in being exonerated from the penalties.

§ Mr. Hume
thought the proceedings in this case, as in all connected with tobacco, were most disgraceful, and such as could not take place in any other country. Persons whose families had been in the business for centuries were preparing to leave it, because an honest man found it utterly impossible to carry it on with any profit. The only remedy to be applied was a large reduction of the duty.