The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-05 00:00:00

COLOMBIA.

The following are the principal articles of a decree-
which passed the Colombian Congress on the 19th of May
last, for consolidating the whole (Celt of the Republic, both
foreign and domestic, and for providing for the payment of

the interest :
Art. I. The Colombian Republic recognizes as national debts :-
1. The sum of 2,000,00 W. sterling, contracted in the name of the Re-
public at Paris by Francisco Antonio Zea, in March 1822, without
prejudice to the duties belonging to the Republic. for the liquida-
tion which the law of the Ist of July 1823, ordered.-2. The sum
of 4.750,0101. sterling, contracted in Calais on the 14th of April
1824. by Manuel Antonio Arrublas and Francisco 31ontoya.-
3. The sum explained and liquidated by the Commiasion of
Liquidation, established in this capital, and which np to this day
amounts to 1,181,470 dollars and 7;1 reals ; and the sum n hich
may subsequently be explained and liquidated by the same
curnmi:sion, conformable to the law on the subject.-1. The •urn
of 014,710 dollars, which was contracted and is unpaid, in virtue
of the loan decreed by the law of the 23d of July. 1323, year 13,
to cover the military furnishing for the troops and officers of Apure;
and the sum which will be contracted for the perfect fulfilment of
the saki law rfhle'imm which remains unsatisied of the
3,453,600 dollars for military property, whi ch, according to time law
of the 2:lth of September, 11121, year 11, which was declared to the
servants of the Republic, and what further may hereafter be de-
clined in virtue of the maid law.—G. The sum which may exit
without payment of toe half of the allowances withheld from the
civil and military servants of the Republic, by the decree of the
President Liberator, of the 14th of September, Vl9, of which sum
the Secretary of Finance shall reader an account to the next Con-
gress, in the first days of its sitting.-7. The sum arising front the
third of the pay, withheld from the same pen•ons by the law of the
6th of October, 1821, year 11, of which sum the Secretary of Fi-
naoce shall have to render an account to the next Congress, in the

first days of its sitting.
Art. 11. It is declared—l. That the foreign debt mentioned in
1 and 2 of the preceding article has yielded, and shall )ield, the in-
terest of six per cent. per annum, stipulated in the respective con-
tracts.-2. That the debts mentioned in numbers 3 and 4, which
have yielded five per cent. per annum since they were contracted,
shall yield the same in future. But the debts of the same number
3, on which a less or no interest has been paid, shall in future yield
five per cent. per annum, from the date of the inscription In the
great book of the national debt.-3. That the debts mentioned in
numbers 5,6, and 7, eall bear an interest of three per cent. per
annum, from the Ist of July of the present year 1826.
Art. 111. For the regular payment of the interest, and gradual
redemption of the foreign debt, the following resources are ape.
daily appropriated :-1. All the clear produce of the revenue of to-
bacco.-2. One-eighth of the produce of the customs.-3. The
whole produce of uncultivated lands which may be sold cr let.— .
The whole produce arising from the sale or farming of the mines of
every kind of metal belonging to the Republic.
Art. IV. The following are especially appropriated to the pay-
ment of the domestiz debt :-1. The revenue arising from the
mortgages, and sequestrated or confiscated property not yet adjudi-
cated ; and the revenue arising front the property sequestrated or
confiscated by the laws of October 1, 1621, year 11 ; and the 29th
of July, 1824, year 14.-2. The revenue arising from the property
of Majorats, which, conformable to the law of the Ist of July, year
14, are to be included in the national property.-3. The revenu
of the lands and other property within the territory of the Repub.
lie, and which, under any title whatever, belonged to the Republ
as national property.-4. The revenue of property and tetnporaliti
which have not been alienated or adjudicated.-5. The revenue of
the property belonging to the extinct Inquisition which may not
yet be transferred or adjudicated.-6. The revenues arising from
mortgages en real property condemned, and which may be realised
in money.-7. The clear produce of the sealed paper, and the fines
which arise trout the infraction of the law, regulating its use.-8.
The produce arising from the notification of hypothics, and of the
registration of deeds and titles.—if. The produce of the duty on
auctions or sales.-10.. The ninth of the tithes which were to be
consolidated.—fl. Ten per cent. on all municipal revenues.-12.
That part of the tithes allotted to dignitaries, canonships, preben.
dories, and deaneries, which may be vacant, or shall become vacant
in the different cathedrals of Colombia.—l 3. The lines liable to he
paid for infraction of conditions, under which exclusive privileges
have been wanted—or for the non-fulfilment of contracts concluded
with the executive powers.-14. The revenues and property for-
merly appropriated to the College of Nobles at Madrid.
Art. V. For the redemption of the capital of the domestic debt are
exchisiveir appropelete6-41se• produce of she sale of all die landed
property mentioned in Article IV. in Nos. 1,2, 3, 4. and A, solely
excepting the propc-ty :sequestrated in virtue of the laws of the lot
of October.lB2l, and 29th of July, 11124.
Art. VI. To the funds for the foreign debt accrue all the stir.
pluses appropriated to the payment of the interest of the domestic
debt, the same being satisfied.
Art. VII. The special appropriation of the said revenues and pro-
perty, for the payment of the interest and gradual extinction of the
national debt, does not do away the obligation by which all the other
revenues of the Republic are bound to make good the deficit which
may arise after the above appropriation, because all these revenues
are declared to be pledged for the debt.
Art. XIV. The Commission of National Credit shall annually
render an account of all its proceedings, showing in detail the state
of the national debt, the receipt of the funds at its disposal for the
fulfilment of this law, their application, nett the improvements re-
lative to the notional debt, witted its knowledge and experience may
suggest.
Art. XV. The Commission shall also present to the Congress,
on its next meeting, a particular account of all the landed property
appropriated to the payment of the debt, and of its value, in order
that the Congress may determine on irs sale, when, and in what
manner. it may think proper.
Art. XVI. The Commission shall also annually submit all its
bouks and documents to the examination of the Chamber of Re-
presentatives', through the medium of a Committee or Committees
appointed for that purpose by the Chamber, and composed of its
own members.
Art. XVII. Amon the books of account which the Commis-
sion may think fit to keep, there shall be one entitled " The Great
Subsidiary Book of the National Debt," in which shall be indivi-
dually entered all the items of the different kinds of debt which are
by this law recognised as national, and also those which may be ex-
tiaguiahed. And this book shall he annually. presented, to be
transcribed into the grand book mentioned in Article ii.
Art. XXIII. All the bonds issued in Colombia for the debt,
already liquidated, until the 30th of June of the present year,
shall bear the date of July, and the Commission of National
Credit, at the moment of renewing the bonds, which may have
been hunted by the Minister of Finance, shall add to the capital
the interest arising on the said bonds till the 30th of June of the
present year.
Art. XXIV. To facilitate die reckoning and payment of the

interest of the current debt, which is not liquidated, the account
shall be made up to the last day of December, anterior and next to
that in which the liquidation is to be cffecteg.
Art. XXVI. The interest due, or which may hereafter become
due, on the debt contracted in Europe, as well as the funds destined
, for its gradual extinction, shall be paid at the periods and in the
place stipulated at the contract. For this purpose the commission
of national credit shall place at the disposal of the Executive Go-
eminent these sums, and those mentioned in Art. 6, in order that
the payment may he opportunely realised without any other appli-
cation bring made of the said sums.
Art. XXVII. The interest upon the domestic debt. from the
lino of July to the present year, shall be paid half yearly during
the thirty data of the months of January and July ; but the first
payment shall be made in the course of the thirty days of the month
of July, 1827.
Art. XXVIII. In order that the interest of the domestic debt
may be punctually paid, and false bonds at the sante time detected
and marked, the holders of bonds shall deliver, from the year 1827
I forward, to the commission of credit, or to persons appointed by it
for making payments between the 19th and 20th of June and the
19th and Nth December, correct lists of the bonds which they
hold, specifying the value, number, and Iry rk of each.
Art. XXIX. On the payment of the interest of the bat half
year, there shall be required from the holder of the bond which
has been presented, a precise and circumstantial account of its
; number ; and if during ten successive years the interest be not
demanded, the same skill remain in the Republic.
I I Art. XXVII. The law of the Nth of September, 1821, and any
other laws, in so time as they may be contrary to the present, are
, I abrogated.
Bogota, May 19,1826.
is A. BARAI.T, President of the Senate.
Dos VARGAi TIJADA, Secretary of the Senate.
LEANDIto EJ EA. Vice-Prssident of the Chamber of
Representatit es
MARIAM M I so, Secretary for the Chamber.
Palace of the Government, May 27.
FRANCISCo DE P. SANTANDA, Vice-President of the
Republic.
JOSE M. DEL CASTILLO, Secretary of State fur
Finance.