The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-21 00:00:00

UNITED MEXICAN STATES.

VALYSIS OF THE MEMORIAL PRESENTED BY
ME SECRETARY OF THE TREASURYTo THE
FIRST. CONSTITUTIONAL CONURESS OF TIIE
UNITED MEXICAN STATES.
'TRANSLATED FROM THE OFFICIAL LOTT PUBLISHED IX

MEXICO.
IC,owie and Co.)

The public attention is turned with so strong an interest
wrath the United Mexican States. that this pamphlet will
not fail to be received as a valuable acquisition. A M.emal. on the state of the ruaxic I':NANCE a subject
most intimately connected with its growing prosperity and
grestoess--was read in the Chambt r of Deputies and the
taste by the Minister of the Department, Doc J. E.
Esrs►.t, in fulfilment of the Article MO of the Federal
Constitution of the United Mexican States, on the 4th of
January, 1523. The contents of this Memorial are the 1
subject of the present Analysis. We cannot better convey;
sn ideaof its purport, or of its importance, than by giving
mire the introductory note of the Translator:— i
" The Minister of Finance of the UsivEn STATti or 1
)11xico having, in conformity with the provision to that 1
eifet in the Mexican Constitution, presented to the Mexican i
Congress a memorial on the state of the public finances of
0, Republic, that document was referred to the examina;
tlon of a Committee consisting of four members of the Se-
oats : the result of whose labours forms the translation!
now presented to the English reader. For the better
I
understioAling the " Analysis" of the Commitwe, the
substance of the Finance Minister's memorial is an-.

[debt. except that of the e Manilos.' Th.:, decree of 22d
March is confined to the giving permission to leave the
'country to those families which had till then been detained,
and appoin:ed that the goods they might export with them
should not pay more than the si per cent. ordered by the''
general regulation of the provisional cote; but, as by pre-1
vious enactments 13 per cent had been ordered to he paid
on coin expelled, it was decreed, in the 4th article of the
I said decree, that these, payments should be returned, and
l 3 per cent. to those who had actually so exported coin ;
and in the 3th article it is .tared, that in case these Mils 1
late not in existence,. or that the Government has not the
means of returning them, bonds should,be granted, pay-
I able in two years, which should enjoy the same advantages
as those granted to the other bon ]holders, who had co- !
operated in establishing the independence. In no part of 1
the decree alluded to is there the slightest expression that
!could authorise the payment stated in the Memorial. The
advantages which those other bondholders are to enjoy have'
I not even been declared ; besides which, an express author-
s cation will be requisite, before the payments in question
I can be made with the proceeds of the loan. Further than
this, the sums alluded to belong. as is perfec:ly well
i known, to subjects of the Spanish nation, and could not be
taken out of the country, by the payment above-mentioned,
without an infringement of the law of the declaration of
I war, edtich prohibits the same; besides there are many
!other considerations which would oppose such a measure,
lull of them equally obvious and important.
" The third decree quoted it the Memorial respects the
negotiation of a loan, through tlle medium of the Consu-
lates, for 6u10,000 dollars, and the establishing a duty of 2
1 per cent. on the coin circulated in the interior, for the pur-
lpose of paying it off: There is no allusion in this decree
to the loan, nor could there be, since the loans were made
subsequently ; and as it cannot be supposed that the minis- !
gy can have infringed laws so important and so clear, it is I
presumed that the whole paragraph in question is a mis-
take, and that the 300,000 lam are still in eltistenee,l
and will in due time be accounted for.

weed.
0 me documents will probably be deemed worthy pe-
rms) by those oho, whether in the prosecution of coin-
-41 views, or under the influence of higher consider-
ations, take an interest in watching the progress of society
is the Sew World. There are some features in the
'.analysis which will hardly fail to command attention
and respect. The unreserved openness with which every
part of the Miuister's report is examined—the judicious re-
feats and improvements in the administration of the re-
venue which are suggested—the honest anxiety shown for
the maintenance of public faith—arc all highly creditable
N the authors of the Analysis."f he lover of constitu-
tional government will contemplate with satisfaction, a
53E5 of society, in which the temperate and rational exam i- •
nation of the administration of the public revenue is thus
submitted to public scrutiny—the political economist will
be agreeably surprised at seeing a nation, hitherto so state site.. -
cur excluded from participating in the general-spread
of intelligence. so well acquainted with some of the fa-
scenic principles of his science: in short, the Analysis
is as .creditable to the ability of the Commission from
which it has proceeded, as it is to their integrity and good
Alb ng.
" The occasion of this publication fa not unsuitable to
the expression of a wish, that all the new 'Republics of the
South should, as speedy as their respective circumstances
tray admit, adopt the same habit of presenting to their
nmeetive Congresses annual statements of their revenue
sad expenditure. Nothing is more calculated to be-
,
g t a national feeling at home, than encouriging the Different. Dol. 2,1;08 993 6 6 "
people to take an interest in the .proceedings of their
The following very interesting observations occur on that
constitutional rulers and legislators—or to maintain part of the Memorial which relates to the
and excite confidence abroad than publicity in the DUTIES ON GOLD AND SILVER.
administation of the revenue. Great indeed is the eon- "Although the Chamber of Deputies has already come to
nut now presented, between that state of despotism from a decision on this questions and every possible light has
which these nations have recently emerged—under which been thrown upon the subject, by various publications, and
they were namely permitted the faculty of thinking—and repeated and profound discussion, we shall notwithstand-
that in which we now find them, exercising all the funs- ing make a few remarks on some particular points which
tons of reasonable beings. Nor less striking is !bother have least come under examination.
comparison, which unavoidably, though painfully, forces I "Gold and silver are the great springs of all our industry:
Welt upon the mind. While ate Government of Old agriculture, commerce, the arts, depend, directly and im-
Spain continues to hold forth, in its conduct towards its mediately, on the mines. The foreign trade is supported
creditors, the most shameful, deliberate, unprovoked, and entirely, or almost entirely, by the precious metals. Ilence
disgusting matinee of a breach of public faith that the the immense importance of encouraging a branch of ne-
wel,' has ever beheld, these young 'republics are seen tional industry, on which the prosperity of the country so
making use of every exertion to meet the punctual die- essentially depends. The most efficacious means of en-
charge of every engagement they have entered into. Al- couraging such a branch of industry, is to diminish the
though in some of these States many changes in the form expense of production. Duties increase this expense, con-
of government, and in the persons by whom it has been ad- sequently they check production; therefore in our case,
ministered, have occurred, every succeeding administration they attack the very heart and root of national prosperity.
has invariably recognised the public debt as it found it. No There is no reason why the principles established and ad-
subterfuges, no special pleading have been had recourse to, mined with regard to other branches of industry, should
to show that money might he bernewed to-day under every not hold equally good of the production of the precious
symbol of authority and good faith, and the obligation to metals. The fact of their being " money" will only ex-
repay it repudiated to-morrow, on pretence that the bor- plain their more extensive demand and coneumption • it
rower, whet he took the money, was in a state of re- cannot alter the laws of production, which are immutable.
straint and coercion. So far indeed has the opposite "Itis a calculation, notoriously false, to estimate the pre-
feeling been carried by the Mexican Government in par- sent produce of this branch of revenue by what it was re-
ticular, that it has, with a magnanimous liberality, vious to the Revolution. lf, in fact, it is reduced to the
adopted the debt contracted by the Spanish Royalist half, and the re-establishment of the duties operates itn-
Government, although at the time of doing so, and unhap- mediately against the increase that would take place, how
pity still, engaged in war with that government. Nothing can calculations of the tax be made upon a produce that
better can be desired for the Mexicao nation titan a perse- neither does, nor can exist? It is said in the Memorial,
verance in such honourable and high-minded feelings, and that the considerations that have obliged the Minister to
that, in measures of finance, it may adopt and act up to propose the re-establishment of the duties, are as impera-
the prudent and upright course marked out for it by the tire now, as they will be of little consequence hereafter,
authors of the ' Analysis ;' exercising a reasonable and But if it is impossible that the duty should amount to what
wholesome control over the public expenditure; looking to it was in the five years from 1793 to 1799, since the quan-
the vigilant collection of every breach of the revenue (as tity produced is less by one half, how can the re-establish•
the surest means of reducing the amount of its imposts) ; tnent of the duty be the only means of covering the deli.
and preserving, at all hazards and at every sacrifice, faith ciency of the present year? It is, indeed, singular that the
with the public creditor. amount of a duty should be expected to be the same, when
" London. September. 1825." the produce upon which it is paid is so greatly different.
No contrast, certainly, can be more decided, than the It is said that the proposed measure must chiefly affect
utter dereliction of every principle of good faith on the foreigners, who bare made their calculations on the basis
part of old Spain, and the exemplary rectitude and fair ,of the reduced duties : and that if our own nation sub•
dealing of the Mexican Government. It is a fact, which misted to it in.former times, it certainly could do so now,,
the writer truly observes, ought to be incessantly repeated i when the country so imperiously demands it. 11'ith
moil justice be done to the injured parties, that the very I respect to the first of these premises, there is a mistake,
household wants of King FLILDINAND of Spain were sup- which involves consequences of the most grave, and, to a
plied out of those very loans which he now refuses to IX' certain degree, odious nature. It is not true that the
Murecledga. We are surprised that any one hearing the weight of :he measure would fall upon foreigners ; but
style and title of a Klee can consent to exist under such a upon a branch of national industry, on which the prove-
weight of ignominy. The meanest wretch that crawls I rity of all the others depends. And more than this, if to.
upon the earth is noble by the side of him. But such a reigners took the reduction of duty into account in their
worthless topic would carry us further than we have space calculation, why should we have the bail faith to cause
to waste upon it. their failure? This does not imply that the nation has not
The Analysis enters into ail the different heads of detail the right of re-establishing these, or any other duties ;
commensurate with the Memorial to which it refers. We I hut only that the disappointment of the calculations of
extract as a specimen of the manner in which it is con- foreign nations is not sufficient reason for the measure.
ducted, the remarks which arc made on the bead of With respect to oue own nation, certainly we must not es-
FOREIGN LOANS. timate what it can bear now, by what it was accustomed
"The loan negotiated by Don Francisco Borja 3figoni to bear in former times, because this mode of calculation
being in every respect concluded and definitively settled, would lead to the most extravagant conclusions. Besides
it is time the Congress should furnish an accurate and cir- this, it must be recollected that the large capitals formerly
sumstantial account of the particulars of this transaction, employed in mining, do not now exist ; and even if they
and of the application of the proceeds. The House of I did exist, they would not be sufficient for re-establishing
Representatives, which, by the establishment of the office I the mines, for there is an immense difference between the
of Accountant-General, possesses the means of furnishing amount of capital necessary for continuing operations once
such an account in the most ample and elaborate form„! brought into activity, and that necessary for re-establishing
will undertake this duty, as ita more peculiar province, them after being abandoned. It is a well-known fact, that
devoting to the subject that attentive eonsideration which the deeper the mines the greater the expence of working
all finanancial operations demand of the Congress: and them; hence the Spanish Government were under the ne-
mnst especially one one which, by the terms on which it' cestilty of reducing the duties, in proportion to the in-
was negotiated, has imposed such a heavy burden on the creasing depth of the mines • and even before the Revolu-
nation. The Chamber of Deputies has also some duties lion, before any of those misfortunes had occurred which
to perform, and some remarks to make on this important have since occasioned the abandonment of the greater part
auluect. of the mines, a necessity had been felt of some reduction
"With respect to thesecond loan, it appears that it is also in the duties—a measure which would have been eventually
time to demand of the Government the necessary informs- granted by that Government (which well understood its
non respecting it, and to consider in what manner its pro- own interests in these points), or it would have hazarded
needs onght to he applied ; carefully avoiding those arbi- the loss of the most important branch of its revenue.
Miry measures, which im the absence of any precedent or These considerations prove that the nation cannot, at the
fixed rules on the subject, may possibly be suggested. In present day, support the high duties that were paid in
the mean time it would appear that the proceeds would be former times.
most properly employed in discharging whatever debt may "It is further asserted in the Memorial, that the abate-
have been contracted for military stores, &c. and in sup- ment of duties has had little or no effivt on the of
lotting and encouraging the branch of revenue derived mining. Without attempting to show how progress
Iran tobacco, reserving the rest for the extraordinary ex- palpably this assertion is disproved, both by reason and
parses that may be decreed by Congress, jhe ordinary cx- experience, we shall content ourselves with asking if it be
rum being already covered, as appears by this Analysis. not a fact, that for want of capital we have been under the
may be further observed here, that the Government, necessity of contracting with fcreign capitalists for work-
in issuing the bonds of this ken has shown its wisdom ing our mines ; and further, if it be not equally true, sc-
antl fofesiglit, and the nation will be indebted to it for all cording to the Memorial itself, that foreigners have made
the advantages it may derive from the confidence inspired their calculations on the basis of the reduced ditties. Con-
'', our successes subsequent to its negotiation, in the sequently, the mines have received this benefit from the
s,,lidity of our establishment, and the adequacy of our reduction of duty—viz. they have been supported by a
',sources to meet the engagements we have contracted. I very large capital, which the nation could not otherwise
lii the details given in the memorial of the application have furnished.
made by the ministry of the proceeds of the drat loan, "As the mines do not at the present time produce the
it is said that a payment of 500,000 dollars has been made quantity of metals necessary to meet the calculation made
by order of the General Congress, dated the 27th De- in the memorial, and it being impossible that they should
celibeT. 1921, and 2241 March, and 12th June, 1822, being produce them in future, in the event of the re-establish-
tor claims to that amount against the Government. The I mcnt of the duties in question--it follows that the public
'.ommittee are of opinion that this assertion is altogether a treasury would be de petted not only of the duties, errone-
:','slake, since on the date first mentioned no general I onsly calculated, bnt also of those duties that would have
Kc"gre" existed, and among the decrees issued by the resulted from the progress of mining, if the reduced duties
wernment, not one can be found authorising the pay- bad not been repealed. To make this perfectly clear, and
Ire" in questloo, nor there theslightest reference to any' to expose the great errors of the calculations of the memo-

li ECA P ITU LA VON.
CORRECTED ESTIMAI f:1 OF 11111 NIT RiCTIPTS FOR THE
YEAR, A!. RESULTING FROM 11111 ANALYSIS.
Duties on Importation and Exportation Dol. 3,273432 6 6
Duties on Introduction into Consumption - 1,868.223 110
Revenue from Tobacco . - - 1,034.1.24 1 l
Revenue from Gun porrdex P 4,3013 0 I
Alcabals on Tobacco 39.784 7 0
Post Office, Posts, &c. 184.246 2 10
Lotteries ^0.136 7 8

halt Mines
Territoricsaof the Federation
National rroperty
Tithes
Rents of the See of 3lexieo
Rents of the Dignity of Munroe
Contingent of the States -
Avesta
Pegs
Government CI :iras
Foreign Loan

88,008 o 0
28.517 3 4
42.245 3 10
529,939 5 2
88.929 7 e
8.194 3 0
2,317,127 5 4
10,884 5 11
37,451 4 0
55,573 S 8
2 478,315 4 7

Estimate per Analysis - - Dol. 12.77,371 Ifi
Estimate per Memorial of the Minister - 9,7i0,372 3 0