The Sun.
London, England, 1822-10-17 00:00:00

sinister intentions ; for our enemies make war upon us in a
thousand different ways, and they have not forgotten that to
deprive us as far as possible of resources is a'rnost powerful
means of attack. The Government jealousy exerts, and will
continue to exert, every vigilance on this subject, and will act
rigidly and inflexibly towards the guilty ; but it cannot go be-
yond its powers, which are circumscribed within a narrow
circle.
With regard to the repartition for the second economical year
the accounts of -the distribution, drawn up by the Treasurer
General and the Accountant, and the abstracts made in my
office, and others subjoined, show that there have been made
good in the said second year 134,114,441 reals 10 maravedis,
for effects previous to the year 1821, and 600,136,957 reals
7 maravedis, for effects belonging to the second economical
year ; that there arises a surplus on the estimates of the first
year, considered generally, though in particular and at the
commencement of the third economical year there remain due
to the voted estimates of the second )%ar 191,255,313 reals 1 ma-
ravedi. It does not appear necessary, on the present occasion,
to advert to the inequality which has occurred during the
two years, and in consequence of which less of some branches
and more of others have been collected. The Minister, in
the memorial already cited, has said enough upon the cause
of this difference, which solely deserves to be noticed un-
der a regular order of things, when the estimates necessary
for all the details of the service omit nothing, keep a due
proportion to the resources, and allow to no branch a pre-
ference over another. Besides, the fore Sight of the Cortes
has prepared a remedy for tins evil by means of the system of
account and reckoning wisely established by its decree of the
7th of May this year. The Government hastened to carry this
decree into execution by means of the instruction which it pub-
lished on the 9th of June, and has constantly followed up the
same object amidst the various obstacles of time and circum-
stances which have been opposed to its complete adjustment.—
The same circumstances have been little favourable, or rather,
we might say, altogether contrary to the public finances in what
we have to state respecting the third economical year. The oc-
currences of the first days of that year rendered torpid the pub-
lic service, more particularly in the capital, whence proceed all
the measures of the Government; and thus the result of the
collection in the provinces was, as might be expected, greatly
influenced.
When I took charge of the finance department on the 7th of
August, the decrees of the Cortes in the contributions granted
during its last legislature were in circulation, but they had not
failed to suffer some delay, both in the secretariat of the Con-
gress, and that of my department, by the hindrance expe-
nenced in the dispatch of business in general during.the melan-
choly days of last July. The intendants of the provinces newly
created in the division of the territory decreed by the Cortes
were already appointed, as well as the chiefs who were to 'be
established in them as in the old provinces in conformity to. the
administrative system ultimately fixed ; but these functionaries
could not convey themselves to their appointments, nor esta-
blish their offices, nor provide their fortresses, without a preci-
pitation causing great ultimate damage to the service. Every
thing is now sufficiently forward, and 1 hope that in a little
time every thing will be settled in the provinces.
But the collection has suffered,, as, might have been feared,
from what I have stated. In the month of June it amounted,
according -to the adjoined statement, No. 3, to the sure of
30,172,120 reals 1 maravedi, on the liquid productions ; it fell
in July to 18,066,197 reals 10 maraVeclis.; it increased in Au-
gust to 29,782,009 reals 7.maravedis; according to the accounts
hitherto received from the greater part Of the provinces (for froth
all, and particularly from the islands„ nothing could hitherto
be collected); and I have good reason to hope that it will in-
crease progressively in the succeeding months, as the Govern-