Star.
London, England, 1830-01-22 00:00:00

Over,
cap-

COLUMBIA. -

• • TO THE EDITOR OF TAW
LETTER NM* a `1"
9.16. IS, lite.
SIR —lf we proceed to exassiffitrllsei elate of oar ad-
ministrative system, we shaU find that it!is debt:lent In
that stability which ought to existo Plitusipies, which
are so useful to mankind in their iiiieile'esailiset, are in-
dispensible in public transactions; diet guarantee the
people a good administration of their affairs, and to the
Government,confidence, affection, and gratitude ; and if the
distracted state of the Republic has caused a prejudicial
vacillation, there is no doubt that as soon as order is es-
tablished, the administrative system will be properly re-
gulated, and steadily maintained.
Our Topography is also little known. The Govern-
ment not possessing accurate returns of the produce of
agriculture, of the operations of commerce, and wanting
tables of the industrious powers of the population, as well
as of the national resources, it is impossible that without
these statistic aids, the basis of any appropriate system
can be framed. It is true, that many regulations and de-
-1 trees have been promulgated to remedy these and other
inconveniences; but unfortunately, from one cause or an-
other, orders hare not been obeyed. The day is not dis-
tant, however, when the Government, after having ma-
turely weighed its instructions, will require the fullest
and promptest execution of them by the sub-authorities..
It is but justice to add, that the first public function-
aries could find but little assistance in any of the
administrative branches. All the national impedi-
ments to be expected in a newly-created people presented
themselves; but the Government must henceforth seek
out and only employ capable persons, remunerate them
sufficiently, and distribute reward and punishment with
an impartial band justice, rigid justice—must be its
rule of action.
Our ceconomical system requires vital reforms. There
is no good plan ofrevenue, and it is not to be wondered at,
since in the most civilised countries, there is much differ-
ence Of opinion on this subject. The contributions are not
sufficient, not well selected, or properly distributed. The
maxim is not enforced, that " when every one pays with
that which he ought, and with no more than lie ought,
the benefit is general, and the resources of the Fisk are
inexhaustible."

There is want of method in the collection of the taxes,
and of conformity to orders in the departments. There
is not a simplicity in the accounts, or an effective respon-
sibility for the public money, in places remote from the
central authority. Imposts, very odious and prejudicial,
have been revived, because they were customary, or on
the recommendation of persons thought disinterested, but

who were really interested in the perpetuation of abuses.
Such, for example, are the ominous alcabala—the arbi-
trary and *riding capitation tax—the injurious mono-
poly of aquadente, and that territorial contribution, which
is so grievous to agriculture; and, which, to be of any
value, say* be accompanied with a census, and an
• • •
From want of system, to which may be added, the or
skilfuhms, the immorality, and poverty of many of 'the
aubaltera agents, there have been a scandalous defalca-
tion of revenue: The Collectors often enter into cri-
Weal engagements with the Payers, to the prejudice of
is Fish. The Government, thinking to remedy some
of the numerous frauds of which the public treasury was
'She victim, farmed some branches of the taxes, and the
evil has but augmented, for that practice is always no-
companied with many abuses. The Collectors enrich
themselves with the substance of the people, and instead
of benefitting the State, they occasion it detriment by the
discontents their vexations engender.
All the rents of the Republic, particularly the Cus-
tom, having diminished, the Government, to provide for
the public expenditure, was obliged to have recourse to
forced contributions, and loans...a pernicious system, for
the necessities of the State reconmence almost before
the money so collected is received, because it violates the
first principles of taxation, which should never touch the
capital of the citizens, and inasmuch as its arbitrary
character offends and creates dissatisfaction. Hence
the frequent complaints and reclamation of the assessed
parties, who from various cameos besides that of justice,
frequently obtain diminution of the charges, bat which
is also an injury to the government, by reducing the
amount of the sum wanted, and by manifesting error, or
a weakness that is fatal to its authority.
Many evils would have been avoided by a good system
of credit, " without credit treasures waste, people im-
poverish, and governments have neither force or support."
Money being scarce, it wee necessary to supply
the want of this representative sign of the value of all
things, that is to say, a public debt properly organised
should have been formed, and a Hatiosiel Bank estate.
fished. In the first of them measures, the goverment
would have found a medium of circulation and re-
production, a link of adhesion and confidence ; a gua-
rantee of success to all its beneffcial undertakings ;
and a source of relief for the contributors to the • State,
su ' , that every State is richer fir what it owes,
it con readily and psnictuaily pay. By the lost
measure, the circulating medium would have been aug-
mented, the interest of mosey new so exorbitant would
have been reduced, and that. Impediment to agricultural
=wont, and the enciiiregement of all the works of
, would not have existed.
Far from having organised ia the country a vivifying.
public debt, Columbia, ea tiro oentirry has contracted
with the foreigner a ruinous Ask is the amount of thirty
millions of dollars, and on *Ada as kismet has been
paid for three jeers, nor enylptOes ittOgieted
sinking fund. Thus the Republic lithe to ;der PO;
every day the complaints and clammy oftheAlledillne,
England who have lost lithtril“ Mr • INA 40do
peonies' value of their beads, engnenty seminars
taken not to gist ,seilesfire dBMW
atelllhis
so demand ilintlill(APL.W c
• laramimaicia•
sof Coleasialp-rupgain
raveseeen Wilier et =. sa.aieklesest...—Viiii,
, 411.itzifttlti lNgi A ',lv,
assgreat. penises* of th=;.(his'itlisa4ipi
innkligninikdkridt4it"ilolo 14.

the! or nal elements which comps', the public wealth,
. _
Illyterelblitir *tilos.
fidultift estarilt:ebilatid of SOW siennoreical disorders. then
&Mies *adds are perishing; others who see alt twit'Lis
endangered.
, -If hitherto anforemen misfortune, have second out
san-lbliihnent of engagements to the godisiiec .
read bible citizens who opened to as dierierillis - tl is
nt necessities have been a ph. *Mb ir•
' ~ • this time, nem that the war with Pentide
Opined, the administration can have no pretest ter Est
dedicating all its attention to the ameliorstionli ear in=
ternal condition. i.n -,
I have the certitude that the La sen.rvos will net re-
pose tip he has adopted measures of redemption which
the situation of Columbia demands in this matter,--•
" A wise Government will never permit those who die.'
*gated the distresses of the country, or who had can
dente in its good faith, firmness, and resources when
others had not, only to suffer prejudice from their pod
services."
A nation does not deserve to exist which cannot per
vide for its wants—Columbia, fortunately, is not in 4110
thrieditiest. • She has ample means to cover all hareem
rra. *dissever she organises herself as she ought*
tad resolves on establishing a proper ecumenical
=ma; but it is essential that there should be a refine
r whole revenue system, for the disorder and pease,
le ibis branch is the true cause of the feebleness of Go-
"eminent, and is its mortal disease.
Uwe reed indeed the annals of the world, " We shall
ad, not without dismay, that in all parts, in all corps-
tries,. in every people, *artier all Governments, the
CIIIIMAT EPOCHS Or HIATOXY, the R I'. tOLUTIONII
'which characterise them, even to the slightest public
commotion*, correspond with the vicious state of the
national revenue, that they have received from that
cause a strong impulse, or met with a terrible re-
action."

GARCIA DRL RIO.

THE ARMY

G [AND HILL', Lavas —.oeneral Lord Dill, K.C. B. and
G.C.11. Commanding hi Chief, held a Lever yesterday, $t his
Lordship's Ofice in the Ilene Guards. A kw Generals, and
about SO other Oaken, paid their respects to bit Lordship.
A detachment belonging to ths 11th Regiment of light Dra-
goona has received orders to march this morning. from London.
for the Cavalry Depot, at Slaidstone.