The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-09-21 00:00:00

SPANISH FINANCES.

~„.
ABSTRACT OF THE SPRSCH OF COCXT TO BIN°, As COMM:
MAX OF Till FIXANCC COMMITTEE, PRo:St/UNCAIi IN

Till CORTIOI AT TUE SITTING OF IST imwr.

The Committee, in order to proceed with regularity in
the essential points of the task imposed upon than, pro-
posed to divide its labours into two parts, viz. Ist. rue
returns and expences of the respeetiie departments of
Government; and _idly, The means of covering these
expellees.
rile savings proposed by the Committee are consider-
able, and the ('ortes cannot fail to approve the good
wishes by which it has been actuated. when they examine
and find that from 6641 millions of vials, to which the
total expenditure formerly aMounted, it has now been
reduced to 532 millions, a sum very considerable if we
consider the disorder that has of late reigned in the
public administration, and the difficulty, nut to say ini-
possibility, which exist% of suddenly healing the deep
wounds which have been indicted.

This first part of their task being concluded, the
Committee proceeded to the other no less important and
difficult one, viz.—that of complying with the obliga-
tions of the State.

With regard to the system that is to go into operation
from the present time till July next, the Committee is of
opinion, that it ought to be no other than the existing
one, with certain modifications indispensably necessary
for the relief of the people. Such. fur example, as a con-
siderable decrease in the direct taxes.

By such decrease in the direct taxes, thr people no
doubt will be considerably relieved ; but in this and the
deficiency which will still be experienced in the other
branches of the revenue, a deficit will result, to cover
which, a loan for this year is required of 200 tnilliou
of risk.

Most assuredly, if this were to be repeated annually,
it would become ruinous, as no duubt would be the cast
with all nations which are not in the same situation as
England was during the period of the French Revolu-
tion. Fortunately Spain will not hare to recur every
year to the expedient of loans, since, after the ensuing
year, she will be able to cover her own obligations, as
the Committee will undertake to show.

The Committee, will again observe to the Cortes
that its plan comprehends three parts, via.
An examination of the expenditure, and a retrench.
ment upon it of 129 millions of dais.
2. That as the economical year is to commence
in July of this year, the existing contribbtions are
to be !e't standing till July, 1631, deducting, for
the relief of the people, one *half of the direct con-
tribution, added to a considerable improvement in
the monopolies, and in order to cover the deficit, pre-
posing a loan of 200 millions of rials, after having per-
fected the administration, and rendered the teas uni-
form, in union and concert with the Committee of Com-
merce.
_ _

3. A proposal of certain bases, which, being approved
by the Cortes, will lay the foundation for the labours of
a general and complete plan of finance, in which at the
same time that the whole expences of the State are co-
vered, no def►cit may result, by adopting as a principle
the modification of the tithes.
With a certain modification in the tithes, -the Com-
mittee has already approximatively calcolated, that after
competently providing for the clergy, and more particu-
larly the parish priests. and made the necessary increase
in the direct cootributiois, there will be a saving to the
agricultural classes, with regard to what they now pay,
of about two bindred millions of rubs.

We eopiotli. is oonatos with moot of out eotecopo-
caries; an article loader the hoati of " F 1 Duct at
Chester" which wo wow flid was it faWttatioo.)••
ended to hurt the feelings of; notifiable sostlesaa
of this
.-v't .f:•• •if ider •!i