The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-05-04

From Hunts Merchants Magazine" for May.
United Safes Commercial Regulations with Mexico
posed on MeIoan ports the military possession o. me
United States
Whoever contemplaies the map OF the world, and re-
fleets upon the course OF commerce in relation 10 me east
from the discoveries Of the Portuguese, down 10 the pres
ent day. will naturally fix upon Mexico as that nauon OF
all others best calculated from ITS frontier 10 take me ea1
IN commerce. Her geographical position is good and
the eyes OF all nations have since the aoandohmeh' OF
the northwest passage India, been fastened on the
s,hmus the great future road Tor commerce between
under many disdv antages On the gulf coast she has
not single good harbor and the cities not hablta
BILE for foreigners during many months in the year. The
land ascends rapidly from the coast the INTERIOR
king the transportation OF goods difficult and expensive
But Mexico also enjoys many great advantages Nature
has blessed with every possible description OF mineral
and agricultural wealth, In profuse abundance and an
industrious people, with efficient government, would
not fail to place it foremost among the nations Of the
earth Unfortunately, however the weak and lnDecne
natives passed under the dominion of proud indoen ana
rapacions Spaniards-a people essentially ~
and anti commercial Down 1885, Spain continued us
barbarian prohbve policy, allowing only one gdeo OF
400 tons to enter Mexico annually WIN ohiHese neI
chandise; and one, once IN three Years Ion Se,re ~
Cadlz chartered by government win European ihei
chandise In $780, the trade thrown open; and pri-
vate capitalists engaging IN IT. soon reached rom
oOO OTTO $40 OOO00o This trade was, however, sun
burdened with most mposIilons under louf gen
eral heads first articles OF Spanish produce IN the
markets of Seville CadiZ second, on Shipment lot
Mexico third Vera Cruz; fourth transfer duties at
every step from merchant TO consumer Under such ar
rangemens, the trade did not prosper much but on the
breaking out of the civil war; the new government open
ed the leading ports The Spanish merchants
withdrew Cuba and Cadiz and their places sup
piled by British and American, who settling in the inter-
or supplied the natives with goods in exchange for dol
lars The jealousy of the natives, who, themselves ex-
ceedngy mdolent nsanely enraged at contemplating
the prosperity OF dligent foreigner among them caused
an mbecile government make absurd threats against
foreign acers and traders and thereby prevented the
growth of enterprise and the settling OF more vigorous
among the Mexicans. These circumstances con-
spred to leave Mexico, at the era OF the war OF nde-
pendence, in 1922 entirely without those great
vatiye commercial and industrial interests without which
the military inevitably obtain the mastery and control OF
affairs. The long OF Independence turned all the lit
tie energy that naten possessed into military direction
From ls0s to 1921 the history OF the revolution is only
that OF sangunary guerilla warfare, leading to
suits other than destruction to trade and insecurity to
property In 1921 the sudden secession OF turbde from
the royal cause in favor OF liberalism, resulted in his
cending the throne as Emperor Augushn l. From that
time, down to the present day. the political history OF
Mexico has been rude OF violence and military
anarchy turbulent bandt, faithless in their for
egn dealings they rapaclous cruel and teach
erous in their domestic affairs, have, for twenty-sx
Years, held possession OF that unhappy country Room
for enterprise encouragement TO industry security Tor
property, there none The roads, particularly the
splendid way constructed by the merchants OF Vera Cruz
from that city to the upper country, were suffered to go
10 decay the injuries they sustained during the
have been repaired Their antipathy to carriages,
and means of transport and communication is even more
strong than that of the Spanards While the government
in its enacments and practice, has shown itself far more
hostile to than to crime, traffic has been more
oppressed than vice, and merchants more rgidly fined
than muderers The repeated revolutions have lett those
who gain power no other prospect than to get rich by
peculation and 1t has become seemingly wel-under-
stood SYSTEM that those going of power should emp
~ the treasury, and leave their to fill theirs by
the most approved system OF plumber The desperation
created by fortunes ruined the Monte table has been
perhaps the most frequent cause OF revolution IN Next
The readics mode OF repenishng the treasury and
feeding the cupdty OF the officers, has been found IN the
prohbitve tariff system because, while under petence
OF encouraging home manufactures, by keeping foreign
goods and high, made the sale of special priv
dictator The higher the profits to be realized by
the merchant the better price could he pay for the priv
lese hence, although dishonest government had
pledged the customs revenues discharge the interests
on the debt by this device OF the privileges they could
duties would not have admitted such an operation.
All these causes have operated powerfully against
the development of those great industrial and
commercial interests, without which there can be no sta
bty OF government, efficient execution OF the laws
any means OF Keeping in check those military adven
turers whose turbulence has that iaed country
in internal braws and whose non-observance OF treaties
and pghed faith has involved two countries in the hor
of war;
good may not be extracted from it. the turn which affairs
have taken may il is not improbable, result in the poli
cal regeneration of Mexico, and advance II TO the rank OF
useful member OF the commercial world And no coun
try has the material for general wealth In greater album
dance than Mexico. The mere assurance that property
will be secure and that merchandise IN transit or IN de-
post will not be exposed to the rapacy OF officials Will
alone give great impulse TO Mexican resources The
facility with which the American forces have the
cities of Mexico, and the with which they may be
held BY small forces, circumstances calculated to en-
able the United States To SUPPRESS not only the military
marauders, but the proessed bandh at least along the
great lines OF communication. On this occupation as
basis the plan of revenue adopted by the Treasury De-
parment, and which may be found under another head
eminenly calculated, not only TO divert from the
Mexcans their principal and 10 throw those rev.
into the hands OF the United States in amounts sui
hcient to support the occupation, but to confer MeX
the great and lasting benefit OF planting commerce on
her soil under circumstances that will insure its growth
We have said that, hitherto Mexican has been
of prohibition, the law books. and OF private br
berry, practice The tariff as it was, may be found in
this Magazine, Vol XIII, p. 500 and be usefully
compared with the tariff, imposed by the United
States the present number 1t will be observed that
the prohibited articles will be admitted comparatively
easy rates In order show the probable extent of the
trade, table of the exports of certain goods
from Great Britain to Mexico in the year 1876;
Exports Of certain articles from England TO Merieo
Cotton twist and yarn, lbs 66I7S
Cotton thread 1892
Calcoes, plain, yards ,96s,6 600
Calicocs, printed, 5,l9S,Ss3
Cambrics muslin, lawns ,956
Other plain cottons 1912
Lace, gauze, &c. 2n,9O6
Cotton hose, &c, doz 2,605
Heavy woolens. lbs. 107
Woollen hose 1853
Silks and mixed 3,4I7 |
Cotton shawls, &c, doz. 4235
Cotton and linen CLOTH yards 6s9S