New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-02-29
Affair. In New-Granada.
rrespondence Of The Tribune.

SANTA MARTHA Dec ~, lsiI
HORACE GREELEY Just at the time the China
Samsra sailed from Santa Martha for New York, l
was Obliged TO 90 into the interior, and had only
time to send you by her the papers could lay
my hands upon. With all the endeavors Of our Gov
eminent to improve our situation am afraid we
will before long experience first financial crisis
and then n political one already one provincial
assembly, petitions Congress in favor OF Fed
e-al Government others ask for an amnesty, 10
Guiding even the famous Obendo, the leading
Chief of the Instruction Of lsIl. This cannot be
granted or desired without exciting considerable
irritation; a Federal Government in New Grana.
Ia would be attended with continual brois in
every separate State, with almost incesssnt war
between the different States. and with more
oppression 10 the lower classes the Governors a p
pointed now by the Executive, who are strangers
TO the provinces over which they exercise their
authority and the appeal courts In large districts
and in the Capital, If not ehectua, are yet sau.
tary checks and some protection to the passive
masses the cry in the province OF Popayan,
Buensventura Cauca and Antioquiais to take of the
iniquitous export duty on the precious metals, the
grievOus tax upon salt, aud the absurd and cruel
restrictions on the cultivation Of Tobacco. These
provinces are powerful they are backed by the
Court and justice and political economy advocate
their cause but how is the deficiency in the reve
nue. to be supplied, when these three sources are
dried up? direct tax on property is out Of the
question; because the 10000 10 $4,000 individu
ais vho constitute the political population of the
Republic and send members TO Congress VIII never
consent 10 II, not even those who ciamOr lOudest
to obtain the above reforms OF the hsca system
and because il would yield almost nothing. The
people OF this Commonw eath live in about 800 900
houses seven.eighths of which are not worth 500
a.piece-what can be obtained from them Lands
have no value proprletors OF 10000 $4,000 acres
near rivers do not derive from them $500 rent cat
tie pay already heavily toward the provincial, can
tonal and parochial expenses: there Is nothing
left but capitation,-an unequal and odious mode
of replenishing the exchequer 80 a head for every
man will give about Sl500,O 900 year, but how
difficult and expensive the collection, with PEG
pie extremely poor What will make It harder is
that every man is now subject TO three days work
annually for roads als, churches, &C &c. the
Legislators will be extremely reluctant 10 resort
TO this tax. as il one of the crimes the old
Spanish regime was upbraided with. However, be-
fore long necessity must draw US to 1t beside, II
has the recomme ndation that 1t lies lightly upon
respectable folks Political morality, rare article
in every part of the world with the governing irac
ton of the community is quite unknown here the
rabble submitting tamely TO every kind OF impos
ton thou shalt not steal has nevery yet been In
terpreted in any political decaogue into thou shall
pay tribute according to thy means, and shalt not
shuttle of thy share of the public burden on weak
err shoulS3rs And after all, this potax will not
enable us to pay the interest OF the foreign debt
Lord Palmerston may froth at the mouth, but how
will he mend the matter Our prospects are not
bright
Our President has been travelling over the coun-
try and has left favorable impression wherever
he passed; his dignfed, mild free department,
lively, entertaining conversation and atfable man
uers have destroyed great many prejudices
against him, and won him the good OF those
who came in contact with him. In some places be
spoke in good taste to the part he had acted IN
the las, civil wars and deprecated with great feel
ing all the sufferings they had inflicted upon his
countrymen. But what can good intentions, laud
able sensibility competent capacity, and knov
edge considerable activity and intense devotlop TO
public duty DO against Ia force des chooses, the con
stitutive elements OF sreglon acting upon society
fear much the normal state OF some OF our South
American nations is disorder and anarchy few
wears ago the Pope in bull abolished nineteen
HOLIDAYS the foreigners here expected magnificent
results from this measure-they calculated that
few nations bestowed as many days work on their
budget. Ii the interest OF the debt were deducted
few are the commodities that formed their export
trade w q anticipated an increase OF our gross pro
duct OF at least 5000 900 annually, % per cent
more than our regular Importatlons, and what was
infinitely more important, the gradual increase 10
property and numbers OF spirited mlddhng class
w ell these days of ideness disappeared, the peo-
ole employed them in profitable labor; and yet we
cannot note any material augmentation OF the float
ing or permanent wealth Of the country or OF lis
every day eRoymen;s This is dsheartenng, aud
in opposition to the fashionable theory OF progress
but truth has nothing 10 DO with our wishes, and
even less with prevailing doctrines. EXPERIENCE
on an extensive scale, not confined 10 Europe and
the United States, proves that different sections OF
the globe give birth to different states Oi society as
smstter OF necessity,-not from the effect OF cod
and heat as IS formerly thought but from other
causes more numerous and more powerful. This
is too metaphysics a subject for letter. nor am
prepared TO do It justice bat as We become better
acquainted with the physical geography OF the
earth and it's effects upon man. We VIII understand
thst no iuferences drawn from what has taken place
10 some countries can enable US 10 predict what
changes others may undergo; IN TACT snalogy Is q
false light Nature delights In variety; simil arity
of circumstance presents itself seldom, and an lnt
mate noxledge OF facts is the only highrOad 10
truth. The silly war We are carrying onin Mexico
is signal evidence Of the danger. yea, the immor-
alty of presuming too far on opinion OF "a e
and region we have not studied Returning from
the interior can communicate nothing Of interest
upon the commerce Of Nev-Granada. and the effects
a; the new commercial law l have been out OF
.hs, line for some time. shall however return 10
II but think that even then my letters will be az
barreD of valuable mercantile Information IS they
are now Our wants are better supplied from Eu
rone than from the United States
rem.ln. respectfully. yours, D. A.
AccIpEST-Asa company 81 young sen were
-, .-,op nj, The ed IN NJ such Chank, Pa, tts piece
went Of premsturely taking Oh me rtns nsn o. % IN