The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-02

embarrassed its progress. A tariff, with an
internal tax, together amounting to from forty
to hfty per cent, with the charges Of trans
portaton and insurance, and the direct and inter-
mediate profits necessary upon such an invest
ment, make the foreign article very costly when
1t comes to the hands Of the consumer. ,Fhis
has had the natural effect of building up sys-
tenn of domestic manufacturers. The common
people of Mexico receiving their food IS
spontaneous gift of the soil, requiring but little
clothing in a climate so genial, rely chiefly
upon their own artisans for such articles of use
or ornament as custom have rendered indis
pensable AZ t -+r
We should however, think that the key to
the decline of Mexican commerce is TO be found
in the political condition of the country. An
enormous debt has occasioned the revenue
charges to which we have referred. 1t has
occasioned, moreover, amongst the most CON-
picated and minute system Of direct taxation
which exists in any country in the world.
From the precious treasures of the mines to
the ice that the peasant brings from the noun
tains, nothing which can be owned or used
escapes taxation In the protracted revolu-
ton, which has now continued nearly thirty
years, scarcely single Mexican administration
has ever entered and left power in accordance
with the forms of any constitution. Like
ftful patient in some malignant fever, Mexico
seems unable to find rest in any remedy, or in
any posture. She tears from her limbs the
bandages of law, and struggles against every
constitutional restraint prescribed for her resto
ration.
We think that if the tables of the American
be compared with tabular resume of the po-
litical condition of Mexico, it will be found that
the civil wars and the dictatorship of SANTA
ANNA, the difficulties with Texas, France, and
the United States, have correspondent more
nearly with the variations of foreign trade than
with the notifications of the American tariff.
One of the most direct consequences of the
civil war which has ragged in Mexico has been
that the public necessities have compelled rev.
dictionary governments to resort to arbitrary
impositions to pay the armies, 10 which they
owe their power. Such governments cannot
await the slow accretions from the custom
house. They resort to immediate exSctions.
Merchants alone have ready money. They
are compelled to make forced loans to the gov
eminent. Others take advantage of an ex-
hausted treasury. They tempt an irresponsi-
BILE President with the offer of few thousand
dollars to grant some public revenue in monop
oily, or for special permit to introduce some
article OF commerce without duty, and some
times lrithoM inspection. They sometime,
ALLEVIATE valuable mines, and other national pro
perty, for very inadequate consideration. Such
irregularities destroy the business of the fair
trader, and induce him to Withdraw, and very
often to remit, his capital to foreign countries
for investment. 1t is impossible for commerce
to exist without confidence, and confidence
cannot exist when there is no public law.
But we should incline to consider that the
ostensibs fluctuations in Mexican commerce
have been promoted by other circumstances in
edental yet important. In the first place, so far
as the reputsd revenues are an index, II must be
very sallacious one, because of the official pecu-
latons, which a-s regarded as regular Perqui
sites. These reservations va-v. and affect the
apparent commerce. In the second place, the
to smuggling are directly in the
ratio of revenue duties and official exactons
So that, although there may be falling off in
the commercial returns, it does not follow that
there is corresponding decrease in the consum p
ton. tits known that in the Texan war the gal
liant Commodore MOORE patrolled the Gulf coast
and drove off or destroyed the Mexican navy. |
The American feet in like manner DESTROYED all
of the Mexican vessels that it could find 1t is |
plain, therefore, there has been for several
years every motive 10 elude the revenue laws
Of Mexico and every facility TO land caIgoes
upon the coast or In the smaller ports Of Tam
Pico, Tuspan, or Alvarado, or Topic, OF Ma |
zatan or Guaymas, whilst the whole frontier |
from Point Isabel to San Diego has been open
to the admission of contraband trade.
These causes have, in our opinion, contri-
buted to the actual and apparent decline of
Mexican commerce; and, as we do not propose
to extend this article into history Uf Mexico,
we will, in conclusion, express the opinion
that the true causes of the commercial
asphyxia under which Mexico suffers might
have been described in two words-anarchy
and taxation. Amongst the remedies neces-
sary, will be constitutional protection to private
rights, the disbanding of standing armies, the
restoration of national credit, the overthrow
of the ecclesiastical incubus.
As this remedial system is purely domestic
and involves the regeneration of the republic,
we cannot see that our minister can materially
aid in the restoration of the trade between the
United States and Mexico, except by demon
strating that our Government intends in good
faith to maintain all its compac,s, and to treat
Mexico with forbearance. But he must cause
it to be understood that American citizens en-
gagged in trade shall be protected in their
persons and property for We will prolong
this article far enough to say that the history
of the spoliations committed upon American
merchants-all Of which were officially denied
by the Mexican ministers of the DAY, with the
gratuitous declaration that they were founded
in fraud-the delay Of enforcing the reca-
nations made by American citizens-has had
certainly great deal TO do with impeding
Il