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Show APPENDIX TO PART 111. The beggars of the city of 1\'lcxico arc estimated at 60,000 souls: what must be the numl>er through the whole J,itl l~dont? and what reason can it be owing· to that, in a counu·y superiot· to anv .in the worlcl for riches in gold and silver, prodncin ~ all the nccc~sarics of life and most of its luxuries, that there should be such a vast proportion of the inhabitants iu want or bread ot· clothing. It can only be accounted for by the tyranny ul' the government and the luxuries of the rich. The g-ovcrt111letlt striving, by <lll the 1·estrictions possible to be invented, without absolutely driving the people to desperation to keep Spanish America dependent on Europe. 1'radc, Commercr, Jfmu~factnres, and Hc<•CJlllc.--The trade and commet·ce of New Spain is canied on with Europe aud the United States l>y the port of Vera. Cruz solely, and the Eastlntlics and South A tucr.ica generally l>y Acapulco, and, even at these ports, unde1· such restriction, as to productions, manufactures, anti time, as to render it of little conseqnence to the g·cncral prosperity of the country. 'V ere all the uumerous ba;rs and harbors of the g-ul fs of l\1cxi co and Ci:llifornia upened to the tt'<Hic of the world, ancl a g-eneralliceuce given to the cultivation or all til~.: produc ~ions which the country is capable of, with freedom of exportation and importation, with propet· duties on forci!;n goods, the country would inunccliatcly become rich and powerful, a proper stimulus would he held out to the poot· to lubor, wltcn cct'tain of finding a quick and ready sale for the productions of their plnntatio11s ot· manul~tctorics. The counu·y abounds in it·on ore, yet all the iron and steel, ancl articles of manufactures, arc oblig-ed to be brought from Europe, the manufacturing or working of iron being strictly pt·ohibited : this occasion<> the Jl eCCS!:i:ll'y at·ticJcs of husbandry, t\1'11\~1 and tools to be ellOI'010U'ily high and is a t;rrat check to ag-riculture, improvements in m:tnu· factmcs, and n1ilitary skill. The wol'l.;s of the Mexicans, in gold, sil\'cr, and painting·, shew them naturally to have a genius which, with cultivation and improvement, mig·ht rival the g reatest ma!ltcrs of either ancient or modem times. Theit· di positions and habits arc pcculial'ly calcnlatecl fot· sedentat·y employments, and 1 have no doubt, if proper establishments \Vet·c rnade, they woultl soon rival, if not surpass, the most extensive woollen, colton, ot· bilk manubctnres or Europe, their climate ucing; proper to raise the finest cotton in the world and theit· !:>hecp possessing· all the fineness of wool for which thc·y arc so cclt:lm.tted in Spain. These circumstances, tor-ether with the in1mense qu<\ntitics of the raw materials which they hare on hand, wool seiling liJr u mere tl'ille, ;mtl in fact, they scarlC· APPENDIX 1'0 PART III. . fy take the half from the fleece of the sheep, for the coarse man11- 1~tctut·es of the country and to make beds. 1 cannot presume to state the revenues of the country from official documents, but the followin~ statements I have had from so r~spectable a source, and they arc so confirmed by my own ol>servations, that I think much reliance may be placed on thci1· correctness. The mint coins, per annum, at least 50,000,000 dollars in silver and 11,000,000 dollars in gold, the one-fifth of which (the duty) is equal to 12,800,000. The duties on foreign goods and the amount paid by the purchasers of monopolies, may be estimated at 41000,000 dollars, which, with the duty on gold and silvc1, makes the annual revenue 16,800,000. The civil list of the kiugdom is sao,ooo, the military 7, I 89,200 ; these together amount to 7,760,200, which deducted from the gross revenue of 16,700,000, leaves a clear revenue for the king (from his :Mexican dominion!>) of 9,030,800. The money paid for the snppot·t of the clergy is not included in this estimate, as they receive their reven11e through its own propet· channel. The best paid ofTiccrs under the govcmrncnt cost the king nothing in a direct line, yet the oppressive manner in which they pay t~1emsclvcs and impoYerish the people, would render it bettet· pohcy to abolish their impositionli and pay them ont of the public hca· SlllJ by a direct salarv . ~ |
