Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/334

294 MEXICO. in one year, in lieu of the 500,000 dollars, at which they were estimated under the Viceregal Government. The Monopolies of Tobacco and Gunpowder, the Post- office, the Lottery, and the duty upon Pulque, (in the Fe-* deral City,) remain unchanged: the monopoly of Salt has been added. The confiscated property of Convents, and the Inquisition, may be set against the Media Anata and Me- sada ; and although the Alcavalas, (which alone produced 3,000,000 dollars,) together with the minor branches of Cards, Stamps, Licenses for cockpits, and a portion of the Tithes, have been made over to the States, the Contingent to be paid by them in return, (3,136,875 dollars), will more than cover the deficiency. There is, therefore, no reason to suppose that the revenue of the Federal Government will be less, ultimately, than that formerly derived from the country by Spain. But time and tranquillity are necessary in order to repair the devastation occasioned by the late struggle, and even if the mines prosper in no ordinary degree early in the ensuing year, I should think that 1835 would be the earliest period at which it may reasonably be expected that the receipts of the Mexican Treasury can again equal those of 1803. In the mean time, however, some progress has been made. Of the produce of the Revenue from 1810 to 1821, no- thing certain is known ; it is, however, generally supposed not to have exceeded fourteen millions of dollars. After the overthrow of the Spanish Govern- Dollars, ment by Iturbide, the receipts fell, in 1823, to . 5,409,722 in 1824, they did not certainly exceed . . 8,452,828 in 1825, they may be taken, as a minimum, at . 11,500,000 and in 1826, at 13,000,000 adding something less than one seventh to the actual receipts of the ten months, included in Mr. Esteva's memoir of 1827, in lieu of the Jifth, there given as the produce of the two months, the accounts for which had not been made up.