published Letter; placing between the two the statement, No. 2, shewing the produce of the Custom-house in the days of the Spanish Government. It is but rational to suppose that these documents will perspicuously exhibit the contrast between that former ominous situation and the prosperity which is now enjoyed; and that the contrast will serve as the ground-work for a calculation of the resources which my country may yet possess in times to come.

No. 1.

year 1824,

From the General Statement respecting the amount of the Public Revenue of the Province of Buenos Ayres in the was made the following Extract of the Receipts.

Receipts of the 1st class-Dues and taxes

of the 2d class-Sale of property

of the 3d class-Rents, revenues,

and profits

2,350,215 6 78,582 21

} 159,994 1

2,588,792 2

NOTES.

1st. The items of the first class are almost entirely composed of Custom-house dues, inasmuch as the taxes as yet produce little, and every endeavour is used to establish them very gradually, and without any violence.

2d. The loan contracted in London by that Province in 1824, for one million of pounds sterling, negotiated by the Government at 70 per cent., and the shares of which stock are now at 923 in England, is, in fact, untouched, as it is

Years

employed, in conformity with a law of the Representatives
of the State, in constructing a port in Buenos Ayres, in cities
on the southern coast, and in facilitating the emigration of
European families. The ordinary and extraordinary ex-
penses of the Province are defrayed by the ordinary receipts,
and, for the most part, an overplus remains in hand.

No. 2.

Statement of the legitimate Receipts, Expenses, and net
produce of the Royal Custom-house of Buenos Ayres in
the five years from 1791 to 1795, prior to the last war
with England, with the amount per cent. of the cost of its
administration in each year, and in the whole time; and
also the like for the year 1802, comparing it with the
average amount of these five years.

Receipts.

Expenditure.

Nett Product.

Amount

of annual

per cent.

dollars

1,947,849 7 22 2-12 123,669 6 28 4 12 1,823,778 7 10

at 61

Dated Buenos Ayres, 29th January, 1803.

By such a gradual, but constantly progressive advancement, besides the first interest of that country being fulfilled, which, as has already been said, consisted in the preservation of the institu

tions, the second has also been propitiously realized. In December 1824, the national body was installed, forming a Chamber of Representatives of all the Provinces of the nation. That act-eminently important for the country, inasmuch as it was the result of the most intimate conviction spontaneously declared by each statehas given rise to the hope that no violent alteration of the public administration will again return to perplex affairs. But the first measures of the National Body appear to offer a stronger guarantee. On the principle that it is most expedient not to enter on any general regulation of the territory, unless it be upon the same basis by which Buenos Ayres regulated herself, that is to say, practically, the chamber passed a law, whereby it commanded a census to be taken of the population of all the provinces, and a statement of all public property; and, at the same time, the Government charged with the executive authority, notified to each of them the necessity of undertaking forthwith

"1st. The regulation in each province of its internal administration, on a footing of strict economy; that is to say, that more ought not to be expended in its administration than what was barely necessary for the service being well performed.

"2d. The accurate publication of the resources

and means of each province, and of its expenditure, without fear of a deficiency appearing; inasmuch as credit is less prejudiced by the knowledge of a deficiency than by mystery, uncertainty, and confusion.

"3d. The skilful imposition of taxes, regulated on the basis of good principles, so that they may injure as little as possible the productive labours of industry, which is the fountain of public wealth, and the inexhaustible fund of the revenue.

"4th. The examination and promulgation of the public property, which can be put to account, and serve as mortgages for the debts contracted by the nation.

"5th. To establish as a sacred law the inviolability of property and persons in the interior of each of the provinces."

These are the first measures of the general public administration of that country. They need no comments. But it is now the proper place to add an important document, which also belongs to the same period, namely, the treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation, concluded in Buenos Ayres, between the Governments of his Britannic Majesty and the United Provinces; the tenor of which is as follows:

Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, between his Britannic Majesty and the United Provinces of Rio de la Plata.

Be it known, that a treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, having been concluded and signed in due form on the 2d day of the present month of February, by Don Manuel Jose Garcia, Plenipotentiary on the part of the Government of the United Provinces of Rio de la Plata, and Mr. Woodbine Parish, Plenipotentiary on the part of his Britannic Majesty; the following is a literal copy of that treaty:

EXTENSIVE Commercial Intercourse having been established for a series of years between the dominions of his Britannic Majesty, and the territories of the United Provinces of Rio de la Plata, it seems good for the security as well as the encouragement of such Commercial intercourse, and for the maintenance of good understanding between his said Britannic Majesty and the said United Provinces, that the relations now subsisting between them should be regularly acknowledged and confirmed by the signature of a treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation.

For this purpose they have named their respective Plenipotentaries; that is to say:

His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; Woodbine Parish, Esquire, his said Majesty's Consul-general in the