Images de page
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

Fordon

Les produits des postes ont donné en recouvremens pour 1816. Par suite de la mise à exécution, à partir de Janvier 1826, des dispositions de nance Royale du 14 Décembre 1825, concernant les franchises et contre-seings, la correspondance des fonctionnaires de l'Ordre Judiciaire, celle des Administrations et régies de finances avec leurs préposés dans les Départemens, et celle de ces préposés entre eux, précédemment assujettis à la Taxe, a circulé avec exemption de cette Taxe. Antérieurement ces correspondances étaient acquittées sur des états de crédits, ou au moyen d'abonnemens qui donnaient lieu à une recette annuelle, pour la direction générale des postes, qu'on ne peut évaluer à moins de 800,000 fr.

Les recouvremens de 1826, se présentent donc affaiblis de cette même somme de 800,000 fr., et nonobstant cette círconstance, ils se sont élevés à

Il ressort une augmentation de

Qui, sans les effets de l'Ordonnance du 14 Décembre, eût été de 7,456,332 fr.
Cette augmentation se répartit comme il suit, savoir;

Produit de la Taxe des Lettres

du droit de 5 p. o/o sur les articles d'argent

des places dans les paquebots

Francs

des places dans les malles-postes

des offices étrangers

Total.

Dont à déduire pour réduction survenue dans les recettes diverses et accidentelles.

20,973,000

- 27,629,332

6,656,332

4,906,857 219,963 1,416,441

61,757 31,794

6,666,802 10,00

[blocks in formation]

Ainsi, de 1816 à 1826, c'est-à-dire, à 11 années d'intervalle, les contributions directes ont éprouvé une réduction de 72,000,000, et les produits indirects un accroissement de 166,000,000. Cette somme devrait encore régulièrement être accrue d'environ 27,000,000, provenant de recouvremens extraordinaires des produits de domaines faits en 1816. La différence serait donc environ 193,000,000 au lieu de 166.

Quoique les motifs de cette heureuse situation ne soient un mystère pour personne, rappelons brièvement les faits principaux sur lesquels elle repose. Le chiffre des années intermédiaires en indiquera d'une manière exacte la progression, qui a été à-peu-près constante.

En 1816, la Population du Royaume n'atteignait pas à 30,000,000; en 1826, elle dépassait 32.

En 1816, notre agriculture était aux abois, privée de bras et de capitaux de toute espèce; en 1826 (grâces, il est vrai, à des dégrèvemens successifs, et à des tarifs protecteurs dont l'action combinée agissait sur elle depuis trois ans), elle nourrissait une population plus forte d'un dixième, et, malgré cela, elle regorgeait de produits, tierçait sa récolte en vins, et comptait de plus qu'en 1816, 400,000 chevaux, 350,000 animaux de race bovine, 5,000,000 de bêtes à laine.

En 1816, nos mines de houille fournissaient 1,000,000,000 de kilogrammes; en 1826, 1,500,000,000.

En 1816, nous fabriquions moins de 100,000,000 de kilogrammes de fontes de fer; en 1826, plus de 160,000,000.

En 1816, notre industrie mit en œuvre 12,000,000 de kilogrammes de coton; la consommation de 1826 s'est élevée à 32,000,000.

En 1816, nous tirâmes de l'étranger 400,000 kilogrammes de soie; nous en avons tiré le double en 1826.

En 1816, la mise en œuvre des laines, soit françaises soit étrangères, fut estimée à 40,000,000 de kilogrammes; elle a été, pour 1826, de 48,000,000.

En 1816, nos raffineries épurèrent 24,000,000 de kilogrammes de sucre; en 1826, 72,000,000, &c. &c.

En 1816, notre commerce, tant au-dedans qu'au-dehors, était faible et restreint comme nos ressources; en 1826, tous les marchés étrangers recevaient de nos marchandises, et le marché intérieur s'était agrandi en raison du développement des industries agricole et manufacturière.

En 1816, nous succombions sous d'effroyables engagemens ; en 1826, tous les frais d'occupation, tous les arriérés étaient soldés depuis trois ans ; les trois premiers cinquièmes de 30,000,000 de rentes créées pour indemniser les propriétaires dépossédés par la révolution, étaient émis sans avoir affecté le cours de nos rentes: nous avions les plus belles Finances de l'Europe.

De 1816 à 1826, la puissance de notre crédit a doublé. A la première époque, la rente 5 p. 0/0 était à peine à 60 fr., et, en ce moment, le fonds dans lequel a été transporté le crédit de l'Etat, repré

sente ce même 5 p. 0/0 au cours de 120 fr.; en sorte que si nous ne pouvions emprunter, en 1816, qu'en payant 9 p. 0/0 d'intérêt, nous le pourrions aujourd'hui en payant 44.

En arrêtant son attention sur ces rapides progrès, bienfait réuni de la paix et de la restauration, quel homme, vraiment digne d'appartenir à notre beau pays, voudrait désormais courir le risque de compromettre une situation si prospère dans des querelles ou imprudentes ou frivoles, et ne sentirait le besoin de la protéger de tous ses efforts contre des intrigues ou des passions dont le triomphe aurait infailliblement pour effet de la détruire! (Monteur.)

MESSAGE of the President of the Council of Government, on the Opening of the Sovereign Constituent Congress of Peru.-4th June, 1827.

(Extract.)

(Translation.)

PERMIT me to present you with a succinct idea of our Foreign relations, and of the different branches of our Administration. The European Nations shew a disposition to recognize us. It would appear that the want of information as to our real situation, and absolute independence, has retarded the moment of making a recognition, as congenial with their interests as with our own. Spain is the only Power which refuses an act of justice, if not of necessity, and which would better conduce to her interests than to ours. But Spain, reduced to a state of impotency and nullity, gives us no uneasiness by her irrational obstinacy. The efforts she has lately made to reinforce Cuba, are more directed towards defending the Island, and protecting her Possessions in the Antilles from invasion, and from the influence of our principles, than to undertake anything against our liberties. The Squadron which she had formed, by draining her Treasury and Maritime resources, and which, under the command of Laborde, inspired slight fears, when it appeared on the Northern Coasts of Colombia, was dispersed by a violent tempest, in September of last Year.

Since the President of The United States declared, that he would consider as an hostile act, the interference of any Power in the struggle between Spain and the States which were formerly her Colonies; and since the Minister for Foreign Affairs of His Britannick Majesty communicated to the Diplomatic Body, the intention of his Government to enter into friendly relations with the New American States, France and other Countries have adopted a similar line of conduct, by announcing that they will abstain from interfering with force in our question with Spain. The Government of His Britannick Majesty, in conformity with its principles, has, subsequently, continued to invite the Government of Ferdinand to renounce his chimerical projects, and to establish peace with us.

In May of last Year, the Government sent two Ministers to the Court

of London, charged with soliciting the recognition of our Independence, and with negociating a Loan of 10,000,000 of dollars. The English Government did not think fit to admit them, and the stay of these Envoys at that Court not appearing proper, inasmuch as the character with which they were invested was not acknowledged, they were directed to return, leaving an Agent to keep us regularly informed of the dispo sition of His Britannick Majesty with regard to us. A Consul from Great Britain resides in the Republick.

France, bound by family ties to the reigning house of Spain, observed for a long time a policy obscure and injurious to her interests. But experience and the progress of events have at length induced her to establish communications with the New States of America, by sending to distant points Diplomatick Agents, who, agreeably to the accounts just received, will come duly accredited. Under this expectation, and with a view to manifest our good dispositions towards that Power, I have determined to receive Monsieur Chaumette des Fosses in a private manner, until he presents his Credentials in the accustomed form, although, having presented himself with the new title of Inspector, and his Papers being deficient in the requisite essentials, the Government has refused to admit him, considering the irregularity as a proof of the want of consideration towards our independence. In so doing we have acted as favourably as a Neutral Nation can require, to which we are not bound by any Treaty.

His Majesty, The King of the Netherlands, has sent a Consul to the Republick, who resides in this Capital.

The United States of the North have sent a Consul General, and a Chargé d'Affaires from those States has recently arrived.

The United Mexican States, and the Central Republick, display, in all their communications, the most frank and cordial friendship for Peru. Our Ally, the Republick of Colombia, whose efforts were so valuable to us in the last Campaign, has constantly had a Chargé d'Affaires here. Our relations are founded on the most perfect harmony, and cordial reciprocity, and we promise ourselves that they will continue so to be. We have endeavoured to shew all the consideration we feel, towards the Flag which accompanied us, in establishing our independence, and that of that Republick, in the plains of Pichincha, Junin, and Ayacucho. It is to be hoped that the unanimous and general impulse which combined to render us truly free and independent, will be daily more and more consolidated.

We have cemented our relations with the Republick of Chili, by means of a Minister Plenipotentiary, whom we have sent to that Government, and who has been directed to return after he shall have fulfilled the object of his mission; we have received one from thence, of a like character, who resides in this Capital. Both Republicks are called upon by Nature to promote the advantages of Commerce, which will bind our alliance and friendship more firmly.

The Argentine Republick maintains a Consul in this Capital. We have sent a Chargé d'Affaires thither, in order to preserve our friendly relations with it. That Republick, which has sustained the spirit of the age, and encreased the glory of its name, by the splendid victory which it obtained over the Army of Brazil, in the plains of Ituzaingo, as well as by various Naval triumphs, has proved to the Old World, that the principles of liberty are not to be destroyed in the New, and has shewn what they are capable of effecting who fight to support them. It is painful nevertheless, to find that, among the new Nations of the Continent, who ought to act as Brothers, arms should have been resorted to in order to decide a question which might have been decided by prudence. It is to be hoped that ere long reason will be listened to by the Empire, and that a durable peace will be signed between the two Powers, on the indispensable basis of the restitution of the Banda Oriental.

The Provinces of Upper Peru have declared themselves independent, and have been constituted into a Nation, called the Republick of Bolivia, under the auspices of the Liberating Army, as a consequence of the Law of the 23d February, in which the Congress of the Year 1825, acknowledged that they had the right to express their will.

This Government recognized that new State by its Decree of the 18th May, 1826, in which it engaged to submit that Provisional Act for your consideration. In the meanwhile the relations consistent with that step have been preserved. A Minister from that Republick has been accredited to our Government. The one which we sent to it in the same character, charged with cementing our interests more closely, has returned; propositions, somewhat unfavourable and burdensome to us, having been proposed in the Negotiation, principally with respect to the demarkation of limits, which we declined: considering it proper to reserve such questions for your definitive decision, inasmuch as the Government did not conceive that it possessed the power to alienate any portion of the Territory, and to decide upon affairs of such vital importance.

We have hastened to send a Chargé d'Affaires to Brazil in order to prove to its Government the pacifick sentiments which animate Peru. He has been directed to return, when that object shall have been accomplished.

The grand American Assembly at which two of our Ministers attended, has met at Panama. It concluded Four Treaties relative to the Independence of this Continent, which will be laid before you by the Minister for that Department. Its sittings having being suspended, it resolved to transfer itself to the City of Tacubaya in the United Mexican States. An unforeseen accident retarded the journey of one of our Ministers to the new point of assembling, and he was necessitated to The other came home, bringing the Treaties for the consideration of the Assembly. They contain transactions of great importance,

return.

[ocr errors]
« PrécédentContinuer »