date

[clxii. 3] 1820 July 24 Emancipation
[clxii. 3]

1820 July 24

Emancipation Spanish

Summary

I Creoles willing

The only sources from which any such supply can be looked for are - taxation at large, Mine-rents or Mine-taxes - duties and restraints on production and trade.

1. To Taxation at large, for such a purpose, voluntary submission could not long, on any tolerably assured grounds, be expected. It was by the opposite determination that the yoke of England was cast off by the American United States.

2. Payment of money to Spain by the occupiers of mines in Spanish America, whether under the name of rents or taxes would be considered as submission to taxation: if levied at all the contributions thus levied uopon the fruits of the land and labour of the people in Spanish America ought to be applied (they would think) in easement of the taxes borne by the people of the province or state in which the mines are situated, and not to the enrichment of strangers at so vast a distance. (a)

3. By restraints in production and trade imposed on the subject many by the ruling few, no net advntage in a pecuniary shape is derivable by any body: by those by whom, or those for the sake of whom, they are imposed. In so far as taxes on trade are imposed, correspondent restraints upon trade are indeed among the inseperable consequences: but from this net advantage is received or is now so expected, beyond the mere produce of the tax. (b)

4. Money which by Spaniards sent from Spain might be received in the shape of official emolument attached to official situations in Spanish America. From this source no relief in respect diminution of taxes would be experienced by the subject many in Spain: the benefit would be engrossed by the ruling few in that country.

Note (a) According to Townsend Journey through Spain II 413. 2d.

Edition King's utmost-exigible mine rent, on silver no more than 10 per cent; on gold, than 5 per Cent.

Note (b) In England this has of late been publickly recognized by persons of all descriptions. Merchants, Ministers, Members of the House of Lords Members of the House of Commons - not a dissenting voice. In Debates of both Houses in July 1820.
Similar Items
  • Title: [1820. Dec r. 23 d. Rid Yourselves]
    Description: 1820. Dec r. 23 d.

    Rid Yourselves

    Part I.

    Lett. 3 Ultramaria Submissive

    But if, at the expence of Ultramaria money or money's worth in amount

    of the burthen in the Peninsula - and this paid voluntarily and with full

    satisfaction on the part of those by whom it is paid, let us see from what sources in

    particular it must come.

    1. Supposable source the first. Taxation at large.

    Upon the first mention, it can scarcely fail to be acknowledged, that,

    in the shape, for any such a purpose as that in question, any such contribution as a

    voluntary one - voluntary one - voluntary in any such degree as that in which it is

    and will be voluntary in Spain - could not, in any part of Ultramaria, be reasonably

    be expected to have continuance. In the Constitutional Code, not only in the Article

    just mentioned, but from beginning to end, the principle professed is that of equal rights, equal to all citizens of the state, as well on

    the one side of the sea as on the other. But, in the way of taxation, not a maravedi

    could any where be levied in Ultramaria or Spain for the use of Peninsula Spain - for

    the relief of the inhabitants of Peninsula Spain - without a proportionable violation

    of that principle. A circumstance that can never be out of view in any part of

    Ultramarian Spain is - that it was by the determination not to submitt to any such

    imposition, that the yoke of England was cast off by the Anglo-American United

    States.

    2. Supposable resource the second: Mine-rents or Mine

    taxes: Payment of money to Spain, by te occupiers of mines in Spanish America,

    submitting to this whether under the name of taxes or under

    the name of rents would be considered as submission to

    taxation: if levied at all, the contributions, thus levied upon the fruits of the

    land and labour of the people in Spanish America, ought to be applied (they would

    think) in easement of the taxes borne by the people of the province or state in which

    the mines are situated, and not to the enrichment of strangers, at so vast a

    distance. (a)
  • Title: [1820 May 10 Emancipation Spanish]
    Description: 1820 May 10

    Emancipation Spanish

    It is not therefore to any such account as the advantage /exercise/ of exercising dominion that any money freely obtained for even equivalent can with propriety be set down.

    For the obtaining of money /or [...?] with/ by the exercise of dominion there remains but these other conceivable sources. terms 1. One is taxation: 2. the other is receit of the produce of mines of land containing mines: of land in the shape /name/ of rent.

    First as to money obtained by taxes. Whether even for a moment in any one of the provinces the people will without equivalent submitt to pay to be remitted to Spain for the use of the people in Spain any money on this score seems in no small degree doubtful. That they would not for any considerable length of time seems altogether certain.

    As the business of government can not in Spanish America any more than in Spain be carried on without money, nor money extracted from the people otherwise than by taxes, what is necessary for the carrying on of the government in Spanish America, must at any rate be provided by taxes imposed on the people of the several Spanish American provinces. If then by or for the people of Spain in case of their burthens money to any amount is, by taxes on the people of /in/ Spanish America, to be raised in Spanish America, any such money must, all of it, be extracted /raised/ /levied/ in addition to whatsoever is extracted from the people of Spanish America for the carrying on of the business of government there, and by so much will the weight of the burthen borne by them in this shape be encreased.
  • Title: [[clxii. 16] 1820 Aug. 19 Emancipation]
    Description: [clxii. 16]

    1820 Aug. 19

    Emancipation Spanish

    Summary

    ' 2 Creoles willing

    Note (a)

    (a)

    Mine rents - meaning taxes on the produce of the mines as it comes out of the mine. I can not, in any account of the "revenue received in America" find any mention made of any such rent or tax. In Townsend's Journey through Spain (of which presently) II. 413 2 d edition mention is indeed incidentally made of "the tribute in gold and silver": and, on that occasion, the rate of the import is mentioned, as it varied from period to period: Before the year 1776, but from what time is not mentioned it had been one fifth: rate the same on silver and on gold. In that year it is spoken of as being reduced to one tenth upon silver and one twentieth upon gold.

    In the general account, which will be seen presently, of this same "revenue received in America", no mention appears of any sum, received at the mines from the proprietors as such: "duties on gold and silver expected" is the name given to the only item in which any mention is made of these precious metals. Is it that instead of being paid at the mine what is paid is not paid but on exportation? If so, then so much as is expended is hoarded by the proprietors and those who are employed by them - in a word what soever is not known to be exported - stands exempted from the tax.