JB_172_162.xml

Title: [1820. Dec r. 25. Rid Yourselves of]

Description: 1820. Dec r. 25.

Rid Yourselves of Ultramaria

Introduction

' 6 Table IV

IV. Table IV I style Spanish Revenue and

Expenditure Table n

o.

1819. In this you may, in the first place, see the

particulars of the revenue of that year, as translated in

our Morning chronicle of the 12th. of August 1820, from such documents of yours as

had, at that time, come to hand.

(Translator! make the requisite corrections.)

In the next place, comes the expenditure of

that same year. But, of this, all that the document exhibits, is the sum total.

(Translator! Add particulars if obtainable)

Meantime, for the purpose of the present argument, the sum total is quite sufficient: nor would incorrectness, to

the utmost probable extent, suffice to render it otherwise. The expenditure more than

double the receipt, and, for the four preceding years, the same proportion kept up -

a state of the finances such as this will hardly be regarded us being together

suitable to any such purpose as that of making distant conquests: no, nor so much as

to the keeping up, on the most peaceable footing, the means of Government, though it

were confined to the Peninsula (a)

Note (a)

As to the proportion thus expressed, how it can, for any such length

of time, have had existence, is more than I can figure to myself: I give it as I find

it. Upon the face of it, what is stated is a self-contradiction in terms. By money,

to the amount in question borrowed, possibility might have

been given to it. But, by the extreme difficulty that, but t'other day, attended the

borrowing of Reals vellon 200,000,000, pounds sterling about 2,000,000, it seems to

me sufficiently evident, that no loans to any such amounts if to any amounts, can, in

the interval in question, have had place.

Non-payment of money due on the score of official pay - non-payment of money due for goods ordered and received -

if, under the head of expenditure, non-payment, in both or

either of these forms, was meant to be included - and, to the extent in question,

expenditure and such non-payment, one or other or both, had place, - on this

supposition, indeed, howsoever incorrect in the expression, the statement is correct

in substance. Still the difficulty remains how it is, that under such circumstances,

the

members

JB_172_163.xml

Title: [1820. Dec r. 26. Rid Yourselves of]

Description: 1820. Dec r. 26.

Rid Yourselves of Ultramaria

Introduction

'. 6. Tables Conclusion

members of the official establishment could have continued alive; and

how it is that the possessors of goods should not rather have destroyed than

furnished them.

To conclude this head - to the present purpose, the material question

os - at this time of day, does the so extensively contested claim of dominion over

Ultramaria, present any better grounded expectation of advantage, than the peaceable

possession of it did in the year 1786? In the opinions that you have seen, even the

peaceable possession was not, at that time, attended with any advantage. If the possession was not then what, in

the eyes of any person who can think,- what, if he can bear to think of it, can be

the advantage, of the claim without the possession, - or

even of the claim with the possession - now?

Thus much upon a view thus general. Presently, we shall come to take

a particular view, of all the several shapes, in which, in the nature of the case, it

would be possible, that, from the source in question, advantage, to any amount,

should accrue.

By these preliminary explanations, you are, I hope, sufficiently

prepared for the view of the Tables themselves.

Whether, the advantage, acquirable from the dominion, supposing it in possession, or

the probability of reacquiring and retaining it were considered, the view thus

presented to you, of the state of your revenue and expenditure at this recent period,

could not, on the present occasion, be omitted. Had it not been for this

confirmation, it might have been supposed by some, that in those accounts

respectively the profit from the dominion was at that

former time underrated, or the expence of supporting and defending it over-rated: or

that, in case of re-possession, the probable net advantage

from the dominion, might, at this time, be greater than it

was at that time: or, in a word, that, somehow or other, so

it is that, neither the opinions, nor the facts, of that

time, are applicable to the present purpose.

JB_172_183.xml

Title: [1820 Dec r 21 Rid Yourselves]

Description: 1820 Dec r 21

Rid Yourselves

Introduction

IV. Table IV I style Spanish Revenue and Expenditure Table A

o

1819. In this you may in the first place see the

particulars the revenue of that year,as translated in our Morning Chronicle of the

12 th of August 1820 from such documents of yours as had at

that time come to hand.

Note (a)

(a) Should there be any errors in this statement, any translator

of this my address to you is requested to make the requisite corrections.

In the next place comes the expenditure of that same year. But of this all that the

document exhibits is the sum total:

Note (b)

(b) If, when a translation comes to be made the particulars have

been made public, they will of course be added.

Meantimes, for the purpose of the present argument the sum total is quite

sufficient: it would err nor would incorrectness brought to

the utmost probable extent suffice to render it otherwise. The expenditure more than

double the receipt, and for the four preceding years the same proportion kept up - a

state of the finances such as they will hardly be regarded as being altogether

suitable, to any such purpose as that of making distant conquests: no, nor so much as

to the keeping up on the most peaceable footing, the means of government though it

were confined to the peninsula.

Note (c)

As to the proportion thus expressed how it can for any such length of time have had

existence is more than I can figure to myself: I give it as I find it. Upon the face

of it what is stated is a contradiction in terms. By money, to the amounts in

question borrowed, possibility might have been given to it.

But by the extreme difficulty that but t'other day attended the borrowing of Reals

vellon 200,000,000, pounds sterling about 2,000,000, it seems to me sufficiently

evident, that no loans to any such amount if to any amount can in the interval in

question have had place.