[clxvii. 108]

1821 March 30

Rid Yourselves

Anti-constitutional evil

4 Consumption of Cortes time

By Article 335. of the ten functions allotted to the bodies stiled Provincial Deputation, each being in the province the principal political body within its province the first is "to intervene and approve the repartition made upon the pueblos (subordinate districts) of the contribution (contribuciones) which shall have fallen to the lot of the province.

Upon the ground of these three clauses taken together, assuming that in the several provinces of Spanish Ultramaria, as well as at Madrid in Spain men are men, the following are among the allotional[?] business which on the supposition of any effort given to the claim of Spanish dominion over Spanish Ultramaria the Cortes would have to take in hand and add to its other businesses.

Our allotment of these burthens is too large - this would be the cry of every Ultramarian Provincial Deputation. This cry would have movement in to it. Solo from each Province. The share allotted to one province is too large, compared with that allotted to this, and that, and that other Province. Chime of all the provinces. 1. The share imposed /allotted/ upon Ultramaria taken all together /as a whole/ is too large compared with the share allotted to Spain.

Two circumstances it is true there are /may be/, either of which would suffice /be sufficient/ to substitute a long rest to both these movements. One is, a determination on the part of the several Provincial deputations - one or more or all of them, not to interfere /intervene/ with any such repartitions, but to suffer the contribution to levy themselves if so disposed to levy themselves. See Ch. or '. 3. Ch. or '. 12.

Another is the new formation of any such Provincial Deputation in this or that Ultramarian Province, or in all of them Ch. or '. 12. And by any one of these circumstances a proportionable quantity of the extra demand upon the time of the Cortes, will be, it can not but be acknowlegded, saved.