[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.