1820. July 17.

Revised Aug. 16.

Brouillon Corrected '.19

Rid yourselves of Ultramaria

Part 1

Letter 13

'. Estimates proposed.

Letter 13. Mode of computing profit and loss by the claim - Estimates proposed.

Spaniards. If, in intention I am your deceiver, I shall in effect be a very

impotent, and, from the first, I myself confess, a very foolish one. What is it that

I am calling upon youu to do? To adopt and without examination any opinion of my own? No: but to form an opinion for

yourselves, and to form it on the only appropriate and rational grounds: in a

comparison of powers with desires; of ways and means with proposed endeavours.

For giving, to a certain extent, effect to my wishes - for making, at any rate, the

commencement of an experiment - for putting matters into a train - behold now what I

venture to propose:- A motion in the Cortes - nothing more.

For the production of this effect, on the part of of what number of wills is

compliance necessary? A single One and no more - Object of the motion a set of Estimates - nothing more. Estimates, from which some

conception, not altogether groundless, in regard to the possibility, as well as

utility of retaining that which has been so pertinaciously clings to, may be formed.

Information thus indispensable will it be refused to you? A test thus conclusive, of

their own probity as well as capacity will it be shrunk from be your rulers? Sad

indeed is your condition under them, melancholy the prospect

that has before you. Sad indeed, /would it be/ if a [...?] to this effect,

being made, should be [...?]: much more sad - sad in the extreme - if, after a

summons such as this, no [...?] /of all those/ whom the right belongs should have the

hardihood to exercise it. No: I will not yet think so ill of them: nothing but

expensive shall comfort me. A set of Estimates, I have seen

it, what I wish you to have before you. I have ranged them under five heads. See now what thing art: see whether any thing can be more easily

apprehended, more plainly relevant.

1. Estimate the first. Estimate of the whole expence of

Government, on the supposition that no one of all the

distant dependencies is to be kept.

II. Estimate the second. Under the head of each such

dependency, supposing it in peaceable possession, and

intended to be kept. Estimate of the expenditure proposed to be made in Spain for keeping it so: that is to say of keeping it defended not only at all times

against internal malefactors, but also eventually, in case of insurrection defending

it against the inhabitants at large, and in the case of foreign war, against all

foreign adversaries. To those purposes, the expenditure will be to be divided

according to the departments of government to which it

belongs: the restitutive portions of for example, military land

service, sea service, civil

department, judicial department: add the expence of

the department of general superintendence, destined to have

charge, in Spain, of the aggregate body of those same distant dependencies: whether

called, as at present or of late Council of the Indies, or

by any other name.

III. Estimate the third. Under the head of each such

distant dependency, or groupe of connected dependencies, not now in possession,- Estimate of the force

regarded as necessary, for the conquest of it, of the money

regarded as necessary for the raising of such force, and of

the annual expence necessary for the maintenance of the

conquest when accomplished.

IV. Estimate the fourth. To set against the above mass of

expence, Estimate of the annual sum proposed to be extracted from each such dependency, and placed at the

disposal of Government in Spain, in such sort as, by the whole account of it, to operate in diminution of the taxes, that would otherwise

be imposed on, and borne by, the people in Spain: under the head fo each such dependency, stating the taxes, or

other sources of revenue, from which the money is proposed ot be extracted.