1822 April 12

Rid Yourselves

Ult r

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 you

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:

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

For giving to a certian 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 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 portinaciously clung to, may be formed. Information

of a sort that comes out continually as a matter of course under the English and won

under the French Government? A test thus conclusive of their own probity as well as

capacity will it be shrunk from by your rulers? Sad indeed is your condition under

them, melancholy the prospect that lies before you. Sad indeed would it be if a

motion to this effect, being made should be negative; much more sad - sad in the

extreme - if after a summons such as this, no one of all those to whom the right

belongs should have the hardihood to exercise it. No: I will not yet, think so ill of

them. Nothing but experience shall, compel me.

A set of Estimates, I have said, is what I wish you to

have before you. I have ranged them under five heads, see now what they are: see

whether any thing can be more easily apprehended, more plainly relevant.

I. Estimate the first. Estimate of the whole expence of

Government, on the supposition that no one of all the distant Dependancies 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 these purposes the expenditure will be to be divided

according to the departments of Government to which the

respective portions of it belong: 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 oflase[?] 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 amount 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 of each such dependency, stating the taxes, or other sources of revenue,

from which the money is proposed to be extracted.

V. Estimate the fifth. Estimate of the amount of net profit, capable of being, and

likely to be, extracted in the way of trade, from each such province or groupe of

provinces, in virtue of their remaining subject: over and above what would be

extracted, from them and the rest of the commercial world together, in the case of

their not remaining subject.

Now then my friends suffer me to ask - of all these sums is there so much as a

single one that is irrelevant? that belongs not, and with indisputable propriety, to

the account? Is there so much as a single one, unless the last be an exception, by

the omission of which the account will not be rendered a misrepresentation? Of all

the above several sources of demand for expenditure, can any man do away or lessen

the necessity, or lessen the amount, by shutting his eyes against it or avoiding to

look at it? Of all the above supposed, with the addition of all supposable sources of

receipt, is there so much as one, from which any receipt, to any determinated amount,

worth looking for, can be stated as expectable at any determinated time, with any

thing like so determinate ground stated for the expectation of it?

Should an Estimate, with at least those heads in it, be omitted to be called for,

or, having been called for, refused or omitted to be produced, - can there be that

unfledged spendthrift so improvident and weak, as that his weaknesses shall exceed

that of your rulers?

Without men, ships or money, can territories at the distance of a half, or though it

be but a quarter of the surface of the globe be either put, or so much as kept in a

state of subjection? and this by no other means, than an insane mixture of sullenness

and needlessness.

Translator. If it can be done without too much trouble, suppose you were to subjoin

here the state of pecuniary resources from the latest known

accounts.