on an establishment like that of the King of Spain. He cannot leave his palace without being preceded by his guards on horseback; he is served by pages; and in the town of Mexico he is only permitted to dine with his wife and children. This excess of etiquette becomes a means of saving; and a viceroy, who wishes to quit his retirement and enjoy society, must remain for some time in the country, either at San Augustín de las Cuevas, or at Chapoltepec, or at Tacubaya. Some of the viceroys of New Spain have had an increase of salary; instead of 60,000 piastres, the Chevalier de Croix, Don Antonio Buccarelli, and the Marquis de Branciforte, had an annual revenue of 80,000 piastres"; but this court favour was not extended to the successors of the three above-named viceroys. A governor who chooses to renounce all delicacy of sentiment, and considers himself as having come to America for the purpose of enriching his family, finds means for accomplishing his end, by favouring the richest individuals of the country in the distribution of places, in the dealing out of the mercury, in privileges granted in time of war to carry's on a free trade with the colonies of neutral powers. For some years past, the ministry of Madrid have deemed it for their interest to * 16,800l. Sterling. Trans. name even to the smallest situations in the Colonies. However, the recommendation of the viceroy is still of great importance to the person who solicits, especially if the object solicited be a military charge, or a title of nobility (titulo de Castilla), which the Spanish Americans are in general much more eager for than the European Spaniards. A viceroy, it is true, has no right to make any commercial regulations, but he may interpret the orders of the court; he may open a door to neutrals, by informing the king of the urgent circumstances which have determined him to have recourse to that step ; he may protest against a reiterated order, and accumulate memoirs and informes; and if he is rich, adroit, and supported in America by a courageous assessor, and at Madrid by powerful friends, he may govern arbitrarily without fearing the residencia, that is to say, the account which he must render of his administration to every superior (Chef) who has occupied a place in the Colonies. There have been viceroys who, secure of their impunity, have extorted in a few years nearly eight millions of livres tournois”; and with pleasure we add, that there have been others, who, far from increasing their fortune by unlawful means, have displayed a noble and generous disinterestedness. Among the latter, Budget of the public revenue of New Spain for the year 1803. * Upwards of 326,000l. Sterling. Trans. Application of receipts. The receipts amount to Piastres. Piastres. . . . 20,000,000 • 5,250,000 750,000 1,200,000 1,000) Remains in net produce (liquido) 14,750,000 Application of receipts. Piastres. Piastres. Remains in net produce (liquido) from the preceding page - III. Remittances to the mother country and colonies (cargas ultramarinas). Net produce of the tobacco farm - - Net produce of the sale of cards (naypes) Pensions assigned on the ramos de vacantes, the third part of which is sent to the establishment for the accommodation (Mont de piete) of the military at Madrid Purchase money of mercury in Germany Produce of the medias anatas, and other duties on the clergy, applied to the cannon foundry of Ximena - Situados of the colonies of Asia and America of Mexico at the end 3,000,000) 60,000/ 500,000 Remains in the o of the year - 10,100,000 7,780,000 100, 3,500,000 2,320,000 |