It has already been observed, that the Government is not regardless of re-establishing its credit, in a manner as far as possible consistent with the good name of the Spanish Nation, and at the same time of concluding favourable Negociations. For this purpose 3,000,000 of Rentes were appropriated to the extinction of Rentes at 5 per Cent. which, in a great measure, restored its consideration, joined to the political events which have also exercised an advantageous influence.

The result has proved as successful as could be wished, and the Government may congratulate itself on having concluded a Contract sufficiently advantageous, compared with that which preceded it, and with that which would have been obtained, had the resolution of the Government been precipitately taken. Fortunately, measures were taken with sufficient caution; and I have the pleasure of announcing to the Cortes, that to this Assembly we are indebted for an advantage of between 18,000,000 and 20,000,000. But in alluding to this subject, I must not omit an acknowledgment, which I consider as an act of justice, and without which I should not feel that I had discharged my duty. The Government, renouncing all secrecy in this delicate. affair, consulted with various Individuals, whose opinions were received before any step was taken. To these Individuals we are indebted for the successful issue of the operation, inasmuch as their intelligence and counsel contributed to bring it to a close. In this affair they evinced an interest truly patriotic, and they have in every respect fulfilled the wishes of the Government. I could here publish the names of those Gentlemen, but the fear of offending them, by so doing, induces me to pass them over in silence.

Such was the state of the Publick Finances at the close of the second economical Year, and such it continues at the present day. On the one hand there appears a deficit of 322,000,000 in the contributions voted by the Cortes for the said second economical Year; on the other hand, there is an arrear in the Estimates of the second Year of the sum of 191,000,000, which must be made up from the Imposts decreed for the third economical Year. Unfortunately, in the Taxes which have. been levied during the last Year, considerable difficulty occurred in the collection; as contraband trade greatly diminishes the most productive Taxes; and as the Insurrection, in the Provinces in which it exists, opposes the execution of the administrative provisions, impedes the levying of contributions, and renders null the produce of the Taxes, owing to the vast expense of maintaining the Armed Force necessary for putting down the Rebellion.

The Ministers, in order to fix the demand of Supplies for their Departments, which, among other things, is the object of the Convocation of the present Extraordinary Cortes, have drawn up and addressed

to me Estimates, in addition to those already submitted to the Ordinary Cortes. In these Estimates, are required:—

For the Ministry of State, according to the additional
Estimate.......

For the Ministry of the Interior, according to the ad-
ditional Estimate............

For the Ultra Marine Ministry, according to the additional Estimate........

For the Ministry of Grace and Justice, according to

Reals

2,409,416

47,395,000

Mar.

87,392 15

4,257,169 3

the additional Estimate..... For the Ministry of War, according to the Estimate, 325,000,000 For the Ministry of Marine, according to the Esti

mate........

And the Ministry of Finance also solicits, for the payment of the 13,000,000 of Rentes already negociated, as well as for the Sinking Fund attached to them......

31,959,334

21,600,000

Total...432,708,311 18

The sum which the Government considers it necessary should be raised, is 664,813,324 reals and 19 maravedis, granted by the Cortes, on the General Estimate of Expenses, decreed the 28th of June, and augmented by 191,255,313 reals and 1 maravedi, with which the Ministry of my Department settles the deficit, liquidated at the end of the second economical Year; the calculated value of the Revenues of the State being compared with the real value produced; and there being also an augmentation of 160,933,332 reals and 11 maravedis, to meet the diminution which probably may arise on the Revenues decreed by the Cortes in the last Session. From the subjoined Account it would appear necessary that the Cortes should make a grant of 784,896,957 reals, and 30 maravedis, in order that all the Engagements for the Publick Service, both past and current, may be fulfilled with that regularity which is proper and indispensable.

Punctuality in the payments will perhaps be found one of the political measures which will most contribute to conciliate minds and restore publick tranquillity. Meritorious Officers who now belong to the inactive class of the Army, because their age or infirmities do not permit them to join the Army; Magistrates who administer justice; Civil Officers of all kinds, whom preceding regulations have placed in the retired class; unfortunate widows and orphans, so worthy of protection-all call for payments which have been for months due, and the want of which has been the cause of much inconvenience and dis

tress. They daily present themselves to implore, as a favour, that which is justly their due; and melancholy is the situation of a Government which recognizes the title by which its protection is demanded, and which knows its duty, and yet possesses no means of exercising the one, or fulfilling the other. I repeat, that to meet all demands upon us, will, at the present moment, be a political measure of great influence, in the termination of the Insurrection which at present unfortunately exists in some Provinces, and for enabling the Spanish Nation to appear in the eyes of Foreigners under that imposing attitude, which is indispensable to command the respect of Enemies of every description.

The Government well knows the nature and extent of the sacrifices which it is necessary to demand of the Nation; but being placed under the necessity of procuring for it, at any expense, the enjoyment of internal tranquillity, and of preserving it from being menaced externally under any motive or pretext; and feeling that these necessities are so peremptory and urgent as to require abundant and important measures, without giving rise to new imposts or surcharges on those which already exist, on account of the slow progress of such a collection, His Majesty has thought fit to propose to the Cortes, in order to meet the sum of 784,896,957 reals 30 maravedis, which are considered indispensable towards the end of June, 1823, the inscription in the Great Book of the Publick Debt of 65,000,000 reals of Rentes, at 5 per cent., which may be employed by the Government, whenever it may be found necessary, and in the manner most convenient to the National Treasury.

But this measure, though it is preferable from the promptitude with which it is carried into effect, leaves a Debt in perspective which it will be proper to meet opportunely, particularly as this Loan, which is necessarily very extensive, has been preceded by others of considerable amount, which, combined with it, will form a respectable sum as well in interest as in capital.

Debts of this amount must sink the publick credit if they are not guaranteed by suitable pledges, and it is proper to designate them, in order to ensure the success of the emissions, and to enable them to be made with greater advantages and smaller risks.

Government will consider this point as soon as the concession of the Rentes which it requires is realized, if the Cortes should think proper to grant them. For the present it must confine itself to the demonstration of the necessity of granting the supply, and of granting it immediately; for, as I have before said, if the demands are instantaneous, the supplies must be instantaneous also: the extent of its engagements leaves otherwise no hope of being able to meet them; and it is indispensable that the remedy which may be applied should be as prompt as the circumstances require, in order that its tardiness may not render it useless, or delay increase the evil, and carry along with it

a necessity for greater sacrifices. The Cortes will doubtless resolve on what they think most advisable.

Madrid, October 8, 1822.

MARIANO EGEA.

PROCLAMATION of the President of Hayti to the People, on the general Union and Independence of the Island.-9th February, 1822.

HAITIENS,

LE Pavillon National flotte sur tous les points de l'Ile que nous habitons, sur cette terre de liberté il n'existe plus d'esclaves, et nous n'y formons tous qu'une seule famille dont les membres sont liés à jamais entr'eux par une volonté simultanée, résultant de la concordance des mêmes interêts. Ainsi les Articles XL et XLI de notre Constitution reçoivent leur entière exécution.

La Réunion des fils d'Haïti, qui a commencé à s'opérer d'une manière définitive depuis 3 années, et qui se trouve achevées par ma rentrée à Santo Domingo, n'a couté de larmes à personne: qui mẻconnoitroit, dans cette heureuse revolution, la puissance de Dieu qui régle les destinées des Peuples? Après avoir été séparés, que dis-je opposés même les uns aux autres par la politique des ennemis de nos droits, après de longues années de déchiremens et de guerres, sa main nous rapproche et verse dans nos cœurs le baume salutaire de l'amitié et de la concorde; rendons lui des actions de grace, mes Compatriotes, pour la protection signalée qu'il n'a cessé de nous accorder, et devenons dignes de plus en plus de tant de bienfaits par notre fidèlité au serment que nous avons fait de vivre toujours unis, libres, et indépendans.

Mais pour rendre durable l'oeuvre de notre réunion, et consolider l'indépendance de notre Pays, il faut puiser dans le passé les leçons d'expérience, qui vous apprendront à éviter les écueils que vous n'avez franchis que par un courage et des sacrifices héroiques; instruits par 25 années de vicissitudes, que les vertus privées et publiques du bou Citoyen, du Patriote zèlé, forment le ciment qui doit rendre inaltérable l'édifice que vous avez élevé pour assurer l'existence de votre postérité, que votre amour pour la République, que votre respect pour les Lois, votre obéissance aux Magistrats qui en sont les organes, soient constamment la réponse victorieuse que nous pourrons opposer aux sophismes de nos détracteurs, et la justification des philanthropes qu ont défendu et qui défendent encore notre cause.

Possesseurs d'une terre de merveilleuse fécondité, votre industrie agricole, en recevant l'élan qui lui est nécessaire, ouvrira de vastes canaux aux spéculations du Commerce étranger, lui assurera des

résultats lucratifs, et augmentera par là, et vos ressources et les avantages des Nations qui ont recherché et entretenu des relations avec nous; c'est à celle qui saura le mieux rendre hommage à nos principes, que nous accorderons, par une inclination toute naturelle, la faculté de fournir plus amplement à nos consommations, et d'acheter la plus grande masse des riches productions de notre sol.

Citoyens, vous qui fûtes les premières colonnes avez lesquelles l'immortel Pétion fonda la République, considérez maintenant avec calme l'espace immense que vous avez parcouru depuis le jour, où abjurant une domination étrangère, vous prites la détermination de n'en jamais plus supporter, jusqu'à celui où vous êtes arrivés! Voyez sans orgueil le triomphe de vos efforts et de votre perséverance: vous futes toujours dociles à la voix de votre Chef et prêts à tout sacrifier à la Patrie; continuez à vous montrer dignes de ce que vous avez été.

Et vous, Citoyens de la partie de l'Est, vous avez été longtems malheureux: des Lois arbitraires et prohibitives vous ont contraint de vivre dans les privations et dans la stupeur; cependant, vous aviez combattu pour recouvrer vos droits; mais ceux qui étaient chargés de vous diriger vous ont ramenés sous la dépendance de la Métropole qui vous avoit repoussés de son sein en trafiquant de votre soumission. Enfin vous êtes levés spontanément, vous avez voulu être libres et Haïtiens comme nous, et vous l'êtes devenus; oubliez donc votre ancienne condition pour ne songer qu'à celle dont vous allez jouir; ouvrez vos cœurs à la joie; votre confiance dans le Gouvernement ne sera pas trompée; il s'occupera du soin de guérir les plaies profondes qu'un système antilibéral a faites parmi vous; que désormais aucuns nuages n'obscurcissent les beaux jours qui vont luire pour la Patrie.

Haïtiens! En vain nos Ennemis prétendroient alarmer les Puissances Etrangères sur la réunion de tout notre Territoire! Les principes établis par les Articles XL. et XLI. de notre Constitution qui nous donnent l'Océan pour limite, sont aussi généralement connus que ceux consacrés par l'Article V. du même Acte, et par lesquels nous nous sommes engagés à ne former jamais aucune entreprise tendant à troubler la paix de nos voisins.

Peuple agriculteur et guerrier, les Haïtiens ne s'occuperont que des interêts de leur Patrie; ils ne se serviront de leurs armes que pour défendre leur Indépendance Nationale, si on étoit encore assez injuste pour l'attaquer; toujours généreux, toujours hospitaliers, ils continueront d'agir avec loyauté envers ceux des Etrangers qui, habitant parmi eux, respecteront les Lois du Pays.

Ma destinée étoit sans doute d'être l'instrument dont la Divinité devoit se servir pour faire triompher notre cause sacrée: c'est à sa protection que je rapporte les succès qui ont accompagné mon Administration, depuis que les rênes de l'Etat ont été placées dans mes mains : j'ai constamment fait ce qui a dépendu de moi pour m'en rendre digne;