Mr. Plumb to Mr.
Seward.
No. 89.]
Legation of the United States,
City of Mexico,
March 14, 1868.
Sir: In my dispatch No. 48, of the 13th of
December last, I called the attention of the department to a decree
issued by this government, establishing a separate tariff for this city
upon national and foreign effects.
I have now to transmit to the department copy and translation of a
[Page 435]
decree issued under date of
the 4th instant, by the legislature of the State of Guanajuata,
establishing a separate tariff for that State.
It will be observed that, under the provisions of this decree, articles 2
and 5, foreign cotton goods and yarns consumed in that State will now
have to pay a duty of five cents per pound, in addition to the duties on
their importation established by the national tariff.
All other foreign effects, except those enumerated in the free list of
the national tariff, are to pay, under this decree, five per cent. upon
their value, appraised in that State.
It is not easy to see where the limit to the burdens imposed on commerce
in this country is to be reached, if this system of local duties for
every city and State is to be continued.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Decree establishing duties on foreign effects in
the State of Guanajuato.
[Translation.]
The citizen General Florencio Antillon, constitutional governor of
the free and sovereign State of Guanajuato, to the inhabitants of
the same, be it known:
That the congress of the State has decreed the following:
The second constitutional congress of the free and sovereign State of
Guanajuato, considering that the revenue upon which the State can
now count is scarcely sufficient for the payment of half of its
ordinary and necessary expenditures:
That in consequence of the law of classification of revenues of the
12th of September, 1857, the derogation of which this honorable
congress has asked of the sovereign congress of the union, it is an
absolute necessity, until such decision as may be proper is had, to
provide resources to cover the deficiency, as otherwise it will be
impossible to continue the public administration, and the State will
cease to figure as a member of the Mexican Confederation, because
without public revenue it cannot maintain its functions:
And that the State should contribute what is necessary for the
expenses of its administration, decrees:
Article 1. Foreign effects introduced into
the State shall pay a duty of five per cent. The basis for the
collection of this impost shall be that which now serves for the
collection of the half per cent. of the department of Fomento.
Art. 2. Cotton goods and yarns consumed in
the State shall pay as excise duty, five cents per pound.
Art. 3. Cloths, cassimeres, and carpets of
national manufacture, consumed in the State, shall pay ten per cent.
upon appraised value, which shall be the current market price at
wholesale of the place.
Art. 4. Once that the effects spoken of in
the preceding articles shall have paid in the capital of the State
the impost now decreed, they can proceed freely to any point within
the same.
Art. 5. Foreign cotton goods and yarns
shall pay solely the impost provided in article 2.
Art. 6. Quicksilver and other effects
declared free in the tariff of maritime and frontier custom-houses
will not be subject to the impost spoken of in article 1st of this
decree.
Let the same be communicated to the governor of the State, who will
cause it to be printed, published, and duly complied with.
Dated in Guanajuato, March 3, 1868.
JUAN B. CASTELAZO, President.
JOSÉ BRIBIESCA SAAVEDRA, Secretary.
ANTONIO RINCON, Secretary.
Wherefore I order that it be printed, published, and circulated for
its due compliance.
Palace of the government of the State in
Guanajuato, the 4th of March,
1868.
FLORENCIO ANTILLON.
Francisco Garcia,
Secretary.
