Page:Mexico as it was and as it is.djvu/398



income of the Mexican Government is derived from revenues on foreign commerce, imposts on internal trade, imposts on pulqué, export duty on the precious metals, lotteries, post-office, stamped paper, taxes, tobacco, powder, salt-works, and several other sources of trifling importance.

In 1840, these revenues are stated in the Report of the Minister of the Treasury as follows:

In 1839, the revenues amounted to $11,215,848. The income from the post-office department, (which is not included in the statement for 1840,) was $178,738, in 1839. In 1840, the lotteries produced the gross sum of $215,487—but as the expenses connected with their management, amounted to $158,485, it left a balance of but $56,952, for the Government. The "sealed paper" or stamp tax, produced $110,868, but as this impost has been nearly doubled during 1842, the revenue must at present be proportionally greater.