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374 even the Government of Spain had found it necessary to reduce,) "merely because the disadvantages of the change would fall principally upon Foreigners, who had engaged in Mining speculations, upon the faith of a public act of the Legislature." Finally, they observed upon the omission of any mention of the Public Debt, and pointed out the mode in which, by proper reductions in the Army, and a due attention to those branches of the Revenue, which were likely to reap most immediate benefit from the newborn liberty of the country, the Receipts might be made to cover the Expenditure, without crippling for ever the resources of the State, by striking, as Mr. Esteva proposed to do, at the very roots of its prosperity.

This Analysis, the argumentative parts of which Mr. Esteva in vain attempted to refute, was adopted almost in toto by the Congress. The Chambers refused to make any change in the revenue of Tobacco, or to close a single port, or to increase in any way the duties payable upon the precious metals, a proposal to which effect was brought forward by Mr. Esteva, and thrown out by a large majority, although supported by all his influence.

This check was of the greatest utility both to the country, and to himself: he renounced, from that moment, all idea of legislating, and confined himself to the organization of his Department, and to the observance of that system which was traced out for him by the Chambers. The activity and