Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 1.djvu/501

Rh well as public, interests. Nothing was determined by the Congress of 1826, nor was it until the end of February, 1827, that a return to the old duties of two and three reals per vara, was decreed by Chamber of Deputies. The concurrence of the Senate was subsequently obtained, (16th of March,) but, from the vague terms in which it was worded, another doubt arose as to whether the Import duties were to be paid on the goods being "dispatched," at the Custom-house on the coast, (most of them having been in Deposit three and four months,) or whether the ninety days, allowed by law for the payment of the duties, were to be reckoned from the date of the decision of the Congress respecting the valuations.

Upon this point, a verbal promise had been given by Mr. Esteva, who agreed, at a very early period of the discussion, that, from the moment that the appeal against the increased valuations was entered, and admitted by the Government, the time which might intervene between the date of this appeal, and the decision of the Chambers respecting it, should not be included in the legal term of Deposit.

But Mr. Esteva having quitted the ministry, his successor (the present minister) did not, at first, conceive himself to be bound by this promise, and refused to interpret the silence of the Senate with regard to a point, upon which, as far as British interests were concerned, the whole question turned;—as, to most of the houses concerned, the immediate