GENERAL HISTORY. 



[177 



^nt, aiid is closely connected 

 with Buenos Ayres : that Vene- 

 luela has also cleclared itself in- 

 dependeiit, and now maintains 

 the conflict with various success ; 

 and that the remaining parts of 

 South America, except Monte 

 Video, and such other portions of 

 the eastern bank of the La Plata 

 as are held by Portugal, are still 

 in the possession of JSpaiii, or in a 

 certain degree under her in- 

 fluence. 



By a circular note addressed 

 by ihe Ministers of Spain to the 

 Allied Powers v,ith v.liom they 

 are respectively accredited, it 

 appears that the Allies have 

 undertaken to mediate between 

 Spain and the South American 

 provinces, and that the manner 

 and extent of their interposition 

 would be settled by a Congress, 

 which was to have met at Aix-la- 

 Chapelle in September last. 

 From the general policy and 

 course of proceeding observed by 

 the Allied Powers in regard to 

 this contest, it is inferred that 

 they will confine their interposi- 

 tion to the expression of their 

 sentiments ; abstaining from the 

 application of force. I state this 

 impression, that force will not be 

 applied, with tlie greater satis- 

 faction, because it is a course 

 more consistent with justice, and 

 likewise authorizes a hope that 

 the calamities of war will be con- 

 fined to the parties only, and will 

 be of shorter duration. 



From the view taken of this 

 subject, founded on all the inform- 

 ation that we have been able to 

 obtain, there is good cause to be 

 satisfied with the course here- 

 tofore pursued by the United 

 States in regard to this contest, 



Vol. LX. 



and to conclude that it is proper 

 to adhere to it, especially in the 

 present state of affairs. 



I have great satisfaction in 

 stating, that our relations with 

 France, Russia, and other Powers, 

 continue on the most friendly 

 basis, 



In our domestic concerns we 

 have ample cause of satisfaction. 

 The receipts into the Treasury, 

 during the three first quarters o'f 

 the year,have exceededl 7,000,000 

 of dollars. 



After satisfying all the demands 

 which have been made under ex- 

 isting appropriations, including 

 the final extmctioo of the old six 

 per cent stock, and the redemp- 

 tion of a moiety of the Louisiana 

 debt, it is estimated that there 

 will remain in the Treasury, on 

 the 1st day of January next, more 

 than 2,000,000 of dollars. 



It is ascertained that the gross 

 revenue which has accrued from 

 the customs during the same 

 period, amomits to 21,000-,000 of 

 dollars, and that the revenue of 

 the whole year may be estimated 

 at not less than 26,000,000. The 

 sale of the public lands during the 

 year has also greatly exceeded, 

 both in quantity and price, that 

 of any former year ; and there is 

 just reason to expect a progressive 

 improvement in that source of 



revenue. 



It is gratifying to know, that, 

 although the annual expenditure 

 has been increased by the act of 

 the last session of Congress, pro- 

 viding for revolutionary pensions, 

 to an amount about equal to the 

 proceeds of the internal duties, 

 which were then repealed, the 

 revenue for the ensuing year will 

 be proportionably augmented : 



[ N ] and 



