MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



537 



A senate, to constitute the most 

 permanent body, and a house of 

 representatives, whose term of 

 service shall be of shorter dura- 

 tion. 



Perhaps it would be better for 

 them to delay the completion of 

 this all important task, after the 

 example of the United States, 

 until a period of peace. Their 

 present provisional statute is an 

 improvement on those which pre- 

 ceded it ; and we may expect 

 their proposed constitution will 

 be still more perfect, as they ad- 

 vance in the knowledge of those 

 principles on which republican 

 governments are constituted. 



But, however free in theory 

 this provisional statute may be, 

 it is undoubtedly true that, unless 

 administered agreeably to its let- 

 ter and spirit, it will not afford 

 security to the citizen. Whether 

 any infractions have occurred 

 since the date of its existence, I 

 cannot pretend to determine, not 

 being in full possession of the 

 facts. 



When we recollect that they 

 have the benefit of our example, 

 it may reasonably be expected 

 that they will, in general, adhere 

 to the constitution. They have 

 also the fatal result of the French 

 Revolution, vv^arning them of the 

 dangers of its excesses, of which 

 they appear to be sensible. 



Of the productions and the 

 manufactures of the different 

 provinces, I was unable to pro- 

 cure any satisfactory estimates of 

 the probable value or amount in 

 each province. There is, how- 

 ever, a considerable internal trade 

 carried on in the interchange of 

 various articles between tlic se- 

 veral provinces; cattle, horses, 



and mules, furnish a considerable 

 source of barter: with the latter, 

 Peru is usually supplied ; the 

 Paraguay tea is a great article of 

 trade throughout the country. 

 The brandy, wine, raisins, and 

 figs, of Mendbza and San Juan, 

 are becommg important ; the 

 hides of oxen, the skins of the 

 vicuna and guanaco, with a num- 

 ber of fine furs, afford valuable 

 articles of exchange. These, with 

 the foreign goods transported in 

 every direction from Buenos 

 Ayres, very readily, by oxen and 

 mules, which also furnish the 

 means of carrying their native 

 productions to their sea-ports, 

 form a branch of trade of great 

 magnitude, considering the popu- 

 lation of the countrj'. 



Their exports are calculated, 

 with some degree of accuracy, at 

 ten millions of dollars. These 

 consist principally of ox-hides, 

 jerk-beef, and tallow, the present 

 great staples of the country. A 

 variety of furs and peltries, some 

 grain, copper, mostly brought 

 from Chili, with gold and silver, 

 in bullion and coin, chiefly from 

 the mines of Potosi. 



The imports are computed to 

 be about equal to their exports. 

 British manufactures form the 

 principal mass, and they are to 

 be had in great abundance. They 

 consist of woollen and cotton 

 goods of every description; some 

 of them wrought to imitate the 

 manufactures of the country ; 

 ironmongery, cutlery, hardware, 

 saddlery, hats, porter, ale, and 

 cheese, are among the remaining 

 articles. 



From the United States they 

 receive lumber of all kinds, and 

 furniture of every description ; 



coaches 



