Page:Mexico as it was and as it is.djvu/391

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
310
MEXICO.


TRADE WITH MATAMORAS 1841.

The whole trade of 1841 was carried on in vessels from the United States:

Vessels 32 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tonnage 3,345

REPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES.

Specie - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $352,76607100
Hides - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 117,334
Wool - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15,943
Horses and mules - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 800
486,38407100

IMPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES

Countries
where
manufactured.
Silks. Wollens. Cottons. Linens. Ironware
and Ma-
chinery.
Paper. Jew-
elry.
Sundries. Total.
Germany $2,051 $40,947 $246 $43,244
England $1,040 $25,046 146,280 23,768 $3,291 3,140 203,195
Spain 8,060 8,060
U. States 25,640 15,120 66,140 106,900
France 2,340 4,148 31,480 270 $1,680 $452 5,334 52,301
Havana 6,597 13,245 13,245
Tot. Values $3,380 29,194 295,451 71,312 19,311 1,680 452 96,165 426,945


It may be well for us to take heed of the gradual decline of our commerce with Mexico, which has diminished to almost utter insignificance. I am not merchant enough to divine what are the commercial causes of this state of things; but I can readily imagine, that, in connection with the general difficulties of the country, our trade has been seriously affected by the part which our citizens have taken, or are alleged to have taken, in the insurrectionary movements of Texas. The rebellion in that province, the union of a portion of North Americans with its armies, and the sympathy of many others, expressed in a manner which I believe to be both unwise and illegal, have caused our people to be unpopular throughout the Republic, and have made the authorities averse to exhibiting that strict justice in our personal and commercial rights which should characterize the intercourse of friendly nations. Our citizens have been imprisoned in Mexico on frivolous pretences. Forced loans have been wrested from our merchants. Tribunals have been deaf to demands for restitution, and a mutual distrust has arisen, which has proved fatal in many instances to trade and intercourse. The effects of this will, however, be most strikingly exhibited in the following table, compiled chiefly from the reports of the Secretary of our National Treasury.

COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO.

For the year ending 30th September, 1823, the imports and exports to Mexico and South America generally, were as follows:

Imports - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $4,842,503
Exports - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3,229,343
1,613,160 balance in our favor.
Of these imports - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $1,950,416 were on specie and bullion.