erty and on incomes exceeding three hundred pesos a year.[1] This measure had soon to be abandoned however, but the levy of ten per cent on urban property, established for one year, was continued, with application to convents and communities, save charitable institutions, and the reluctant merchants had to respond with more than half the sum of a fresh half-million loan. In the following year a compulsory lottery was introduced to extort annually a million and a half from the people at large. Further, a new copper coinage was issued to replace the immense variety of copper tokens, circulated from almost every large store under the name of tlacos and pilones,[2] and to remedy the growing scarcity of small silver money, such as half and quarter reals. At first the coin fell into discredit through the objections raised by merchants, but the issue being restricted to prudent limits and its proportion in payments being regulated a decided benefit was experienced.[3]
Another cause for the exodus of Spaniards was the
- ↑ This had been proposed in 1813 and abandoned; nevertheless a board was created soon after to apply it, only to abandon the project for the six per cent excise. Calleja applied it however, by decree of October 14th, on the birthday of the king! under the name of 'subvencion general de guerra.' The board consisted of three members, one a churchman, with sub-boards composed of citizens, before whom statements of property and income were presented. The deduction had to begin Jan. 1, 1815, also on official salaries. Decree with rules in Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., v. 697-701.
- ↑ The former being the term for an eighth of a real, the other, meaning piles, being evidently an ironic expression. Each store had its own stamp, which was also placed on pieces of wood and soap.
- ↑ Official salaries after Sept. were paid one third in this coin, by decree of Aug. 23d. Another of Dec. 20th introduced the improved rules. See Gaz. de Mex., 1814, v. 1394-8; Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., vi. 1048-9; Diarlo Debates, cong. 10, ii. 530-3. The insurgents at first availed themselves of this by filling Oajaca and other districts with copper coin, but soon the circulation was strictly forbidden. For further observations on the condition and the measures, see Córtes, Diario, i. pt xii. 105, etc.; Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., v. 724, 744-7, etc.; the representation of Abad y Queipo, Informe, and of Bodega, Repres., 1-12; Córtes, Act. Ord., 1814, ii. 260. The urban tax was at first equally divided between tenant and owner, later the owner had to pay 8 per cent. The prosperous and peaceful northern provinces now came more prominently forward with voluntary contributions, such as horses. Instances in Gaz. de Mex., 1814, v. 43-4, 395 et seq., 1360. The lottery scheme announced in Id., 1815, December numbers, embraced two drawings annually, one for Mexico, the other for the provinces which took two thirds of the tickets. A whole ticket cost $100. Half of the million and a half was returned in prizes.
