again changed the form of government. Santa Anna had recovered his popularity with the army by the part he took in repelling the attacks of the French upon Vera Cruz; as soon as the blockade was established he repaired to the port and was placed in command of the troops. His presence and activity restored confidence to the garrison, and the enemy were driven back in their attempts to land. On one occasion while following the French in their retreat to their boats Santa Anna had his leg shattered by a cannon ball, an event that at once re-established his influence throughout the empire. The downfall of Bustamente was followed by the elevation of this daring chieftain. As was customary with him he proclaimed his entire submission to the will of the people and of the Congress, merely indicating his preference of a central government strong enough to maintain the peace of the country but upon Congress exhibiting too great a leaning toward free institutions, he dissolved that body and convened a junta of Notables, which framed the " Bases of political organization of the Mexican Republic." Strange notions they must have entertained of a Republican government! basis of this anomalous fabric is the creation of a president for the term of five years, with power to declare war and make peace, to fine those who disobeyed his orders, to visit the tribunals of justice, reform abuses therein, seeing that a due preference was given to causes which concerned the public weal.

The chief

The Bases of the new Government, as its provisions were properly called, for it bore no resemblance to a constitution, provided for a House of Representatives and Senate to be chosen by a privileged class of Electors, an Executive Council and perpetual Court Martial -the members of both these bodies to be appointed by the President. This despotic ruler was to be elected every fifth year by the departments which were represented by assemblies of not more than eleven nor less than seven members. He was re-eligible without restriction. On these bases stood Santa Anna, and for a longer period than was usual in that turbulent country administered the government with great firmness, would we could say with justice! The difficulties he had to contend against were numerous and formidable; among them were, first, a numerous army always inclined to mutiny, who together with a large band of rapacious civil officers had to be quieted and paid without a dollar being in the treasury, without the existence of any well-digested system of finance to replenish it; next his own corrupt nature and that of the favorites who surrounded him : and lastly the disaffection of a large body of the people who disliked, and distrusted, and dreaded him. The discontent broke out into open revolt in 1845, and Santa Anna was hurled from the elevation he had usurped by, as it appeared, one universal burst of popular indignation. He was abandoned by all his former adherents, hunted down and arrested by the peasantry, and confined by order of government in the castle of Perote. After some not very creditable passages between the Congress and the fallen chief, he was permitted to leave the country with his ill-gotten wealth, and now lives in retirement near Havana, consoling himself for his reverses, and diverting his leisure with gambling and cock-fighting.

He was succeeded by General Herrera, who was placed at the head

of the successful movement against him, and who continued to struggle with the difficulties of his station until the army, habituated to seek payment of their arrears, and to redress real or fancied grievances by overthrowing one government, setting up another, availing itself of the discontent of the people occasioned by the president's supposed disposition to renew the diplomatic intercourse with the United States, marched upon the capital under General Paredes, and effected another change of government, or rather of rulers-for it must be evident from all we have said that since the destruction of the constitution of 1824, Mexico has been subject to a military despotism. They are now at war with their powerful neighbor, and we shall soon see whether this external pressure will produce greater harmony in their domestic relations.*

Art. V. THE TOBACCO TRADE.t

PERHAPS there is no branch of trade that swells the teeming commerce of this city, so little appreciated as the Tobacco trade. Why this is so, it is difficult to understand; unless it be, that, as a production foreign to the State, it has not claimed from our lawgivers that attention which its growing importance would seem to demand. The great and rapid increase of the receipts of Tobacco, at this port, would be matter of surprise, were it not for the daily evidence we have, that the once wilds of the Mississippi valley are echoing with the sounds of civilization, and that the industry of man is drawing from its rich and exhaustless soil all that can minister to his comfort and luxury, and add to his wealth.

It is yet fresh in the memory of many, when almost the entire supplies of Tobacco were derived from Virginia and Maryland; but as civilization has extended west, receipts at this port have exceeded the production of those States. In the incipient stages of this trade, almost the entire receipts of New Orleans were from Kentucky, and a small portion from Tennessee. During that period, the receipts varied but little from 30,000 hhds. In the last few years its cultivation has greatly increased in Tennessee, and extended to other of the Western States, until we have at last an annual receipt in our city of 80,000 hhds. When, therefore, we reflect that this trade adds some $4,000,000, to the exports of New Orleans, and leaves over half a million of dollars to contribute to the wealth and support of

Mr. Poinsett has promised to follow up the subject of MEXICO in our Review in its other interesting particulars, and there is no one in the country whose acquaintance with the subject, from observation and study, would better qualify him for the task. We shall always welcome such a pen, and we are sure that our readers will be as much gratified as ourselves.-ED. COM. REV.

+ Tobacco, the Nicotiana Tabacum of botany (so called, it has been said, from Tobago, the place of its first export, and Nicot, who first made it known to the French), is of indigenous American growth, and was introduced into Europe early in the sixteenth century, and into England through Sir Walter Raleigh. The American Indians were accustomed to its use. James I. of England endeavored in vain to repress its consumption; Pope Urban VIII. issued a bull in 1624 against smoking in churches. The use of tobacco has now grown almost universal, and it furnishes an important staple of the commerce of the world.-EDITOR.

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its citizens, it becomes a matter of surprise that the laws regulating it should have received so little attention.

In the infancy of the trade, not only were the authorities of the State comparatively ignorant of the customs and usages in relation to it, but there were but few of the commercial men who were judges of the various qualities of tobacco. It was not, therefore, strange, that as this trade extended, many of the early regulations should be found to be injudicious. Under the first inspection law it was required that the inspector should classify the tobacco-placing it in four grades, according to its quality. The practical operation of this was, that each class soon came to have a specific price; and the inspector, therefore, by his classification, gave to the tobacco its value. In the early stages of the trade no great evils arose from this; but as receipts became larger, much greater care was used in making purchases; and the inspector, for the want of proper knowledge of various markets to which tobacco was exported, often committed errors in his classification. But the most fruitful source, under this system, from which fraud and injustice arose, was the regulation which permitted tobacco to be inspected without having the cask removed a consequence of which was, the impossibility of ascertaining the true tare.

To remedy this difficulty, an absolute proximate per centage had to be adopted. By law, this was fixed at 10 per cent, of the gross weight of the hogshead; but it was soon found that this was not enough; and by a conventional agreement of those interested in the trade, it was fixed at 12 per cent. As a general rule, this was found to be nearly correct; but in the absence of the means of detection, frauds soon began to be practised; for it was ascertained that the casks were often so constructed as to weigh from 300 to 400 pounds, thus subjecting the purchaser to a loss in weight of from 15 to 30 per cent. But this was a minor grievance compared to the frauds committed in the packing of tobacco: it being found that a hogshead would often contain one-third of the better, while the rest was of the inferior qualities. As the casks were not removed (a few staves only being broken so as to admit the sample), it was almost impossible for the inspector to discover any damage or detect any fraud; and, during the inspection, the various means which fraud so well understands were so judiciously applied, that the inspector was almost of necessity compelled to draw the samples from the good tobacco. The success of these practices was an indirect bounty to the dishonest, holding out to them the strongest incentive to fraudulent practices. For if, with false packing, the same price could be realized for a hogshead containing one-third of good and the rest of inferior qualities, as if all were good, many whose moral perceptions are not over acute would be encouraged to these frauds. How successful, and to what extent this method was adopted, the depressed tobacco trade too plainly indicated. Not only is the purchaser greatly injured, but the blighting influence of such frauds is severely felt by the planter; for, however successful here, they must necessarily be detected at the points of consumption. The merchant engaged in this trade becomes not only subjected to heavy pecuniary loss, but his judgment or integrity is liable to severe animadversion.

The purchaser, too, finding the commodity turn out so differently from the samples furnished him, either quits the market altogether, or, if he continues, his purchases leave a margin sufficient to cover the risk to be encountered. In either case the market feels the depressing influence by the loss of a customer, or by the additional charge on the staple. Thus prices are depressed, and the planter, in the vain hope of remedying the evil, endeavors by increased production to compensate for diminished price. His increased production gives rise to defective preparation for market, and the quality of the staple deteriorates. Thus springs up evil upon evil, until the character of the market is greatly affected.

To correct the evil, and place this branch of our commerce upon high and elevated ground, has often engaged the most serious consideration. Petition upon petition went up to the Legislature of the State unheeded. Discouraged by this neglect, and by the evils growing daily greater, threatening the entire destruction of the trade, the factors and buyers held consultations, and, by conventional agreements endeavored, in a measure, to effect a remedy. First, it was agreed that the casks should be stripped off from the tobacco, and the actual tare ascertained; secondly, that it should be inspected with the casks off; and thirdly, that it should be coopered under a screw. These conventional agreements wanting the sanction of law, were often carried out but partially, and sometimes entirely neglected. Hence, after all, there were so many frauds committed, or omissions, that purchaser after purchaser left the market for one more favored, until the tobacco trade at last was left at the mercy of a few buyers. The orders from points of consumption, instead of coming direct to us, now find their way too frequently here at second hand, diminishing thus the value of the staple by additional and circuitous transportation, and by the profits and commissions which such a trade engenders. The judicious planter, discovering this, forwards his tobacco to a port where it will not have to struggle against such disadvantages. Already is it that a considerable portion of the tobacco raised on the Ohio, finds its way, through various channels of internal improvement, to a market in the eastern cities.

Perils such as these to our commerce were not without their deep warning, and a petition to the legislature depicting the evil in strongest language, insured a response at last, which cannot but be a cause of congratulation to every friend of the city. A law has been passed, which elevates our inspection laws to equal rank with any in the United States.

This new statute, in its main features, resembles those of the eastern cities upon the same subject, and embodies most of the regulations which the experience of Virginia and Maryland have adopted.

The storage of tobacco is no longer a subject of electioneering, but is under the control of the inspectors, and placed in warehouses selected by them.

The inspectors have stated salaries, and hold their office for four years; and while their responsibility for all errors and mal-practices in office is retained in solido, they have a fixed location at the different warehouses; thus constituting them the keepers, as well as judges, of the tobacco. They cannot be directly or indirectly engaged in the

traffic of tobacco; and must give bond, with ample security, for their faithful discharge of duty.

In all of its provisions, the law is specially careful to fix the responsibility of the proper inspection and custody of the tobacco on the inspector, and to make his position so independent and separated, that he shall be removed from all motive to swerve from his duty.

The manner of inspection is similar to that practised in Virginia and Maryland-requiring the casks to be stripped from off the tobacco -the true tare to be ascertained—the tobacco to be broken in four places and a portion of the sample to be taken from each break-the sample to be sealed and marked with the initials of the inspector's name and after inspection, to be coopered under a screw or press. Thus in all its provisions, this law is careful that a true and correct sample shall be drawn, and that the tobacco corresponding to the sample and certificate shall be truly and properly delivered.

The tobacco being thus fairly brought into market, the neat and honest planter will reap the reward of his care and attention; his success will stimulate others, and there will be a rapid improvement in the quality of the staple received at this port. The purchaser, too, may enter the market without fear or misgivings, and pay such prices as his judgment may sanction, without receiving anything as an insurance against fraud. These causes operating together, will so elevate our market, that it will attract the attention of buyers--draw back that portion of our trade which is seeking, through new and artificial channels, another market-and make New Orleans what it should be, the tobacco mart of the world.

As the operation of the new law will most likely remove the embarrassments that have surrounded the tobacco trade, it becomes an interesting speculation to inquire what are likely to be its future prospects.

Upon a review, there is no fact that more forcibly presents itself than this-that the exports from the United States have not undergone any material variation for the last fifty years, except that which was incident to political movements and variations in season. By reference to the annexed tables, it will be seen that as early as 1790, there was exported 118,460 hogsheads, and that in 1840 the exports only reach 119,484 hogsheads:*

*The new Louisiana Tobacco Inspection law provides for the appointment, by the Governor and Senate, of len Inspectors, for four years, bond and surety in $10,000 each; Inspectors to be citizens of the United States, and of the State-to constitute a board, and have a common seal-and to provide warehouses in the city and in Lafayette. For tobacco, if stored two months, they shall receive for all charges whatever, by way of inspection, $2.50 per hhd.; and for re-inspection, etc., 75c. per hhd. If stored over two months, storage shall be 25c. per hhd. per month. Inspectors to be paid out of the fees equally, provided they do not receive each more than $4,000 per annum. The law to go into effect on the 1st of November, 1846. We shall publish it in full in our next num ber.-ED. COM. REVIEW.

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