Copy of his Letter is herewith enclosed for your inspection, and for the use of all our Countrymen at Buenos Ayres. John M. Forbes, Esq. With great respect, &c. J. D. ELLIOTT. (P. and Q.) [Not Published.] (R. 1.) Commodore Biddle to the Secretary of the Navy. (Extract.) Rio Janeiro, 16th August, 1826. I ARRIVED here on the 11th instant, and, upon my arrival, I saluted the Flag of Brazil, and my salute, as had been previously arranged, was returned, gun for gun. I found the Cyane here, waiting my arrival. The Boston is cruizing, by order of Captain Elliott, off La Plata River, between Capes St. Mary and St. Antonio, for the purpose of giving information of the Blockade of the River to American Vessels. By two different opportunities, I have written to Captain Hoffman, directing him to join me here. It is not my intention however to remain here until Captain Hoffinan does join me; nor to permit him, in case he arrives soon after I sail, to remain here until I return. I shall probably go to Sea in about a fortnight; and, should I not previously see him, I shall leave orders for Captain Hoffman to cruize at Sea, and to meet me here about the middle of November next. No American Vessels have been sent in here by the Blockading Squadron, except the Brig Leonidas, belonging to Boston, and bound, when she was seized, from Canton to Buenos Ayres. She is detained, I understand, more from a suspicion that her Cargo is enemy's property, than for any intention to violate the Blockade, with which, in fact, it is impossible she could have been acquainted. The Hon. S. L. Southard, JAMES BIDDLE. (R. 2.) Commodore Biddle to the Secretary of the Navy. (Extract.) United States Frigate Macedonian, Rio Janeiro, 10th September, 1826. THE Boston Sloop of War arrived here on the 8th instant, from Monte Video, and I enclose Captain Hoffinan's Report to me. The presence of a publick Vessel of The United States in the River has a tendency, you perceive from Captain Hoffman's Report, to prevent American Vessels from being sent to this Port for adjudication. This is of itself important service; as the delay of obtaining the acquittal here, of the most innocent Vessel, is injurious and vexatious. I have, therefore, directed the Boston to sail, as soon as she is ready to sail, and return to the anchorage off Monte Video. I enclose a Copy of my Orders to Captain Hoffman; he is to meet me here in November, when he will require provisions, and which cannot be procured in the River. I shall sail to-morrow, and go to the North as far as Bahia. It was my intention to have sailed earlier; but when the crew of the Brig Ruth were sent on board this Ship, Mr. Raguet became responsible to this Government for their forthcoming; and, had I sailed before the taking of their depositions, it would have been necessary to send them to the Prison Ship for safe keeping. There was no publick object to I feel the utmost induce me to go to sea under such circumstances. repugnance to American Seamen being on board the Prison Ship; as well because they are there in the power of the Brazilian Officers, as because the Prison Ship is exceedingly crowded, filthy, and unhealthy. These Seamen are now on board the Boston, and, in a day or two, will certainly be examined. After their examination, it is no longer necessary that we should take care of them, and they will then be returned to the Vessel to which they belong. The Honourable S. L. Southard. JAMES BIDdle. (Enclosure 1.) Captain Hoffman to Commodore Biddle. (Extract.) United States' Ship Boston, Monte Video, 26th Aug. 1826. I HAVE just had the honour to receive your Letter of the 13th inst. by the English Packet, and lost no time in proceeding agreeable to your instructions. During my anchorage off Monte Video, there were three American Vessels captured by the Brazilian Squadron, all of which were released upon my interceding in their behalf, whose names are inserted below. There were several applications made to me by American Seamen, in the Brazilian Naval Service, requesting I would intercede in procuring their release, as they had been impressed. I made application for them through the American Consul, and obtained the release of three, with the assurance from the Admiral that he would not suffer an American Seaman to be detained in his Squadron, unless regularly entered for the service. Commodore Biddle. BEEKMAN V. HOFFMAN. (Enclosure 2.) Commodore Biddle to Captain Hoffman. (Extract.) As soon as the Seamen belonging to the American Brig Ruth are examined, and your Ship is ready to sail, be pleased to get under The presence of the Boston at Monte weigh, and proceed to sea. Video having already been advantageous, I wish you to return thither without delay. Do not go higher up the River than Monte Video; and in case there is any fighting there, you must be careful to move your Ship out of the way of it, in time to avoid injury. Should any American Vessel be seized, or any American Citizens impressed or abused, use all your endeavours to obtain redress. I re commend your cultivating acquaintance and good will with the Brazil Admiral; so far, at least, as his conduct towards our Countrymen will permit. Much may be effected in this way towards protecting American Citizens and American Property. Our Laws wisely and humanely consider Seamen as a peculiar class of Citizens, and requiring the particular care of the Government. I understand there are many American Seamen in the Brazil Squadron, some of whom have been impressed. If any case of impressment of American Seamen comes to your knowledge, use your influence to obtain their release, and provision them on board until you return to Rio Janeiro. If our Consul at Moute Video has any American Seamen whom he is supporting at the publick expense, receive them also on board as supernumeraries, and bring them out of the River. Receive on board, also, all American Seamen who may request you to do so. The scarcity of Seamen is sensibly felt within The United States, both in the publick and private service; and it is important that we should aid such as have been left abroad to return home. I wish you to leave the anchorage of Monte Video about the 1st day of November next, in order to meet me here, as I shall then want the Boston to accompany me to the River. The Cyane is to meet me here early in November, and it is my wish that all three go in company to the River. Captain B. V. Hoffman. JAMES BIDDLE. Captain Elliott to the Secretary of the Navy, respecting the proposed search of American Vessels for Deserters, by a French Naval Commander at Rio de Janeiro. United States' Ship Cyane, Rio de Janeiro, June 11th, 1826. UNTIL I could learn the ultimate decision on an affair which presented, on the 5th Instant, I have refrained from bringing to your notice an attempt which was on the eve of being made, in the examination of some of our merchant Vessels, by Commodore Frederic da Plantys, commanding His Most Christian Majesty the King of France's Frigate La Seine. Some part of his Crew had deserted previous to that date; and, on the 5th instant, whilst some of our merchant Vessels were about departing the Port, he sent one of his Lieutenants on board, with instructions to obtain my permission, to board and examine those Vessels, with others, for his men. I directed his Officer to reply that, under no circumstances whatever, could that permission be given, and trusted he possessed too great a sense of propriety, for one moment, to urge the measure; and, in the event of his doing so, I should resist every inch by force. I accordingly made the necessary preparation, and he abandoned the point. The Hon. S. L. Southard. J. D. ELLIOTT. REPORT of the Minister of Finance, on the Opening of the General Congress of Mexico.-3d January, 1827. (Translation.) (Extract.) THE state of our publick Revenue, with the augmentations it has received, will have shewn the fallacy of the predictions of various theoretical Financiers. I speak with proofs in my hand, the language which every publick Functionary should make use of when rendering an account to the Nation, represented in the general Congress. I shall pass in review the Revenues of the last 4 Years, since the months that immediately followed our glorious Emancipation do not deserve to be noticed, on account of the confusion and disorder which reigned in the Finance Department, the reform of which evils presented those serious difficulties, which were exposed by the first Minister of Finance, Don Rafael Perez Maldonado, on the opening of the Provisional Congress, and which his successor, D. Antonio Medina, undertook to remove so judiciously, in his Report of the Year 1823. On the 12th November, 1823, M. Arillage estimated the Receipts of 6 months of the Year at 3,525,410 dollars, which would give 7,050,821 dollars for 12 months. My Report, presented on the 4th January, 1825, proved, that the Revenue of 1824 amounted to 9,770,372 dollars. That which presented on the 13th January, 1826, shewed, that in the first 8 months of 1825 the Receipts were 9,720 071 dollars, and for the Year, 14,581,157 dollars. In the General Statement, which I now annex, the Receipts of 10 months ending 30th June 1826, are shewn to have been 13,848,257 dollars, and, adding one fifth, the total for 12 months would be 16,617,909 dollars. Deducting from these Receipts, such sums as do not arise from branches of the Revenue, for instance, temporary supplies to be reimbursed, and the monies drawn on account of the Foreign Loans,-and the following is the result: It will be immediately perceived that the produce of the Year 1825 was more than double that of 1823, and that in 1826 there was a further augmentation of nearly 1,000,000 dollars. It will always be a source of the highest satisfaction to me, to reflect, that during the period of my Administration and Direction of the Publick Revenue, so great and rapid an improvement should have been effected, as to banish all our former wants and penury, and to enable us to provide with ease for all our burthens, at the same time that we have dried up the tears of many unfortunate Individuals, to whom above 1,000,000 of dollars have been paid, for arrears of Salary due to them from the time of my Predecessors. I have also redeemed debts that formed items of receipt during former Years. In my former Reports for the Years 1825 and 1826, there will be found a history of the transactions of our Foreign Loans, and, for the due information of the Chambers, I have now the honour to present to them a General Statement, in which are distinctly pointed out the amount and employment of the two Loans; one of £3,200,000, or 16,000,000 dollars, contracted with the House of B. A. Goldschmidt, and the other of the same amount with that of Barclay, Herring, Richardson, and Co., of which there remains disposable, £15,234 7s. 9d. of the first, and £291,699 5s. 8d. of the second, forming together £306,933 13s. 5d., to which £157,334 4d. being added, for sundry items with which these Accounts ought properly to be charged, gives a total Balance from both Loans of £464,267 13s. 9d. and, at the exchange of 48 pence, is equal to 2,321,338 dollars. Statement of the Receipt and Expenditure from the 1st of S.ptember, 1825, to the 30th of June, 1826. Net Receipt: An Account of the Increase and Decrease of the Mexican Revenue, for |