and forwarded their goods directly to the purchasers. Wholesale business at the great commercial fairs between importers and the merchants of the interior gradually ceased, and was supplanted by retail system of trade, carried on by country store-keepers and dealers.[1] Foreigners, however, were excluded from engaging in this trade.[2] An approximate result only of the annual amount of internal commerce about the middle of this century can be arrived at; but Lerdo de Tejada, in his work entitled Cuadro Sinóptico, published in 1856, taking as his basis the produce of agriculture, industries, mines, and cattle, and the value in the interior of foreign merchandise, calculated that it exceeded $100,000,000 annually at the time he wrote.
In 1824 the tribunal del consulado, or commercial, was abolished,[3] the supreme government assuming certain powers. In 1841, mercantile tribunals were established by decree in all capitals of departments, and in those ports which were open to foreign trade. These courts were composed of a president and two colleagues,[4] and before them were tried all suits arising out of commercial transactions, their jurisdiction extending to cases of bankruptcy:[5] When fraud was detected, the case was to be handed over to the crim-
- ↑ Under this system, however, fairs became more numerous, and the privilege of holding them was granted to different towns all over the country. In the single year of 1855, five were established by decree, namely, those of Cholula in Puebla, of Santiago and Natividad in Tabasco, Mex., Legisl. Mej., 1855, 67-8, 212–13; and of Tulancingo and Ixtlahuaca in the federal district of Mexico. Mex., Col. de Ley. Ord., Ener.-Agost. 1855, viii. 17-18. The retail business transacted at some of these fairs was enormous, but especial mention must be made of that held at San Juan de los Lagos during the first 15 days of Dec., all goods being made free of state duties during the first 12 days. The retail trade carried on during this fair exceeded that at the capital. Soc. Mex. Geog., ii. 89-90.
- ↑ Bustamante, Voz de la Patria, ii. no. 7, 7; Cuba, Dos Años en Mex., 89-91.
- ↑ Mex., Mem. Sec. Estad., 51-2; Rivera, Hist. Jalapa, ii. 337. It had incurred a debt of $2,124,252, in constructing the road from Vera Cruz to Perote. This sum was paid by the dues derived from avería and peaje. Pap. Var., 186, no. 3, 17-20, 33-8.
- ↑ The offices of the president and the older colleague were annual. Six substitute judges were also annually elected. Dublan and Lozano, Ley. Mex., iv. 53-4.
- ↑ Copy of the bankruptcy law of 1833 is supplied in Id., vi. 338-53.
