The following table exhibits the condition of the public prisons of Mexico in 1826.

Inmates on the 31st Dec., 1825, 553
Entered in 1826.—For Homicides and their accomplices,151—4,750
"Robbery,"""1,090
"Rioting and bearing arms,2,011
"Incontinence (incontinencia,)543
"Various crimes,955
Total number of persons, 5,303

Of these there were

Released,4,155—4,628
Sentenced to death by garrotte,7
"to prison for terms,67
"to public works,159
"to house of correction,3
"to service of the prison,229
"chained at various places,8
Remaining on the 31st December, 1826, 675

Military Trials and Judgments in 1826.

Entered prison, to be judged by military tribunals, 462
Sentenced to punishment,8—362
"to prison,48
"to military service,5
"to public works,55
"to house of correction,6
Liberated,212
Escaped,12
Died2
Delivered to the ordinary tribunals,14
Remaining at end of 1826 100

A Mexican statistical bulletin, presents the following picture of the criminal condition of the federal district, for the 8 first months of the year 1836. During this period there were 255 arrests; 53 were immediately released and 202 remained in prison. These were divided as follows:

Homicide,5Counterfeiting money, 15
Wounding severely, 30Forgery of documents, 1
Robbery, 8Drunkenness, 17
Attempt to rob, 12Quarreling, 41
Suspected of robbery, 30Resistance of authority. 2
Rioting, 37
Incontinence, 4Total, 202
which would give for the whole twelve months,
at the same rate, 269 for the number retained.

In this statement, fifteen individuals are reported as being imprisoned for counterfeiting coin, yet it is notorious that, at this epoch, all Mexico was converted into a manufactory of false money, for the country was deluged with copper. It is boldly alleged that deputies, generals, and merchants, participated in this scandalous and bold speculation. Santa Anna, in order to check this national evil, decreed that counterfeiting should be considered a military crime, and the offenders made liable to the summary and severe trials which usually take place when soldiers are both judges and jurymen.