Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-12-18

and export trade Of tbs enemy has been cut of
Well may the American people be proud oi 'hc
energy and gallaniry Of our regular and Volun
teer officer, and soldiers. The events of thesl
few months afford a gratifying proof that oul
coun,rv can. under any emergency, confidently
relv CO.. ,he maintenance Of her honor, and the
dofsnce oe her rights, on an effective force, rea.
DIV a, ali times Voluntarily to relinquish the COM
for,s of home for the perils and pryalions Of the
camp. And though such force may be for the
time expensive, il is in the end economical, as
the ability to command it removes the necessity
Of employing large standing army in time Of
peace and proves that our people love their insii-
tutions, and are ever ready TO defend and protect
them.
Whilst the war was in a course OF vigorous and
successful prosecution, being still anxious arrest
its evils, and considering that after the brilliant
victories ofour arms on the eight and ninth OF May
last, the national honor could not he compounded
by IT, another overture was made TO Mexico by my
direction, on the 27I Of July last, to terminate hos
tIiIiss by peace just and honorable to bOIh coun-
tries On the 3lsl of August following the Mexi.
can government decnen 10 accept this friendly
overture, but referred il TO the decision Of MexI-
can Congress, 10 be assembled in the early part ol
the present month. | communicate TO you, here
with, a copy OF the le Ter Of theSecretary Of Stie
p opo singre-open negoIiolons OF the answered. the
Mex can government and the reply thereto Of the
Secretary OF Site
The war will continue to he prosecuted vigor.
as the best means OF securing peace. lis hoped
Iha. the decision of the Mexican Congress, to
which our lest overture has been referred, m4y re-
sultin speedy Il honorable peace. With our expe-
Tience however, Of the unreasonable course OF the
Mexican authorizes, il is the part OF wisdom not to
relax in the energy of our military operations until
theresult is made known. In this view, it is DEEM
ed important to hold military possession of all the
provinces which have been taken, until defni We
treaty Of peace shall have been concluded and rati-
ed by the two countries.
The war has not been waged with view to con-
quest but having been commenced by Mexico, it
has been carried into the enemys country, and will
beVigorousy prosecuted there, with a view to obtain
an honorable peace and thereby secure ample in
demnity for the expenses of the war, we'll as to
our much-injured citizens, who hold large pecuniary
demands against Mexico.
By the laws ofnatons a conquered territory is sub
ject to be governened bv the conqueror during his
military possession and until there is either treaty OF
peace, or he havoluntarily wi thdraw from it.. The
old civil government being necessarily superseded,
1t is the right and duty of the conqueror to secure
his conquest and to provide for the maintenance Of
civil order and the rights of the inhabitants. This
right has been exercised and this duty performed, by
our military and naval commanders, by the estab-
lishment of temporary governments in some Of the
conquered provinces in Mexico, assmilating them as
far as practicable to the institutions of our
try. In the provinces of New Mexico, and of the
Callornas, little if any further resistance is appre
hended from the inhabitants Of the temporary gov
ernments which have thus from the necessity Of the
case and according to the laws of war, been estab-
lshed. 1t may be proper to provide for the securi-
ty Of these important conquests by making an ade-
quate appropriation for the purpose of erecting fort
hcations and deraying the expenses necessarily nci-
dent to the maintenance of our possession and author
ity over them.
Near the close Of your last session, for reasons
communicated to Congress, deemed it important
as ameasure for securing speedy peace with Mex
leo, that sum of money should be appropriated, and
placed in the power Of the Executive similar to that
which had been made upon two former OCCASIONS du-
ring the administrations ofPresident Jefferson.
On the a6th of February, 1903, appropriation Of
two millions of dollars was made, and placed at the
disposal of the President Its object is well known.
1t was at that time in contemplation to acquire Lou.
isiana from France, and it intended to be applied
as part of the consideration which might be pald
for that territory. On the 18th ofFebruary loO6'
the same sum was in like manner appropriated, with
view to the purchase of the Flordas from Spain
These appropriations were made to facilitate ncgot-
atoms, and means to enable the President to ac-
did not become necessary for the President to use
appropriations yet state of things might have aris-
en- in which It would have been highly important for
him to do so, and the wisdom Of making them cannot
be doubted. 1t is believed that the measure recon-
mended at your last session met with the appreciation
decided maorities in both houses of Congress. In
deed, in the different forms bill making an appro-
pration of two millions Of dollars passed each House,
and 1t is much to be regretted that it did not become
laNu H.. 81,
mend the measure at that time still exists; and
again submit the subject foryour consideration, and
suggest the Importance of early action upon it
Should the appropriation be made, and not be needed,
1t will remain in the treasury; should it be deemed
proper to apply it in whole or in part it will be ac-
counted for as other public expenditures.
Immediately after Congress hadrecognzed the ex-
istence Of the war with Mexico, my attention was
directed to the danger that prvateers might be fitted
out in the ports of Cuba and Porto Rico prey upon
the commerce of the United States and l invited
the special attention Of the Spanish government to
the fourteenth article of our treaty with that Power of
the twentieth Of October 1885, under which the cit-
zens and subjects of either nation who shall take
commissions or letters Of marque to act prvateers
against the other shall be punished as pirates
1t affords me pleasure to inform you that have
received assurances from the Spanish government
that this article of the treaty shall he faithfully OBJ
served on its part. Orders for this purpose were
Immediately transmitted from that government TO
the authorities of Cuba and Porto Rico to exert
their utmost vigilance in preventing any attempts
to fit on. privaleers in those islands against the U.
States, From the good faith Of Spain am fully
satisfied that this treaty will be executed in its
spirit as we'll as its letter: whilst the U. States
will on their part, faithfully perform oil the duties
which it imposes on them.
Information has been recently received at the
Department. Of State that tie Mexican governm MT
has sent TO Havana blank commissions to priva-
teers, and blank certificates OF naturalization sign
ed BY General Salas, the present head OF the Mex
lean government. There is also, a reason TO sp-
Prehend that similar documents have been trans
miIted 10 other parts ofthe world. Copies Of these
papers. In Translation. are here NIh trnnslniiteh-