Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1847-12-25

Mexican people, WeHTiGd with successive reV0lu-
tons, and deprived of protection for their persons
and property, might at length be inclined to yield
to foreign Influences, and to cast themselves into the
arms OF some European monarch Tor protection
from the anarchy and suffering which would ensue
This, for our own safety, and In pursuance of our
established policy, we should be compelled TO resist
We could never consent that Mexico should be
thus converted into a monarchy governed by a 70.
reign prince.
Mexico is our near neighbor, and her boundaries
are ~coterminous with our own, through the whole
extent across tho North American continent, from
ocean TO ocean. Both politically and commercially.
we have the deepestfnterestin her regeneration and
prosperity. indeed it is impossible that, with any
Just regard TO our own Eafety, we can ever become
Indifferent to her fate.
nit may be that the Mexican government and PEG.
pie have mi8Construed or misunderstood our for
bearance. and our objects, in desiring to conclude
an amiGablg adjustment Of the existing differences
between the two countries. They may have sup.
posed that We would submit 70 terms degrading to
the nation; or they may drawn false differences from
the supposed division OF opinion IN the United States
on the subject of The war, and may have calculated
to gain much by prntraGting IL; and, indeed. that we
might ultimately abandon II altogether, without in.
sisting on any indemnity, territorial or otherwise.
Whatever maybe the false impressiOns under which
they have Noted, the adoption md prosecution Of
the energetic policy proposed, must soon undeceiYe
them.
In the future prosecution Of the war, the enemy
must be made to feel its pressure more than they
have heretofore done. At its commencement, Ii
was deemed proper to conduct 1t in n spirit of for.
bearunce and 7liberalty. With this end in view,
early measures we're adopted TO c0nciiate, as far aH
n state of war would permit, the mass OF the pupu-
iation, to convince them THAT the war WINS waged
not against the peaceful inhabitants of Mexico, but
againet their ~faittleas government, which had com
menced hostilities; to remove from their minds the
faiseimpressiOus which their designing and interes.
ted rule1s have artfuly attempted to makes, that the
war on our part was one OF conquest; that 1t was a
war against their religion and their churches, which
were to be decorated and Dyefthroegn; and that
their rights OF person and private property would
be violated. 70 remove these false Impressions our
commanders IN thcfield were directed scrupulously
to respect their religion, their churches and their
church property, which were in no manner to be
violated; they were directed, also, to respect the
rights Of person aud property of all who should not
take up arms against up. II
Assurances to this effect were given to the Mext
cnn people by Major General Taylor. in d proclama.
ton issued in pursuance of instructions from the
Secretary Of War, in the month OF June, 1886, and
again by Major General Scott, who acted upon his
own convictions of the p~ropriotY of issuing il, in d
proclamation Of the eleventh Of May, 1877.
In this spirit of libcralfty and Cancellation. and
with a view to prevent the body of the Mexican
population from taking up arms against us, was the
war conducted on part. Provisions and other sup
plies furnished to our army by Mexican citizens
were paid for at fair and liberal prices agreed upon
by the parties. After the lapse of a few months il
became apparent that these ASSURANCES, and this
mild treatment, had failed to produce the desired
engCt npoD the mexican pUpulalOns WINE the war
had been conducted on our part. according to the
most humane and liberal principles observed by civ.
iliZed nations, 1t was waged in a far different spirit
on the part OF Mexico. Not approaching our for
bearanee, the MexiCHn people generally became
hostile to the United States and availed themselves
| ofevery opportunity TO commit the most savage exs
cesscs upon our troops. Large numbers Of the
populction took up arms, and, engaging in guerrilla
warfare. robbed and murdered, in the most cruel
menners individual soldiers. or small parties whom
accident or other Ganses had separated from the
main body Of orr army bands of guerrilleros and
robbers infested the roads, harrassed our trains,
and, whenever it was in their power, cut OIL our
supplies.
Gen. Taylor, on the 26th OF October, 1876, replied.
from Monterey, that it would have been impossible
hitherto, and is 80 now. to sustain the army to any
extent by forced contributions of money or sup.
plies" For the reasons assigned by him he did not
adopt the policy Of his Instructions, but declared his
readiness to do 80, Is should the army. in its future
operations, reach a portion of the country which may
be mrde to supply the troops &ith advantage" He
continued to pay for the articles 0 fsupply which
were drawn from the enetny's country.
The Mexicans having thus shown themselves to
be wholly incapable OF appreciating ouTtorbearance
and liberality, it was deemed proper to change the
manner of conducting the war, by makingt them feel
its pressure according to the usages observed under
similar circumstances, by all other civilized nations.
Accordingly, as early as the twenty. second Of
September, 1876, instructions were given by the Sc
cretary Of War to Major Gen. Taylor to draw sup.
plies for our army from the enemy without pay.
ing for them, and to require contributions for Its
support" if In that way he was satisfied he could
aget abundant supplies for his forces" In directing
the execution OF these instructions, much wasneces-
sarily left to the discretion of the commanding off.
Ger, who was bestacquainted with thecircurnstances
by which he w8B surrounded, the wants of the
arms, and the practicabihty of enforcing the mea.
sure.
Similar instructions were issued to Maiorfieneral
Scott on the third of April, l547, who replied, from
Jalapa, on the twentieth of May, 1s47, that, lift be
900 ~ al 81 aa,v4aHk sA.LIELr E4..AI
contributions levied upon the country, we may ruin
and exasperate the inhabitants, and starve our.
selves The same discretion was given to him
that had been given to Gen. Taylor in this respect.
Gen, Scott, for the reason assigned by him. also con-
tinued to pay for the articles of supply for the army
which Weredrawn from the enemy.
After the army had reached the heart Of tho
most wealthy portion of Mexico, it was sup
posed that the obstacles which had before that
time prevented it would not be such as to rem.
der impracticable the levy Of forced contribu-
tons for its support and on the first OF Sep
TENDER, and again on the sixth of October, 1847,
the order was repeated in dispatches addressed
by the Secretary of War to Gen. Scott, and his
attention was again called to the Importance Of
making the enemy bear the burdens Of the war
by requiring them to furnish the means of sup.
porting our army and be was directed to
adopt this policy, unless, by doing SO, there
was danger of depriving the army Of the neces-
shIy suppHIGss ~ IDpBS VI sEAbSD 8GE5phlEIpcB
forwarded to Gen. Taylor for his government.
On the 3Ist of March last, | caused an or
der to be issued 10 our military and naval com
manders to levy and collect q military contTi-
button upon all vessels and merchandise which
might enter any Of the ports Of Mexico in our
military occupation, and to apply such contri.
buttons towards defraying the expenses of the
wal. BY virtue ofthe right Of conquest and
the laws Of war, the conqueror, consulting his
own safety or convenience, may either exclude
foreign altogether from all such
ports, or permit it upon such terms and condi-
tons as he may prescribe. Before the princi-
pal ports of Mexico were blockaded by our
navy, the revenue derived from impost duties
under the law of Mexico, was paid into the
Mexican treasury. After these ports had fallen
into our military possession, the blockade was
raised, and with them permitted upon
prescribed terms and conditions. They were
opened to the trade Of all nations upon the pay
ment of duties more moderate in their amount
than those which had been previously levied
by Mexico and the revenue, which was for
merly paid into the Mexican treasury, was d.
rected 10 be collected by our military and ma
val officers, and applied to the use of our army
and navy. Care was taken that the officers,
soldiers, and sailors Of our army and navy
should be exempted from the operations of the
order; and as the merchandise imported upon
which the order operated must be consumed by
Mexican citizens, the contributions exacted
were, in effect, the seizure Of the public reye-
nues of Mexico, and the application of them to
our " use. In directing this measure, the
object was to compel the enemy to contribute,
as far as practicable, towards the expenses of
the war.
For the amount of contributions which have
heen levied in this form. refer YOU TO the ae-