The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-12-11

AM
Mexican population from taking up arms
"aoinst us, was the war conducted on our
"st Provisions and other supplies fur
pp;shed TO our army 10y Mexican citizens were
mid for at fair and liberal prices agreed upon
bv the parties. After the lapse of few
months, it became apparent that these assur-
noes. and this mild treatment, had failed to
nrod,Ice the desired effect upon the Mexican
ponuoton, While the war had been con-
jYctcd on our pnrt according to tho most hui
noonc and liberal principles observed by civ
!i;,od nations, it was waged in far different |
"nirit on the bart of Mexico. Not apprecia-
,nr our forbearancc, the Mexican people gen.
orollv became hostile 10 the United States,
and 1yailed themselves of every opportunity
10 commit the most savage excuses upon our
,roons. Large numbers of the population
took up arms, and, engagingin guerrilla war
Gre. robbed and murdered in the most cruel
manner individual soldiers, or small parties
whom accident or other causes had separated
f,om the main body Of our army; bands of
uerrjIIeos and robbers infested the roads,
Iorrassed our trains, and whenever it was i'll
their power, cut off our supplies.
The McXicaus having thus shown them
selves to be wholly incapable of approaching
our forbearance and liberality, it was deemed
proper to change tho manner of conducting
Ghe war, by making them feel its pressure ac-
cording to the usages observed under simIur
circumstances by all other civilized nations.
Accordingly, as early as the twenty-second
,OfSeptember, lS46, instructions were given
6y the Secretary ofWar to Maj. Gen. Taylor
TO 'sdraw supplies" for our army 'trom the
enemy, without paying for them, and to re-
,1uire contributions for its support" lin that
way he was satisliedhe could "gct ample sup
niles for his forces" In directing the eNccu-
ion of these instructions, much was nccessa-
sariiy left 20 the discretion Of the command
ing officer, Wko,wos best acquainted with the
circumstances by which he was surrounded,
the wants of the army, and the praeticabiIity
of enforcing the measure.
Gen. Taylor, on the twonty-siXth of Octo-
ber 1916, replied from Monterey. that ait
would have been possible hithcrto,and is now,
to sustain the army to any extent by forced
contributions of money or supplies" For the
reasons assigned by him, he did not adopt
the policyof his instructions, but declared his
readiness to do so, "should the army, in its
future operations, reach portion ofthc coun-
try which may he made 10 supply the troops
with advantage" He continued to pay for
the articles ofsupply which were drawn from
the enemys country.
Similar instructions were issued TO Major
General Scott on the third of April, 1877.
who replied from Jalapa,on the twentieth of
MAY, 1S47, that, fit he expected that "the
tons levied upon the country, we may ruin
and exasperate the inhabitants, ana starve
ourselves" The same discretion was given
to him that had been for Gen. Taylor in this
respect Gen Scott, for the reasons assigned
by him, also continued TO pay for the articles
of supply for the army Which were drawn
from the enemy.
After the army had reached the most veal
thy portion of Mexico, it was supposed that
the obstacles which had before that time pre-
vented it would not he such as to render inn
practicable the levy of forced contributions
Tor its supportand OH the first of September,
and again on the sixth of October, 1917. the
order was repeated in dispatches addressed
by the Secretary of War to Gen Scott, and
his attention was again called to the impor'
lance of making the enemy bear the burdens
ofthe war by requiring them to furnish the
means of supporting our army; and he was
directed to adopt this policy,unless, by doing
othere was danger ofdeprving the army of
the necessary supplies. Copies ofthese des-
patches were forwarded to Gen Taylor for his
government.
On the thirty-first of March last, caused
an order to he issued 10 oar military and ma
val commanders to levy and collect military
contribution upon all vessels and merchan-
disc which might enter any the ports of
Mexico in our military occupation, and to APP
ply such contributions towards detraying the
expenses Of the war. BY virtue of the right
ofcon1uest and the laws of wharf.-the conquer
or, consulting his own safety or convenience,
may either exclude foreign commerce alto
gether from all such ports, or permit it upon
such terms and conditions as he may pre-
scribe. Before the principal ports of Mexico
were bIockaded by our navy, the revenue de
rived from impost duties, under the laws of
Mexico, was paid into the Mexican treasury.
After those ports had fallen into our military
possession, the blockade was raised, and our
commerce with them permitted upon pre-
scribed terms and conditions.
They were opened to the trade of all ma
tons upon the payment of duties more mod
.-erate in their amount that those which had
been previously levied by Mexico; and the
revenue, which was formerly paid into the
Mexican treasury, was directed to be collec-
ted by our military and naval officers, and
supplied 10 the use of our army and navy
Care WINS taken that the officers and, soldiers,
Z 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 rev.
enues ofMexico, and the application of them
to our own use. In directing this measure,
the object was to compel the enemy to cou-
tribute, as far as practicable, towards the eX-
penses of the war.
For the amount ofcontributons which have
been levied in this form, refer you to the
accompanying reports of the Secretary of
War and of the Secretary of the Navy, by
which it appears that sum exceeding half a
million of dollars has been collected.
The amount would undoubtedly have been
much larger, but for the difficulty ofkeepng