Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-04-06


open beach directly on the ocean, and Gas in the
pari OF enemy-yet. only 5000 men were landed
The FIRST day, and 30 or 40 lives were lost BY ac.
cldenls or upse,ting OF boats; whereas, on The
| present OCCASION II, 600 men were landed in one
day, without, far IS we have heard, The slightest
accident or The loss Of a single life. The great
credit Of Ibis, Of course, belongs 10 the Navy, un-
der whose orders and arrangements, and BY whose
exerions il was effected, and reflects The highest
credit on Commodore Conner, and the gallant Of
hcers and seamen belonging TO his squadron
credit IS also justly due 10 the Department, Under
,et'se directions The needfuI arrangements were
made and means proUiel for carrying ntnto fleet.
We should be most happy 10 publish the long
editorial OF Inc Union upon the letter OF The Pre-
siden and The report OF the Secretary OF The Trea-
sury, Gin lo-day's Paper,l on the system OF mi
lilary contributions TO be levied in Mexico. The
Union ably and clearly demonstrates, that
"ll is recognised by The law OF nations, admit
ted by The distinguished commentators on that
law, and affirmed BY The highest Judicial authori-
lies OF his country ana .! the world; that, during
war, one teiligereni, in possession by conquest
Of any Of The ports or territory Of another, has
right 10 establish a temporary military govern
ment there, through The order of its executive, as
The ommandrI-in.chief OF the army and navy
and has also the right through the same authori-
~, 10 levy in such ports or places military conlTl-
buttons upon The enemy. This right is exer.
cised TO aid in defraying The expenses oil The
war, 10 augment onr own resources during the
contest, as also TO diminish and exhaust those Of
the enemy, so as to compel him 10 agree more
speedily 10 an honorable peace. Without this
right, also, we might never be able 10 conquer
peace, and its exercise is most appropriate al ms
time, when Mexico, unable 10 meet our gallant
forces in the field, now mainly relies on war
upon our treasury and finances, through lin
gering and expensive contest. II IS the Depart
ment OF The Treasury which Mexico expects 10
break down, and We shall see whether our finan-
ces are no, as impr.gnable as our armies. The
question now is. must The American people sub
nit 10 new and heavy loans and grievous taxa
ton, or shall we subject The enemy by every law
iul contribution during the war 10 those burdens
which Mexico insists upon imposing on US by
refusing 10 terminate The conesl} Under these
circumstances, she can have no Just cause oil
comp aint il we divert her revenues derived from
duties from her treasury, where They are used
against US. and collect those revenues ourselves,
as the hes, means Of bringing The contest to a
speedy and honorable conclusion"
Mr. Walker calculates on large addition TO
cur resources from these duties. This revenue
he also thinks will be greatly augmented BY the
occupation Of The ports on each side OF The Mex
lean isihmus, (Which is about one hundred and
thirty miles from sea to sea- and securing the
Tree transit across that slhmus for our commerce,
and that Of all The world.
"Al his islhmus the navgable walers OF The
two oceans approach within about sixty miles,
The intermediate distance being practicable Tor
canal or railroad. Whenever such work, al
some period, may be completed, il would bring
New Orleans within four days OF The Pacific, and
within two weeks Of California and Oresoni The
distance from New York would only be about one
week greater. and our whole commerce would be
brought within nearly thirty days OF Asia. This
important subject is thus alluded 70 IN the extract
which we quote from Mr.. Walkers last lreasu-
rs report OF the 10Th December last, IN which,
speaking Of the warehouse bill, he says: Our
chief commercial cities are already nearer than
those OF Europe, TO The centre Of he territory, COM
merce, and population OF The world, and are des
tined, al no distant day, 10 be brought still nearer,
when The waers Of The Atlantic and Pacific shall
be united al Inc Mexican isthmus. which. com
bined with our pus.cssions on the Pacific, would
reyolu,ionize in our favor The commerce OF The
.srL and more RAPIDLY adyance or aIsstnes
W hon Mr.. Walker wrote this sentence he could
scarcely have supposed that The great measure
should he ga near lis Accomplishment, as 10 De
ranked among the great achievements 10 be ac-
by Tie administration oil president
Polk"
This system Of collecting duties in The po'is OF
Mexico, as military contribution, seems 10
have mel with the concurrence Of all parties IN
The country. The National Intellgencer claims
il as having originated with Gen. Waddy Th1mp-
son hut the Union shows that, on the 5h NO
vember last orders werc sent BY Judge Mason
the Secretary ofihe Navy, directing The collection
Of duties on imports, al rate not exceeding Cur
present tariff, in such of The porls OF California
as might be in our possession by conquest. we
cannot doubt that this will be valuable and
wise measure, and emnenlly calculated 10 bene-
fit our our own finances, and weaken the resour-
res OF The enemy, as long as Mexico madly reiu-
ses 10 resume her peaceful relations, which we
have so often and so generously urged upon hef.
The Whie State Convention of Tennessee
have nominated Neil S. Brown as their candi-
da,e for Governor. The Democrats were 10 hoio
Convention on the Isl April, TO selecl their can
dida,c, who, we presume, will be Aaron V. Brown,
the present excellent and popular Governor.
We learn from the Times that The SOPHIA
ualker. with The remainder OF The Virginia Re-
eiment, consisting OF the companies under the
command of Captains Preston, Robinson and
ho