The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-08-09

government powerless IN the presence ana on The soil
a foreign foe
We do not deem necessary to enter again into an,
elaborate vindication of the measures adopted by ou
government to levy, by military authority, military Con
trbutions in the Mexican ports. The principles upon
which these have been taken have been as ".
have before shown repeatedly and fully sanctioned N
tier application against ourselves, by our own Supem,
Court, The Intelgencer deny them, and does deny
them only upon the express assumption that govern
ment has no military rights whatsoever against Mexico
Such an idea is pueriy entirely unworthy Of reiuia.
ton.
But the article before us has piece of special pca
ing upon this point which is, TO say the least OF IL Gu
rious enough to deserve citation. II is as follows:
Claws imply the right of resort to tribunals their al
mnisation carries with the privilege for those whom
il applies ofseeking a remedy by suit. Where the re.
lief to be found for any wrongful administration Of III.
Presidents enactments in Mexico, commercial or crnnal
There is court to to there's and oW courts cannO
think OF holding that they have any jurisdiction beyond The
limits OF the Union Suppose the Executives collector t
the port of Vera Cruz to have received in his office NIL.
lion of dollars Mr. Folks daies, and then to back
the United States walk into the treasury, report S
rotary Walker the amount of money he holds aud coolr
inform him that he intends 10 keep hem What process
does MIR. Secretary ksow, what law can Mr.. Auouey
General find in his books for extracting Mr.. Folks million
from master Collector VIVA. writ Will they serve upo
him BY what marshal or deputy viii they serve III III
what will they make il returnabc But, pehapl
they have had the precauon take large bonds OF arI
Collector Alas where shall he be sued upon them Cd
how could there be any recovery for delinquency in obi
cations which our laws know nothing of :"
Now when il is remembered that the collector here
spoken of is in strctness, military agent OF gov
eminent, acting under military order issued by q
through the commander of our forces at Vera Cruz, wei
apprehend that neither of the persons learned in the law
whose opinion the Intelligencer challenges upon ihd
point, would need any long careful study Of their
books" in order to find remedy against him for su
malversation in his Office as the Ineligencer pleased
to imagine We apprehend that that body OF legislaO
known as the "Rules and Articles of War would n
found quite sufficient to cover the whole case. II |
new doctrine that msdemeanor in the discharge OF a mill
tary function must needs go UNPUBLISHED.
And yet the Intelligencer may fairly claim the merit
giving a for its proposition, little more absu(
even than its proposition itself Here is the federal dol
trne of military contributions, and of the responsible
of the federal commander in accounting for them vi
commend it readers, choice specimen Of fede
capacity to take charge Of the public money!
''Ciau Goth, however, and Conqueror Corsa ii
only the commander in the field or the who
his his crew. take Contributions Ihey belong
the soldier or sailor, in place of booty prize mone
Property, therefore, if they be put into the mila
chest the commander gtpes cat account of them likes him
Such is the federal notion of the responsibility Of
military commander in the field! He is to "give wh l
account he likes" OF the moneys received into his emil
tary chest" Fortunately for the country, the
the party now in power hold different doctrine as nj
the accountability of their military agents
In conclusion, we put it to the Integcncer TO 50
what good purpose it thinks to subserve by thus ho
up its government as incapable of efficient measure
OF self-deence seproecton against its enemy It'd
field To what end is it that the federal journal vomt
tarily seeks and covets the olum and the disgrace
such doctrine Is it blinded by faction pers
in these its mad attempts to stab the administrator
through its country's power and renown Does it hop
TO make its party popular by proclamng to be the pal
ty OF national weakness, and mbecility, and submission
Or if it disclaim to speak for its party in this matte
does it seek for itself the disgraceu distinction OF stand
ing forth in its character metropolitan journal,
proclaim the weakness and the shame of its gover
ment This is matter for the Intellgencer to settle
itself. But the people will assuredy see to it, that "
men who adopt such opinions, act in such splrl
shall not take into their keeping the power, and the homo
| and the rights of the people N
The federal press rebukes for our requiring to knob
I !