Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-12-18
curing ,hem TO furnish the means of supper.

quiring them TO furnish the means Of supper.
ting our army-and he was directed to adop,
this policy, unless By doing so. there was dan
ger Of depriving the army OF necessarysupplies,
Copies of these dispatches were forwarded to
Gen. Taylor, for his government. -A
On the 3lst Of March last, caused an order
to be issued to our military and naval comman-
ders, to levy and collect a military contribution
upon all vessels and merchandise which nigh,
enter any OF the ports Of Mexico, in our mill
tary occupation, and 10 apply such contribution
towards defraying the expences Of the war
By virtue Of the right Of conquest, and the
laws Of war, the conqueror, consulting his own
safety or convenience. may either exclude for
eign commerce altogether from all such ports,
or permit il upon such terms and conditions as
he may prescribe. Before the principal ports
of Mexico were blockaded by our navy, the
revenue derived from import duties, under the
laws Of Mexico, we're paid into the Mexican
treasury. After those ports had fallen into our
military possession, the blockade was raised,
aud commerce with them permitted upon pre-
scribed terms and conditions. They we're open
ed 10 the trade Of all nations upon the payment:
of duties, more moderate in their amount than
those which had been previously levied by
Mexico, and the revenue, which was formerly
paid into the Mexican treasury, was directed to
be collected BY our military officeas and appli.
ed to the use Of the 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 mer>
chandze imported upon which the order opera
ted, must be consumed by Mexican ciszens, the
contributions were in effect the seizure Of the
public revenues Of Mexico and the application
Of them to our own use. In directing this meas
ure, the object was TO compel the enemy to con
; tribute, as far as practicable, towards the eX>
: penses Of the war.
For the amount of contributions, which have
been levied in this form, refer you TO The &C
companying reports Of the Secretary Of War
and the Secretary Of the Navy, by which it ap
: pears that a sum, exceeding half million oil
dollars, has been collected. This amount would
uudou bedly been much larger but for the dill
fculty ofkeoping open the communication be-
tween the coast and the interior, SO as 10 enable
the owners of the merchandise imported &c
transport and vend it to the inhabitants of the
country. 1t is confidently expected, that the
difficulty will, to great extent, be soon reno
. we'd by our Increased forces, which have been
u sent 10 the field.
( Measures have recently been adopted, by
e which internal, as well as external revenues
u in all places in our military possession, will OF
l. received and appropriated to the use Of our Rr'
4 my and navy. The policy of levying upon tn,
1 enemy contributions in every form, consistent
h ly with the laws Of nations, which it may be
. practicable for our military commanders t.
# adopt, should be rigidly enforced, and orders tt
Il this effsc! have accordingly been given. B,
such policy, at the same time, our own treas
e ury will be relieved from heavy drain. The
: Mexican people will be made to feel the bur
n dcns of the war, and consulting their own inter
}, ests, may be induced the more readily 10 re-
quire their rulers to a;cede to a just peace.
i After the adjournment Of the last session o
:. Congress, events transpired in the prosecution
: Of the war, which, in my judgement, required
4 greater number of troops in the field, thar
$ had been anticipated The strength Of the army
u. was accordingly increased, by accepting thu
r services Of all the volunteer forces authorized
r by the act of 18th May, 1916, without putting
J. construction on that act, the correctness o
. which was seriously questioned. The volun
d teer forces now in the field, with those which
: had been accepted 10 serve for IL months, ant
d were discharged at The end of their term Of ser
e vice, exhaust the $4,000 men authorized b,
d that act. Had it been clear that proper con
: struclion Of the act warranted the services o
} an additional number, they would have beer
e called and accepted, but us dol ols existed upor
J, this point, the power was not exercised.
o 1t is deemed important, that Congress shout:
r at an early period Of their session confer au
k thority to raise an additional regular force II
}, serve during the war with Mexlco and to b.
= discharged upon the conclusion and ratification
n Of treaty Of peace; and invite the attention
e Of Congress 10 the views presented by the Sec
|. rotary Of War, in his Report upon this subjec,
d recommend that authority be 6 iven by law t
:, call for and accept an additional number of vol
unteers, to be raised at such times, and to sue
IS an extent, as the emergency may require.
:. In prosecuting The war with Mexico, Will
u the utmost care has been taken TO avoid ever,
r, just cause of complaint on the part of neutra
e nations, and none has been given, liberal priv
n leges have been granted TO their commerce il
the ports OF the enemy in our military occupa
r, ton.
y The difficulty with the Brazilian Govern
" ment, which at one time threatened 10 Interrupt
II The friendly relations between the two coun
}, tries, will, trust, be speedily adjusted. hav
q received information that q minister extraord
l. nary and plenip otenliary has been appointed b
n his Imperial Mnjesl and 1t is hoped he will com
e prepared to adjusI all remaining differences be
u tween the two governments in a manner &C
: csp,able and honorable 10 both. Ia the mean
: time, have every reason to believe, that moth
!. ing will occur to interrupt our amicable rela
n tions with Brazil. 1t has been my constan
e effort to maintain and cultivate The most int
y mate relations Of friendship with all the indie
d pendent powers Of South America, and thi
l. policy has been attended with the happiest re
l. suits. 1t is true that the settlement and pay