Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-04-23
THE ONE NAN POWER.

The people of the United States are becoming
passive under the abuse Of power incident 10 the
Executive Office. An American tariff has been
established for Mexicoby the sole will and author.
ity Of the President Of the United States. Con.
greSs was in session month before this deed was
done, and yet no more heed waspaid 70 Congress
than il there had been no such body. The Re-
preventative and State power of the Senate and
House Of Representatives sink into insignifcance
before the iron will Of the one man President
We have referred to this Mexican tariff before,
and shall have occasion to do so again, but at
present must content ourselves with the follow.
ing abstract, from the Boston Courier, Of the doc.
ument authorizing collection OF duties through
United States Army Officers, in Mexico:
Mr.. Walker, in document of considerable
length, recommends special system Of military
and financial operations, based upon the supposi.
lion that the whole coast Of the Mexican repub.
lie is now, or is shortly TO be, in our permanent
possession. This document is a very singular
one, and lies open to pretty sharp criticism on
many points. AT present we can only give a
short abstract Of it. The Secretary proposes
That Mr.. Polk should open the ports Of Mexi.
CO TO all the world.
That special tariff be drawn up for the Mexi.
can Custom House.
That the duties be specific, and not ad v1lorem,
as in the American tariff, because what is good
for us is not good for them. However, Mr.. Wal.
ker once discovered that what was good for far.
seed was not good for Iinseed.
Tha, the Mexican coasting trade be confined
to American vessels.
That tonnage duty Of dollar ton be sub.
stitutcd for the existing port charges in Mexico.
That the duties be levied in gold and silver
coin exclusively.
That all the custom-house officers be selected
from the army and navy.
Mr.. Walker has also been so obligng-al.
though no body has asked his opinion on this
poinl-as TO offer scheme Of his own for carry.
ing on the war. He informs the world in gene.
raj, and all philanlhropists in particular that "a
mild and forbearing system of warfare" will neV.
er do. Non-combatants, like Trincuo in the
play, are apt 10 shave bloody thoughts"
This enlightened fnancier and protector of
campaigns has discovered sure way to realise a
golden harvest Of cash out of his free trade. spe
ciaI tariff, military custom house system Of con.
quest and taxation. He sees only one small OBJ.
stacle in the way, namely, that we have not vet
got into the bowels Of the land. But a remedy
can be found, and we give it in his own words:
"ln order TO realize from this system the larg.
est amount of revenue, it would be necessary tba,
our army and navy should seize every important
port and place upon the Gulf of Mexico, or Cal.
ltornla, or the Pacific, and open the way through
the interior for the free transit of imports and
exports, and especially that the interior passage
through the Mexican lsthmus should be secured
from ocean to ocean, for the benefit of our com.
merce, and that of all the world"
Mr.. Walker deserves to be paid in specie for
this fine scheme. How easily the thing may be
done! Seize "euery port and place on the Paeif.
ic." We copy from the official organ, and The
language is literal.
All this grand project, quoth Mr.. Walker, de.
pends upon nothing less than the swapping of
Mr. Folks thumb, for according to the style of
this document, Congress is to have nothing to do
in the matter. The President takes it into his
own hands. His complaisantS Secretary tells him,
"You" unseal the ports of Mexico-"You" pre-.
sent TO all nations the spectacle-"You" manifest
good will, &C., &c. 1t is very clear that Mr..
Walker sees nobody on the stage but Mr.. Polk
and himself, and we must confess that by the gas
lights Of the Secretary'S WISDOM both these char.
aclers loom up very largely.