Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-04-06
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
..a from the secretary Of the Treasury

e.. Your instructions OF the 23d inst. have
,,.o received by this department, and in conior-
~ thereto. present you herewith, for your
W. liberation, a scale OF duties proposed 10 be
os,lscel as a military contribution during the
Wv In the ports OF Mexico, In possession OF our
WAY or navy by conquest, with regulations for
..scer,ainment and collection of such duties,
.a.s,h.r with the reasons which appear to me to
Commend their adoption.
!. ;s clear that we must either adopt our own
..,J or that of Mexico, or establish new sys-
a.', >, an,es. Our own tariff could not be
..,n,ed because the Mexican exports and i'm
.oas are so different from our own, tnat alHerent
ls.s OF duties are indispensable IN order 10 col
-, the largest revenue. Thus, upon many ar
,;s,ss produced in great abundance here, duties
Nus. be imposed al the lowest rate IN order 10
",Isc, any revenue; whereas, many OF the same
articles are not produced IN MeIico, OF 10 very
:aa.ansderable extent, and would therefore bear
'ss,s ! much higher duty for revenue. A great
.s.noe is also rendered necessary by the pro-
.oss5 eyac,ion of duties on all imports 10 any
Tsr;can nor, in our possession, from any other
Wsr;can port occupied by US in the same man.
-, This measure would largely increase the
~rsnne which we might collect. Il is recon-
msndrd however, for reasons OF obvious safety,
,s,, his Mexican coastwise trade should be con-
s,sd 10 our own vessels, as well as The interior
.,,ie above any port OF entry in our possession,
~, ba, in all other respects, the ports uf Mexico
.sM BY us should be freely opened at the rate OF
s,,ss herein recommended 10 the vessels and
.ommerce of all the world. The ad valorem
.rsrem Of duties adopted by US, although by far
ne most Just and equitable, yet requires an ap.
,rai,emert 10 ascertain The actual value OF every
,ricle. This demands great mercantile skill,
knowledge and experience and therefore, for the
want OF skilul appraisers-a class OF officers
Wholly unknown in Mexico-could not at once
se pu: into successful operation there. IT, also,
As proposed these duties are 10 be ascertained
and collected as military contribution through
ne officers OF our army and navy, those brave
men could more easily perform almost any other
us Than that OF estimating The value OF every
sseriplion OF goods, wares and merchandise.
The system Of specific duties already prevails
In Mexico, and may be put by US into immedi
e operation; and il, as is conceded, specific du-
;.s shou,d be more burdensome upon the people
4, MEXICO the more onerous the operation of these
En,ies upon them, the sooner is ii likely that they
iii force their military rulers 10 agree TO peace.
\, i certain tina, a mild and forbearing system
4 warfare. collecting no duties in their ports in
ar nossession on the Gull, and levying no con-
-;hnlions whilst our armies purchase supplies
trom them at high prices, by rendering the war
benefit 10 the people OF Mexico rather than an iE-
nry has not fastened the conclusion OF peace.
h, NAV be, however, that specific duties, onerous
d lbey are, and heavy contributions, accompani-
J. iva vigorous prosecution OF the war, may
more speedily insure that peace which We have
allied 10 obtain from magnanimous forbearance,
nom brilliant victories, or from proffered negota-
ion. The duties, however, whilst they may be
ensrhc and therefore more onerous than ad va
r,m duties, should not be SO high as 10 defeat
r.ysnue.
his impossible to adopt as basis the tariff Of
Mexico, because the duties are exravagantly high,
isleang importation, commerce, and revenue,
sni producing innumerable frauds and snug
ping. There are also sixty articles, the impor-
1on c; which into Mexico is strictly prohibit
\, BY their tariff, embracing most Of the neces-
aries OF lie, and far the greater portion oil our
e,oiuce and fabrics.
Among the sixty prohibited articles are sugar,
ice. cotton. boots, and half boots, coffee, nails of
Kinds leather oil most kinds, -four, cotton, yam
M, thread, soap OF all kinds, common earthen-
ware lard molasses, timber of all kinds, saddles
all Kinds, coarse wcollen cloth, cloths Tor
koaks ready made-clohing of all kinds, salt,
obacco Of all kinds cotton goods or textures,
khiedy such as are made by ourselves, pork, fresh
s. lied, smoked or corned, woolien or cotton
,nie,s or coun,erpanes shoes and slippers,
al, and grain of all kinds. Such is list OF
u part of the articles whose importation is
eohibiled by the Mexican Tariff These prohi-
j'ioas should mol be permitted 10 continue, be-
ask they exclude most Of our products and ia
frs. AM s.essnt ihs collection OF revenue.
We urn from the prohibitions 10 Inc actual du-
>. imposed by Mexico. The duties are specific
noushout. and almost universally by weight,
Irrespective Of value, are generally protective or
1orbant. ard without any discrimination for
.yenue. The duties proposed to The substituted
re moderate when compared with those imposed
" Mexico. eing generally reduced to standard
more than one-half below the Mexican duties
rhe duties are also based upon discrimination
suuehou,, for revenue, and, keeping in view the
utoms and habits of The people OF Mexico, so
aeren, from our own, are fixed in each case at
aa rate, which, il is believed will produceiin the
Mexican ports the largest amount oil revenue.
In order 10 realize from this system the largest
moun, OF revenue, il would be necessary thai
a army and navy should seize every impor'
bat port and place upon the Gull oil Mexico, OF
,aiiornia or the Pacific, and open the way
h-oueb the interior for the free transit OF imports
Ind exports. and especially tina, the interior pas
age through the Mexican is,hmus should be Sc
red from ocean TO ocean, for the benefit OF our
Commerce. and that of all The world This mea-
re, whilst il would greatly increase our reve.
ne from these duties, and facilitate communica,
20 between our forces upon the eastern and
ss,ern coast of Mexico, would probably lead,
Inc conclusion OF peace, to results OF meal
kuIabe importance TO our own commerce and 10
ia, Of all the world.
IN the mean time The Mexican Government
honopoly in tobacco, from which considerable
:senue is realized by Mexico, together with the
.nllure there which yields that revenue, should
x abolished, so as 10 diminish The resources ol
ha Government and augment our own, by COL
scling The duly upon all The imported tobacco
The Mexican interior transit duties should also
be abolished, and their internal government duty
On coin and bullion. The prohibition OF exports
add duties upon exports should be annuiled, and
especially the heavy export duty on coin and
bullion, so as TO cheaper and facilitate the pur-
chase Of imports, and permit the precious metals
aolaxed 10 aow out freely from Mexico into se-
neral circulation Quicksilver and machinery
ot working the mines Of precious metals in
Mexico, for the same reasons, should also be ad-
nl,ei duty free; which, with the measures above
a!ica,ed, would largely increase the production
and circulation oil The precious metals, improve
oii own commerce and industry, and that oil all
Neutral powers.
In thus opening the ports of Mexico 10 the CON-
MERGE Of the world, you would present to all na-
ions with whom we are at peace The bes! evidence
o. -FOUR desire 10 maintain with them our friend
I relations, to render the war to them productive
o. as liie injury as possible, and evento advance
asif interests so far as ii safely can be DONE by
s1ordiug to them in common with ourselves, the
stvantages OF liberal commerce with Mexico.
10 extend this commerce you will have unsealed
De ports OF Mexico, repealed their interior tram
VI duties which obstrucl The passage OF merchan-
Use 10 and from The coast: YOU will have annull
q The government, duty on coin and bullion, and
abolished The heavy export duties on the precious
metals, SO as TO permit them 10 flow out freely for
ne benefit OF mankind you will have expunged
as 'ong list of their prohibited articles and redu
70 aoIe than one-half their duties on imports,
allss The iieest scope would be left for the mi
ing oil The precious metals. These are great adj
dn'ases which would be secured TO friendly ma
IONS, especially when compared with the exclu-
hon Of their commerce by rigorous blockades.-
Is une, The duties collected from these imports
would be for The benefit of our own government;
wy IS equally true, that the expenses OF the war
sach Mexiconsiss upon prosecuting, are borne
'clus'vely by ourselves and not by foreign ma
IL -. ~ Ill 4