The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-04-01
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
THURSDAY NIGHT, APRIL 1, Is47.



Letter OF the Prssident.-Report tho Secretary o
tho Treasury.
We are glad to see the system of military contri
buttons proposed to be levied by the President il
Mexico approved in advance by the National Inelgen
Ger of this morning 1t always gives pleasure wher
the able editors of that paper array themselves thu
American side Of any question, and would rejoice still
more, we should never again have occasion 10 dissent
from their views, regards the existing with Mex
ico They Mistaken however, in supposng that the
system OF collecting duties in the ports of Mexico as
a military contribution originated with their dishn-
guished whig correspondent, Gen. Waddy Ihomp-
son, late minister to Mexico Long prior to that publca
ton reference to the files of the Union OF the 22d OF
December last and among the papers laid before Con-
gress by the President, at the very commencement OF
the last session, will be found able despatch
Of Judge Mason Secretary of the Navy, directing the
collection of duties on imports at rate not exceeding
our present tariff in such of the ports of California,
might be in our possession by conquest Indeed mme-
diately after the commencement OF the war, the mpos
ton OF duties in the ports OF Mexico, was well consd-
cred by the President and his cabinet and approved if
Mexico should determine to protract the contest Orders
to collect these duties in California actually trans
mitted as we have shown early the 5th OF Novem-
Der last which orders have probably reached their des
nation before this date. In Tampco and Matamoros.
however so much nearer to the capital of Mexico and
where the would be calculated to produce deep
feeling was delayed in hope that the contest might be
terminated by peaceful negotiation. This however, has
been again and again tried by the President, but
without success, and even since the adjournment
of Congress, we have received, what must be
regarded at least for the present, the obstinate
refusal OF Mexico to negotiate for peace Upon the re-
cept of this intelligence, the President, with the unan
nous sanction Of his cabinet resolved to put into mme
date operation the system OF duties proposed as
the best of levying military contributions in Mex
CO. The right thus partially exercised in California,
having been laid before Congress at the
of the last session, and having encountered no opposition
there throughout the country may well be regarded
unanimously approved.
Peace has its laws well war; but the stern and
iron rules of the latter ordained by ordinary legs
atve enactments, but are to be found in the unwren
code of the law Of nations 1t is this law applying to
army and navy, which regulates military rights as
well as those Of all other belgerens, and among these
is the unquestioned and unquestionabe right Of levy
ing military contributions upon the enemy.
This right is now exercised by Mexico against us,
both as to public and private property, and must
possess this right in conflict even with the weakest
enemy, does not belong to us if summoned to bat
tie against the greatest allied powers of the world To
surrender this right, would strip OF one OF the vital
attributes of sovereign power, would place upon an
unequal footing with every belligeren would impair the
welfare and interest of the country might sacrifice the
lives of our heroic defenders, might turn victories
into defeats and even endanger the safety OF the republic
Without this right, also, might be able to
quer peace, and its exercise is most appropriate at this
tme when Mexico, unable meet gallant forces
the field now mainly relies upon treas ury
and finances through lingering and expensive ntest
It is the Department of the Treasury which Mexico ex-
poets to break down, and shall see whether our
finances are not as impregnabe as our armies.
II is recognised by the law of nators, admitted by
the distinguished commentators on that }aw and affirmed
by the highest judicial authorities OF This country and of
the world that, during war, bellgerent in pos
session by conquest of any of the ports territory OF
another, has right to establish temporary military
there through the order of its executive
the commander of the army and navy, and has
also the right, through the same authority, to levy in
such ports places military contributions upon the en-
emy. This right is exercised to aid in defrayng the
expenses of the war, to augment our own resour-
ces during the contest, also to diminish and
exhaust those of the enemy, to compel him
to agree more speedily to an honorable peace. This
right presupposes that the nation making the con-
quest and evying the contributions, relies upon the JUS
ce OF her cause responsible for her acts to the God Of
battles and to the enlightened judgment of the civilized
nations of the word For nearly the fourth of century
Mexico has inflicted upon country series Of wrongs
outrages and insults unparalleled in history She has
during period OF profound peace repeatedly nsuted
flag seized and confscated the property of I'M
offending citizens arrested and manned of them,
and deprived others of life and liberty When she had
at last acknowledged some of these injuries, and prom
ised by solemn treaty stipulatons to make aonement
for Them not as debf but satisfaction for atrocous
wrongs and insults, ustyng of themselves appeal to
the last resort of nations she has violated these sacred
compacts, and thereby reduced many American citizens
and their families to serious endorsements and in
cases to want and ruin The name of American in
stead OF afordng, it should have done the most
pie protection to all our citizens in Mexico, but
invitation to ourages and insults the most aggravated and
the tables Of our imports and exports show, substantially
driven our merchants and from the ports and
cities of Mexico From the frequent ouages upon the
persons and property of citizens trading with Next
co. rendering our whole commerce there insecure, our
exports to Mexico fell off from more than six millions OF
a.occ =. and