The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-11-18
Military Contributions.

Hon r.. d. JOHNSON, (of Cialveston.) for Texas.
CORNELIUS GLEN. for the State OF New York.
Military Contributions.
We publish this evening an order OF the President of the
United States extending and enlargng the military con-
trbutons in Mexico On reference TO the documents on
this subject heretofore published it appears that the
first IN order was communication dated 23d of March,
ls47, from the President of the United States to the
Secretary of the Treasury, calling upon him to submit
his views to the proper rate of duties upon imports
to be exacted military contribution in the ports of
Mexico. To this communication the Secretary of the
Treasury responded the 3oh March, si7 in a report
to the President, recommending certain rate of duties
and other provisions in relation thereto, which were
adopted by the President the 3st of March, 1917 and
enforced by the orders of the War and Navy Depart
ments on the Sd of April 1917. Now, it is not little
remarkable, that whilst this order was given by the Pres
dent the Odd of March last in anticipation of the
of the capture of Vera Cruz General Scott ON the
2Sh of the same month, without any previous intmaton
whatever from the government but as matter present
ing itself to his good julg ment and sound discretion
by his general orders (No 75) directed tariff of
duties to be established at VeraCz by an order Gen.
Worth, in concluding which General Scott says "The
sructons of the home shall be made known
in the case 1t will be observed that the letter of the
President of the United States addressed to the Secretary
of the Treasury dated here on the 23d of March,
s7 founded upon the anticipated capture of Vera Cruz
and General SCOTS actual order dated the 2sth of
the month, founded upon suggestion from the
In pursuance of this ORDER Gen Worth issued
his order, governor of Vera Cruz, establishing tariff of
duties imports into that port, military contribution
varying from to IS per cent ad Uaorem, including
specific duty of cents pound cotton Here, then
General Scott and General Worth simultaneously and
without any previous suggestion from the government at
Washington established tariff of duties military
contribution at Vera Cruz; thus of their sugges-
lion, by the highest military authority in this country,
and by wing authority high that of Mr.. Clay
himself, establishing the validity and propriey of the
military contributions authorized by the President OF the
United States On the 10th of April following General
Scott Commodore Perry Of the navy concurrng) issued
the following order, enlarging these military contributions
by exactng duty of per cent the export of coin,
which order copy below:
GENERAL ORDERS HEADQUAnrERs THE ARMY,
No. 1913 Vera Cruz, April TO, 1877.
Pending the possession of any port of the Republic OF
Mexico by forces of the United States of America not
an ounce of gold or silver shall be shipped from the same
without a regular allowance from its collector who will
charge the benefit of the tUnted States treasury
port duty of six ctu upon every such clearance and
sh pment.
By command of Major General scorr:
ii. L. SCOTT, A. A. A. General.
On the 10th of May, 1917, Commodore Perry, by an
order soft Tobasco river, directed 'logwood and other
productions of the country to be exported from Laguna
and other Mexican ports in possession OF the United
States forces in American neutral vessels, with the
that wartax of 10 per cent ad vaorem
the amount OF the invoices OF shipment shall be paid
the United States collectors for the benefit of the United
States" 1t appears, then, that not only import but
port duties had been sanctioned by highest military
authorities in Mexico, and especially export duty
upon gold and silver 1t was the anxious desire of the
government of the United States exercise its unques
ionabe power of con6scatng to its any of the
public of Mexico, whether derived from duties
IN imports and exports, from internal taxation, in
such manner to operate with as little injury as posi-
Die upon neutral powers With this view the Mexican
arif of duties upon all imports originally reduc ed
nearly one half and still further reduction tending to
trade and made by the President on
he 9th of this month, based upon actual experience and
the recommendation of the Secretary of the Treasury of
he 5th instant 1t will be perceived that the order now
ssued simply restores the duty upon the export Of gold
md syer eraced by Merieo before the war leaving that
luy where it was left by Mexico in amount, but simply
,eizng and coniscang it to use as military
contribution 1t was ascertaned that the extreme lber
llty which we were anxious to practise for the benefit
If our own commerce. and that of neutral powers, by
epealng temporarily the Mexican export duty upon gold
md silver, instead OF being met by that government in
he liberal spirit in which that order issued by re-
nqushng that duty, has been followed by effort upon
he part of Mexico to collect other equivalent internal du
hes and also to force the precious metals to points upon
the Pacific or the Gulf not occupied by our army and
navy where Mexico herself still enforced the payment of
hese export duties. Under these circumstances Mexico
herself being unwilling to abandon this export duty,
has become necessary and proper for this government TO
restore the same, so TO augment our military contrlbu
TONS and collect this duty ourselves instead of Mexico
for this purpose collecting the duty Advance, when the
conducta of the precious metals starts from the city of
Mexico or any other interior Mexican city possess
sion and when the mining cities taken by will
be collected there, not in any way by Selling affecting
private property, but by coniscatng to the
public and public taxes derived by the govern
ment of Mexico, any department thereof, from the
mines or precious metals 1t will be perceived, Also by
this ORDER that all the internal taxes of Mexico of any
department, town, city thereof, have been directed to
be seized and confscaed military contribution which