Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-12-22

applied to the use of our 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-
chandise imported upon which the order opera
ted must be consumed by Mexican citizens. the
contributions exacted were, in effect, the seiz-
IRE of the public fepenues of Mexico, and the
application of them to our own use. In direct
ing this measure, the object was to compel the
enemy to contribute, as far as practicable, to-
wards the expenses of the war.
For the amount of contributions which have
been levied in THE form. / refer you to the
accompanying reports of the Secretary of War
and OF the Secretary of the Navy. by which it
appears that sum exceeding half million of
dollars has been collected.
This amount would undoubtedly have been
much larger, but for the difficulty of keeping
open communications between the coast and
the interior, so as to enable the owners Of the
merchandise imported, to stransport and vend
1t to the inhabitants Of the country. 1t is con-
hdently expected that this difficulty will, to
great extern, be soon removed by our increased
forces which have been sent to the field.
Measures have recently been adopted by which
the internal as well as external revenues of
Mexico, in all places in our military occnpa-
ton, will be seized and appropriated to the use
eft our army and navy.
The policy of levying upon the enemy con-
tributions in every form, consistently with the
laws OF nations, which it may be practicable
for our military commanders to adopt, should
10 my judgment, be rigidy enforced, and orders
to this effect have accordingly been given. By
such policy, at the same time that our own
treasury will be relieved from a heavy drain,
the Mexican people will be made to feel the
burthens of the war, and, consulting their own
interests, may be induced the more readily to
require their rulers to accede 10 just peace.
After the adjournment of the last session of
Congress, events transpireJ in the prosecution
of war, which in my Judgment required a grea-
ter number of troops in the field than had been
anticipated. The strength of our army was
accordingly increased by accepting" the SER
vices of ali the volunteer forces authorized by
the act of the 18th of MAJ, ioio, without put
ting construction on the act, the correctness
OF which was seriously questioned. The vol
unteer forces now in the field, with those which
have been accepted" to "serve for II months"
and were discharged at the end of their term of
service, exhaust the $4,000 men authorized by
that act. Had it been clear that proper con-
struction of the act warranted it, the services
OF an additional number would have been called
for and accepted but doubts existing upon this
point, the power was not exercised.
Iii deemed important that Congress should
at an early period of their session, confer the
auth ority to raise an additional regular force to
serve during the war with Mexico, and to be
discharged upon the conclusion and ratification
of peace. invite the attention of Congress to
the views presented by the Secretary of War
in his report upon this subject. | recommend,
also that authority be given by law to call for
and accept the services of an additional number
of volunteers, to be exercised at such time and
to such exieDl as the emergencies of the service
may require.
In prosecuting the war with Mexico, whilst
the utmost care has been taken to avoid every
just cause of complaint or the part of neutral
nations, and none have been given, liberal pri-
villeges have been granted to their commerce
in the ports of the enemy in our military occu-
patton.
Our Brazilian Relations.
The difficulty with the Brazilian government
which at one time threatened to interrupt the
friendly relations between the two governments,
will, trust, be speedily adjusted. have recev-
ed information that an envoy extraordinary and
Minister plenpotentiary, to the United STATES
will shortly be appointed by his Imperial Ma
jeaty, and that he will come instructed and pre-
pared to adjust all remaining differences betw-
cen the two countries, in manner acceptable
and honorable to both. have every reason
to believe that nothing will occur to interrupt
our amicable relations with Brazil
South american Relations
1t has been my constant aim to maintain and
cultivate the most intimate relations of friend
L. I. IlxI1 e
America, aud this policy has been attended with
the happiest rerults. 1t is true that the settle
ment and payment of many just claims of Am
ercan citizens against these nations have been
long delayed. The peculiar position in which
they have been placed, and the desire ON the part
of my predecessors as well as myself, to grant
them the utmost indulgence, have hitherto pre-
vented these claims from being urged in man
ner demanded by strict justice. The time has
arrived when they ought to be finally adjusted,
and Inundated, and efforts are now making for
that purpose.
1t is proper to inform you that the govern
ment of Peru has in good faith paid the first two
instaments of the indemnity Of thirty Thousand
dollars each, and the greater portion of the in
terest due thereon, in execution of the conven
ton between that government and the United
States. the ratification of which were exchang
ed at Lima on the thirty first of October, 1916.
The Attorney General of the Unitep States,
early in August last, completed the adjudication
Of the claims under this convention, and made
his report thereon, in pursuance OF the act of
The eighth of August 1916. The sums to which
the claimants ale respectively entitled will be
paid on demand at the treasury.
american citizens In China.
invite the early attention of Congress to the
present condition of our citizens in China. IN
der the treaty with that power, American citi-
zens are withdrawn from the jurisdiction, Ell
Their civil or criminal, of the Chinese Govern
ment, and placed under that of our pubic func-
tionar!es in that country. BY these alone can
our citizens be tried and punished for the COM
mission of any crime by these alone can ques-
tons be decided between them involving the
rights of person and property: and by these
alone can contracts be enforced, into which they
nav have entered with the citizens or subjects
,f foreign powers. The merchant vessels of
Il 4 II