Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-12-17

10 compel the enemy 10 Contribute as far as
practicable towards the expenses Of the war.
For the amount Of contrbulicns which have
been levied IN this form, refer YOU to the ac-
companYng reports OF the Secretary Of War, aud
of the Secretary Of the Navy, by which it ap-
pears that sum exceeding half a million Of dol
lars has been collected.
Ihls amount would. undoubtedly, have been
much larger, but for the difficulty Of keeping o.
pen communications between the coast aud the
interior, so as TO enable the owners Of merchan-
die imported to transport aud ycnd il TO the in.
habltanIs Of the country.
II is confidently expected that this difficulty
Will, TO great extent, 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 revenue
OF Mexico, IN all places in our military occupa-
uon, will be received and appropriated to the use
@! our army and navy.
The policy OF leyying upon the enemy conlri-
buttons IN every form, consislly with the laws of
nations. which 1t may be practicable for our mi
lltary commanders 10 adopt. should. in nv iulp.
mcnt. be ngdy enforced. aud orders 10 this cl.
feet have accordingly been given. By such
policy, at the same time our own treasury will
be relieved from a heavy drain. the Mexican
people will be made 10 feel the burdens of the
war, and consulting their own interests. may be
induced the more readily TO require lhcir rulers
TO acccdc to a just peace.
! After the adjournment of the last session Of
Congress, events ranspircd in the prosecution
/ oi the war, which IN my Judgment. required
greater number of troops in the field Than had
been anticipated. The strength of the army
was accordingly increased by accepting the SER
vices Of all the volunteer forces authorized by
the act ol the 18th May, 1916. without putting a
construction on that act, the correctness uf
which was seriously questioned. The volunteer
lorccs now in the field. with those which had
been accepted to serve for twelve months. and
were discharged al the end Of their term Of ser
vice, exhaust the fifty thousand men authorized
by that act Had ii been clear that n proper
construction of the Act warranted, the services of
an additional number would have been called
aud accepted; but doubts existing upon this point,
the power was not exercised.
1t is deemed important that Congress should at
an early period Of their session confer the au-
thorly to riSe an additional regular force to
serve during the war with Mexico, aud to be dis
charged upon the conclusion and ratification of
treaty Of peace, ! invite the attention of Con-
gress 10 the views presented by the Secretary of
War IN his report upon the subject. | recon-
mend also that authority be given by law TO call
for aud accept the services of AN additional mum.
Der ol volunteers, to be exercised at such time
and to such extent us the emergencies Of the SER
vice may require.
I In prosecuting the war with Mexico, whilst the
ulmcSI care has been taken to avoid every Just
cause OF complaint on the part of nuctral ma.
ions, and none has been given, liberal privileges
have been granted in their commerce in the ports
Of the enemy, in our military occupation.
The difficulty wnh the Brazilian government
which al one time threatened to interrupt the
friendly relations between the two countries. will
| trust be speedily adjusted. have received IN
formation that an Envoy Extraordinary and Min
tstcr PIcnlpotentlary to the United States, will
shortly be appointed by his Imperial Majesty,
and II is hoped that he will come instructed and
prepared to ADJUST all remaining differences be-.
tween the two governments in manner accept
able and honorable to both.
In the mean umc have every reason to be-
rvc that nothing will occur to interrupt our
amlcabG relations with Brazil.
, 1t has been my constant effort to maintain and
cultivate the most intimate relations Of friend
ship with all the independent powers of South
America, and this policy has been attended with
tho happlcst results. 1t is true thai the settle
mcnI and payment Of many just claims of Amer
lcan cltlzens against these nations have been LONG
delayed. The position in which they have been
placed and the desire on the part of my prcde-
cossors, rs well as myself, to grant them the ut
most indulgence, have hitherto prevented these
claims from being urged in manner demanded
by strict justice. The time has arrived when
they ought to be finally adjusted and Hquidalcd,
aud enforced, and efforts arc now making for
that purpose.
! 1t is proper to inform you that the Govern
= mcnI Of Peru has in good lalh paid the first two
Inslamcns Of the indemnify, of thirty thousand
dollars each, aud the greater portion of the in
lerGSl due thereon, IN execution of the cOnven-
non between that Convenient and the United
States, the ratification of which were exchanged
at Lima, on the 3lst Of October, 1916. The
/ Attorney General Of the ntcd States, early in
August last, completed the adudiclion of the
claims under this convention, aud made his re-
port thereon, in pursuance of the act Of the 8lh
August, 1916. The same to which the claim.
ants are respectively entitled, will be paid on dc.
mand ut the Treasury.
invite the early attention of Congress to the
present condition Of our citizens in China. Tn
+ dcrour treaty with that power. American ctzcns
are Withdrawn from the jurisdiction, whether ci.
, vii or criminal Of the Chinese Government, ana
, accd under that of our public Iuncuonorics in
} that country Ry these alone can our citizens
, be tried or punished for the commission of any
crime; by these alone can questions be decided
between 'hem' Involving the rig hts of persons
and property; aud bv these alone can contracts
be enforced into which they may have entered
with the cil'zcns or subjects of foreign powcrs-
The merchant vessels of the United States, ".
ing in the five ports of China, open to foreign
commerce, are under the exclusive jurisdiction
n 4 ~