Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-05-01

THE PRESIDENTS LAST UsURPATIo

he possessed the TO enact laws under the OF
ders to regulate imports into Mexico establish custom
houses there and to dbuse the money exacted he would
have plainly and simply ordered the through his proper
subordnaes But conscience makes towards of us ALL and
with him in this for he about the thing in such
way that he credit for sincerity of purpose
for an honest compliance with the law. He begins with let
addressed his Secretary of the Treasury and his ecre
tary Of the Navy very much like messages legislative
body, and his Departments thus evoked, duly enact their
laws and orders for Mexico accompanied with replies by way
of argument and experiment. clearly for the of the Pres
dents party presses. .. =t<
We concede the President the possession of remarkable
courage hadhood may deserve that elevated for he
has asserted in these for the third time that Mexico
is the author of the present II he gets else to
believe this he may at least succeed in working his
duty into comfortable halucnaion the point. M>"'
illustrations Of the trait given in bhemPt he
manifests for the opinion Of all now and here
AFTER in the frequent exhibits. OF purpose to conduct this
war as a kind of Occidental perquisite. .'.
The Of columns has prevented the publication of
ali The departmental manfesoes coupled with Mr.. Walkers
Mexican tariff and will only advert to of the topics
treated Of in them The letter Of Mr. Walker remarkable for
the incidental evidence unconsciousy gives Of the Cabinet
pecatons the duration of the The ostensbe OBJ
ect of thus evyng contribution, it Called Is to aid in
deayng the expenses of the The Secretary that
in order realize the largest amount OF revenue from this
SYSTEM 50 it would be necessary that army and navy
should seize every important fort and place upon the Gulf OF
Mexico, California, the Pacific, and open the say
through the interior for the free transit OF imports and ex
ports, and especially that the interior passage through the
Merican ishs should be secured fran ocean 10 ocean far
the benefit Of and M IF all tie ,corH" This
conompates pretty extensive business certainly, and shows
phanthropc regard the of other nations,
which may be down of the additional Objects
not cause of the not previously made known. II
The Secretary depict the scope of his
and leading object the introduction, duty free, of quick
silver and of machinery for working the mines of precious
metals So then that branch of business is to be reformed
and constituonay placed in fourishng condition,
by the incidental protection thus afforded 1t that
mining would require time at least yield any cons
deable benefits and short at all in the con-
temptation Of the Cabinet, speedy evacuation of the
country Clearly not for the Secretary expects his exche
quer 10 be amply recruited from the exports of metals and
the "feest scope to mining, that it will only " arrest
the expensive and runous drain of specie Mexico,
will cause it to eHow into country the %
nine millions year, its in 1885" before began
steal Texas, which well remember off that sup
ply and in part contributed to the suspension of specie
nents in 1887.
last aud browning for the contribution is that
" not just that Mexico by her obstinate persistence
this contest should compel overthrow financial po
hey This means that might repeal of the Wal
ker tariff Of si6, actual etrogresson the old Wing
platform OF protecon-a thing of horrible for
Southern freeade patriotism think 1t is quite clear
that this idea of early peace present Mr. Wal
kers mind and from the great Importance he attaches to
this Mexican revenue which be believes "wil be very
large and highly important to sustain the credit of the
Government and "to the country from such runous
sacrifices occurred during the last year, including the m
eritabie legacy 10 postety Of large DEBT and enormous
tardton, he WILL perhaps, deem cessation of as
at all desirable
This attempt the President seize upon the commercial
mpos Of Mexico, under the Of contributions and by
virtue Of e powers vested in him commander n-chief Of
the army, clear usurpaon Of powe- and If he ex
eced ALL be done by the sovereign power only which
is the enactment Of a lar by Congress.
In the first place. is mistake to call these mposts
trbutons One of the conceded rights Of begerent that
Of booty which is the right Of selling all movable property
for the Of the conqueror perhaps Of abandoning to
the of his troops Instead of the custom Of plagng
country, another and humane mode has been substitute
ed by the laws Of war, which that Of contributions This
is demand Of a of money from a conquered
district and the enemys subjects by consenng pay the
sum demanded have their property secured from page and
the country preserved. Vattel book g. 1885, The
Commander Chief in Mexico is the person issue the
ueB made, anu the fresuent
only give him general rules Of conducting the /
ID The collection Of duties mposts, and keeping
tomhouse, is a military duty, and military officers cannot
be lawfully required to perform it. None else be requr
ed to perform this duty, for law permits it. unless per-
chance it be this % Order in Council"
3D. The pretended contributions directed by the President
are not paid by the enemys subjects, to support
the army, but evies made upon all pie and all nations
for privilege Of trade and Of the avowed objects is
not to support the army merely but to support the credit Of
the United States.
4th Ii the President may exercise this power what are
the consequences He has nveiged Congress into legsa
tive recognition of the war; and has obtained grant Of troops
to during the The duration of that depends
on his pleasure for he alone negotiate peace and
the refusal Of supplies Of money will do good for the Sec
rotary Of h6 Treasury has devised tariff for Mexican ports
which he thinks will not only support the army, but afford
the of maintaining the credit of the Government at
home. II the secretnys expectation shall he verified, the
President will have thus found Of maintaining this war
during his sovereign will and pleasure He hold law
no law claimed the conquered Provinces and has
done before, appoint governors for hem and himself
cothe them with authority TO make laws levy taxes duties
and impos work the mines Of precious metals and pensh
ms Golfers to any extent hy encouraging with all
the world No matter what the peoples will may be- whe
Their Mexico shall he part Of possessions with Wimo
povso without it, that country will have become Pres
dental appanage, and the old Spanish vceroy Of Mexico will
he revived by the King Of these United States under some
meek republican Pay and povant will be at tho Pre-
sdents disposal growing with the increase OF his mill