Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-10

dilUHetHcI NOlu dill sucH ppIlsi W EcluiN ~
upon such terms and conditions as he may pre-
scribe. Before the principal ports OF Mexico
were blockaded by our navy, The revenue cerivcn
| from impOs, duties under the laws OF Mexico
was paid into the Mexican treasury. Ailef these
ports badialcn iaio our military posscss:on, The
blockade was raised, and comrDerce with them
permitted upon prescribed terms and conditions.
They were opened 10 The made OF all nations
upon the payment Of duties more moderate in
heii amount than those which had been previ.
ously levied by, Mexico; aud Tic revenue, which
was formerly paid into the Mexican treasury, ,
was directed 10 DC collected by our military and
oificess, and applied to The use OF our AMY
ami navy. CsIe was Ia ken thai the oilises, sol.
adeTs a1d sailors Of QUE army and navy should
be exempted from the opelaliohs Of the oTEeI and
as The merchandise imported rnon which the or.
der operated must be consumed By Mexican citi-
Zens tbe contributions cxacled were in efieci, the
seizure ui the public revenues OF Mexico, and
the application Of them 10 our own use. In d.
rectns This measure, the object was 10 compel
the enemy 10 contribute, as far as practicable, TO-
wards The expenses oilhe war.
For The amount OF contributions which have
been levied in this form, refer you 10 the accom-
panying reports OF the Secretary of War and OF
The Secretary OF the Navy, by which il appears
I hata sum exceeding halt a million OF dollars
has been collected. ,7s ~ tls' 20
This amount would undoubtedly have been
much larger but for the difficulty oil keeping open
communications between tho coast and The nle-
/ rior so as to enable the owners OF the merchan
disc imported, 10 transport and vend it 10 the in
habi'anls Of the country. IL is confidently ex-
recled that this difficulty will. TO great extent
be soon removed by our increased forces which
have been sent 10 The field
Measures have recently been adopted, by which
the internal as well as external revenues OF Mexi-
co, in all places in our military occupation, will
be seized and appropriated to the Use OF our ar
my and navy. ,, 81. .-. ...s.s -
1 The policy Of Ievying upon the enemy conlri,
buttons in every form, consistently with the laws
Of nations, which it may be practicable for our
military commanders IT. adopt, should, in nv
Judgment, be rightly enforced, and orders
to This effect have accordingly been given.
BY snch poicy, at the same lime that
~ our own treasury will be relieved from heavy
draia, The Mexican people will be made to leel
The burdens If the war, and, consulting their
own interests. may I've induced the more readily
to require their rulers 10 aCcede 10 inst peace.
Alter h. adlournmen, OF the LAST session OF
Congress, events lranspired in The prosecution Of
the war; which, in my judgment, required a
greater number If troops IN The field Than bad
been anticipated The Strength OF the army
was accordingly increased by "accepine" The
services o. ali the volunteer forces authorized by
tie acl OF The thirteenth OF May, 1916, without
putting construction on that act, The Correctness
OF which was seriously questioned.
The volunteer TO- css now in ihc fed: with those
viii had been "accered' 10 "serve for Twelve
monlhs," and were discharged at the ed VI heir
, term Of service, exhaust the fly thousand men
au horned by liza acy. had ii been eliza. that a
proper coastuclinn Of the act warranted II. The
services OF an additional number would Fave
been called Tor and accepted but doubts existing
uron his point, the power was not exercised.
II is deemed i'm nOrtunt that Congress shon!',
a all carly period oil their session confer the autho-
rity 10 Iase an additional regular force 10 serve
during the war with ijeXic0 and 10 he dischals
upon the conclusion and ratification o! treaty VI
peace. Invite the attention Vt Congress 10 The
view, presented by The Secretary oil War in his re-
|, port upon THIS subject.
recommend also, that authority be given ~
law 10 call nr and accept The services OF an adri-
, lonal number Of VOLUNTEERS, 10 be exercised al
such time, and 10 such extent as The emergencies
Of Inc service may require. > ay"s r1o:a -
= In pfoeccuting The war with Mexico, whilst the
utmos, care has bsen taken TO avoid every just
cause of complain. On The part OF neutra nations
;rnG none has been oivsn, liheral privileges have
been grated 10 their commerce IN the ports OF ihe
enemy in oar military octupaihi.
The difficulty with the Brazilian Government,
which al one time threatened To interrupt The
friendly relations between the Iwo countries, will
| trust, be speedily adjusted. bave deceived in.
formation that an Enyoy Extraordinary and Mi
| nisrer Penipo,en!iary 10 The United States vii
shortly be appointed By his Imperial Majesty
aud il is hoped that he will come instructed anG
prepated 10 adjust all remaining differences be.
i tween The Two Governments in manner aCcepa
bic and honorable 10 both. In the mean time,
, nave every reason IL believe that nuihins will
occur 10 interrupt our amicablc relations with
+ Brazil.
l. has been M constant effort to maintain anC
cultivate The mos; intimate relations ot friendship
with all the independent powers OF Soulh meri
ca, and this policy has been attended with .h'
! happest results. II is Tue that The seuemen
and payment OF many just claims OF American
citizens against these nations have been Ion:
della yed. The peculiar position in which they
have been placed, and the desire on the par, o
my predecessors as we'll as myself, 10 grant lheu
, the utmost indulgence, have hitherto prevented
thes: claims from being urged in manner de
nande,l by strict justice. The lime has arrived
, when they. ought 10 be finally adjusted and Ii
; ou;,acd, and efforts are now making Tor iha
purpose. 49,.
II is proper 10 inform Jon that the government
: of Peru has in good faith paid the first two in
s;allncnls OF the indemnify OF thirty Thousand dol
lars each, and the greater portion OF tie inicres
, due thereon, in execution OF the convention he
tween that government and The United States
The Publications OF which were exchanged a Ii
ma on The 3lst OF October 1876. The Attorney
5 General Of the United States, carly in Angus
last, completed The adjudication ofthe claims I'M
! der this convention, and made his report thereon
in pursuance OF The act OF The 9Th OF August
, 1886. The sums to which the claimants are re-
spectvcIy entitled, will be paid on demand al The
Treasury.
, | nvie the early attention Of Congress to The
: present condition Of our citizens in China. Under
, our uealy with that power, American citizens
arc Withdrawn from the jurisdiction, whether CT
vii or criminal of the Chinese Government and
+ placed under tina. OF our public funciionaries in
that country By these alone can our citizens he
tried and punished Tor The commission Vi any
, crime By these alone can questions be decided
between them involving the rights OF person and
, property and By these alone can contracts be en-
forced into which they may have entered with the
citizen or subjects of foreign powers. The mer.
chant vessels Of The United Saes lying in The
waters of the five porIs OF China open 10 foreign
commerce are under The exclusive Jurisdiction OF
officers OF their own Government. Until Con-
press shall establish competent tribunals TO try and
|, nupish crimes and 10 exercise Jurisdiction IN
, civil cases in China, American citizens there
are subject to no Law Whatever. Crimes may be
committed with impanity and debs may be con
{ raC.cd without any means 10 enforce their pay
men,. IncoDvenences he We already resulted from
the omission OF Congress to lesisla;e upon the
, subject. and still greater are apprehcnded lhe
British authorities in China have already COM
planned that this government has moi provided for
The punishment OF crimes or Inc enforcement OF
conirac's against American citizens 10 thai conn
: try, whilst their government has established III
buDa!s by which an American citizen can recc-
yer debts due from British subjects.
| IL. IN, I'M aY u
Justice, they could not be madeto comprehend
WHY criminals who are citizens of The United
States should escape with impGDily, ip violation
Of treaty obligations, whilst the punishment Of q
I Chinese, who had committed any crime against
an American citizen, would be vigorously exact
ed. Indeed, The consequences might be fatal 10
American citizen. IN China, should fragrant
crime be committed by any one Of Them upon a
Chinese, and should uial and punishment no, fol.
low according 10 The acquisitions Of the treaty.
This nigh. dis,urh, if mol destroy, our friendly
r,laiions with that empire and cause an infer