The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-12-14

snhh Poihes, "notn dCcloent or other caps.
had separated from the main bod, of on &c
my bands OF guerrilleros and robbers inf
ted the roads, harrassed our trains. and MI.
ever it was in their power, to cut off ,heirsnn
plies.
The.Mexicans having lhus shown ,b.u
selves to be wholly incapable of apprecia,in-
our forbearance and liberali,y, it was dssr1s
ed proper to change the manue, of can
ducIing the war. by making them feel IL.
pressure according 10 the usages observaJ
under similar circumstances by all othe, or
ilized nations.
Accordingly, as eaiIy as the twentv-
ond OF September, 1876. instructions ~
given By the Secretary of War TO Mai. g."
eral Taylor to "draw supplies" for our ~
my "irom the enemy without paying for ,ben.
and 10 require contributions for ITS sunno,, ;,
if in that way he was satisfied he conlJ 80,
abundant supplies for his forces.' In d.
ting the execution of these ins,r,r,;or.
much was necessarily left TO the discret;oD ~
The commanding officer, who was hes, ="
quainted with the circumstances BY which,.
was surrounded, the wants of the army 81
the practicability Of enforcing u measnra
Gen. Taylor. on the Both October 1stc
replied from Monterey. that it wsnld b,v.
been impossible hitherto, and is so now ~
sustain the army to any extent by forced con
tributions Of money or supplies For The
reasons assigned BY him he did not adm,
the policy Of his instructions, but declared
his readiness TO 10 so should the army. !, H.
future operations reach a portion or ,b,
the cohntry which r1ay be made to su,nrv
the troops with advantage, lie conlirnsJ
10 pay for the articles of supply " bicb wer,.
drawn from The ensmy's country.
Similar Instructions were issued IN N,;or
General Scott on the I'd of April ISI7. who
replied from JaIapa, on The 2Olh Nav IS47.
mat II u be expected that the 'arrav is to
support Itself by forced contributions levied
upon the country, We may ruin and exasper-
ATE the inhabitants and siarve ourselves
The same discretion was given 10 him tha,
had heen to Gen. Taylor in this respect
General Scoir, for the reasons assigned by
him also continued to pay for the articles of
supply for the army which were drawn from
the enemy.
After the army had reached the heart Of
the most wealthy PoIrion of Mexico. it was
supposed that the obstacles whIrh had be-.
fUre that time prevented it would not be such
as to render impracrieable the levy Of forced
contributions for its support and on the 1T
of September and on the sixth Of October.
lS47, The order was repeated in dispatches
addressed by the Secretary Of War to Gen.
Scott. 1and his ;iitI on WIS :s;in r5lI,d
to The importance of making the enemy
bear the burdens Of The war by requiring
them TO furnish the means of supporting our
army; and he was directed to adopt This pol
icy, unless by so doing. there was danger Of
depriving the army of the necessary supplies.
Copies Of these dispatches were forwarded
10 Gen. Taylor for his government.
On the 4lst March last cansed an order
to be issued TO onI military and naval COM
manders to levy and collect military conrri-
button upon all vessels nnd merchandise
which might eniOr any of the ports of MeNi-
co in our military OceupatinD. and to ap1Iy
snch contributions low ards iefrayius the r1-
penses Of the war. By virtue Of the i.h,
Of conquest md lie laws Hf rfl. lie
coDquerOr consulting his own safety or
convenience, may either exclude foreign com
meTce altogether from all such ports or PER
mil it upOn such terms ard conditions ~ he
may prescribe. Before the principle peris
Of Mexico were bIockadrd BY our navy. the
revenue impuscd by impost dnries under tho
laws of Mexico, were paid into the Mexican
treasury. After these ports had fallen inn
our military possession. the blockade vs.
raised and commerce with them permitted
upon prescribed terms and ron6itious They
were opened to the trade Of all natipns upon
tue payment Of duties more moderate in
their amount than Iiuse " hicl had been prr-
viousIy levied by Nexico and the revenue.
which was formerly paid INTO the Mrxrran
Il toll 4.
military and naval officers and applied 10 tho
use Of our army and navy. Care WAS taken
that the officers soldiers and sailors Of cur
army and navy shoald be exempted from the
operations Of The orirr; aud as the merchau-
die imported upon hieh the order operated
must be consumed by Mexican cilizcrs. the
exartrd were IN effect u Sci
zure Of the public revenues Of Mexico and
the application Of them 10 our own uss ,
directing this measure the object WIS to COZ
pei the enemy To contribute. as FAR as pTaCl.-
cable towards the expensrs Of the war.
For the amOupt of contributions which
have been levied in this form. rrceI Won IT,
the accompanying repnrfs Of ihe SrtTria'y
OF War and Of the Secretary of The Navy. Wy
which il appears that a sum exceeding halt
Il million OF dollars has been collected.
This amount would undoubtedly have
increased but for the difficulty of keeping
npen communications between the coast and
the interior so as To enable the owners Of
The merchandise impaired 10 transport aud
yend it to tue inhabitants of The conntr.. II
is confidently expected that his difficulty Will
10 great extent he snnn removed by our IN
creased forces which have been sen, TO the
field.
Measures have recently been adapted by
which the Internal rs well rs external reve-
nues Of Mexico in all places in our military
occupation. will he seIzed and appropriated
to The use Of our army and navy.
The policy Of levying on The enemy con-
tribuIiOns in every form consistently with the
laws of nations. which it may b0 pracIiealfor
our military commanders to adop', should 10
my judgment, be risidIy enforced. and orders
10 this effect have accordingly been given.
By such policy, al the same time that our
own treasury will be relieved from a heavy
drain, the Mexican people will be made to
Il r III