Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-02-15

than from Inc Wings as parry"
Another quiet bat eating satire upon the
"dumb' non-commiial Wings OF Richmond!
In the Senate, on Friday, message trom the
presceh! was communicated, in reply 10 reso.
luicn .! The Senate, calling Tor Information as 10
the imposition o duties aid axes in Mexico;
which was ordered TO be printed. The message
is as follows:
To tic Senate ofhs UdItsi Stalls:
In answer 10 The resolution oi The Senate OF III.
Is, instant, requesting 10 he informed whether
ANY taxes, duties, or impos;s" nave been laid
aud collected" upon goods and inercha nise be-
longing IL ciljz2nS ii the l.. States, exported by
sueh CITIZENS from the u. States 10 Mexico; and
# So. what is The rate Of such duties, and VIA,
amount has been collected, and also 81 wha, al.
lhurity Of law the same have been laid aui col
icCtci" rcicr nc Senate 10 my annual message
OF Inc 7lh OF December last, in %l:ch informed
Congress hal orders had beca given TO our mil.
a,y a;d naval commanders n SirXicu 10 ADOPT
the policy, a IA! rs i practicable, {! !evyins mi
L!ia!Y Contributions upon iIe eleiuY iur t:c sup
po!t oi our army As unr oi he modes adopted
Tor levying suCn contributions, i Wa, stated in
tnat message that
"On the 3lsl 81 March las, caused an order
10 be issued 10 our military and naval com
mau,els To lew aad cu!lec, :: military cunribu
ton upon all vessels AMI merchant e whca might
enter any ol The ports Of |'eyicc IN our military
occupation, and 10 aP9iy >nch Contributions 10.
wards deirdying tie expenses OF he war. BY
v;.!.r OF the ri.hI If cnnGGe,i, and Ia. lays Of
,ynr the conuuecor, consulting his own SAFETY or
corvericGcr may eihcr cxclGd. iCfe;2n cum-
,nerce altogether irrm all such pors, Or perrli; II
upon such eIms an! conditions as he may PRE-
scribe. Before the p:incipa! HOus Of Mexico were
b:uckatri b. our navy, tie revenue derived from
import duljcs. under the laws Il Nexicn, was
rau! into lie :y:eX:"a treasury. AT these
pos!, had ialien inlp cr! n!llarY possession the
blockade was r. scG ard cornmcfc2 win Then,
permitted u3rn prescribe! iern:s ani 'ondiioHs
they we're ppen 10 III trade OF AL nations, upon
the payUGnt Of cur;cs more ;nofr.a!c N thrlf
amopn! than those which mad accI rrc"ionsl:
leyie! by Mexico; and The revenue, winch WAS
formerly paid ialo the Mexican treasury, was ci-
rrc.-d 20 hc c. rc'"I by cur military and naval
officers. ard applied 10 he rs. OF onf army an
nav. Cue was taken Tia i.e officers, soldiers
ami sailors Of cur army and navy should bres
emrtcd sfcm he Operations OF lhe order; and as
the merchandise imported gpon which 'h' o;Gr'
onera,ei nus he CONSUME by n'cXi"an c!:z lis,
the con- :;bU.inns exac,ct were, "a effect, The 81
2u,e # The pubic !e"eHnc; q! Mexico, anc the
application 9, them !" car own use. In directing
this measure, the OBJECT was 10 compel lie enc
my 70 contribute, a. lar IS practicable, !owails
lhy expenses o.ihe war
i cor? o! The order referred 10, with the DEE
umeni, accompanying il, has been ccmmrnicai-
cd 10 Cnnsfess.
The ortcr opcra'el upon The vessels and ner-
chandise o! all naii'nS, whether belonging 10 CT
jzeu, OF the United States or 10 foreigners amy
inc in any OF the ports in Mexico 10 our militia
~ ncrur2!inl III. contributions lrvicd ~erea
IA. unnn Mexican ciiizers who wee The con>n.
psrs O. The merchandise imported. Blu! Tor Tic
rer,o or license granted b. ihe order, all vessels
and merchandise belonging 70 ciZeas o! The U.
STATES were necessarily exciG;ed iTcm al com
maIce with Mexico iram IN" commencement ci
The war. The coasts ard por,s OF Mexico were
on,sre,, 10 be placed under blockade on The day
Congress declared the war 10 exist; and hy IN
Az: o! nations lhe b.ocka!c applied 10 the yes
s,s OF The Unitd S,;a;eS well as to tie vessels &!
all Other nations Had no blocka:e been d.
riarri. or had any al or merchant vessels enter
cd any fine parts OF Mexico DOT blockadef, hey
yvouh Save been liable 10 BE- seized ani condemn.
cd ~ lawful gTize by The Mexican auIhoTiiieS.-
when ire order was issued, u CPefa!ef ; a
n,;y;icoe 10 the vessels OF The UGef S'a es, rs
iyf.tl
nor,s held by oar arms, upon ~; scrlbec terms
and conditions. II was altogether optional with
.; ;zars Of thr y. States and foreigners 20 avail
themselves Of The privilege eran'ef, Upon TIE
,e,u,s prescribed. Citizens q The u. S'a - and
fore;oners have avaiIcj ;hsm.e YES Of he>e pri'i-
.eors. No o.ncipe j. better established han ifai
= nation At war has the rish al shifting The bur
len cn ils.li ard imposing upon 'bc enemy, by
ez9ciinc military Contributions. Iae I.lode %
,ral,iuc snch exact:uns NUT b. oit 10 the dl>cre
lion O. the corqueror, bur it should be exercise.
in a manner cuniormabIe 20 ihe rules Of CIVILIZED
waI!arc.
The iieAt 10 lew jhesc contributions is rssen'
liai TO the successful prosecution OF war IN an
enemys country, and he practice OF nations mas
heen in accordance with lnis principle. |! is as
clearly uCcc:sa; as 'ha T!.h 10 LshI baiiles, ana
IL. exercise IS Of IN essential 20 lac Subsistence Of
the army.
Entertaining no doubt tha! the military right 10
o,cj,d. con.n.roa altogether fon the ports oi INC
enemy in our military uccnrainn included Inc
minor rich! Of admitting ii under prescribed con
di,ione. i, became q imforan! question, a! Inc
d.lc nj the order whether ,Gcre shcu'd ne as
cr;n,;na,;oo between vessels and ca goes belong
in, ~ The citizens of the United States, and YES.
srs AND carcoes belonging IL neutral nations
Iad tho vessels and caTgoes belonging To Inc
c,rizsrs If the Uriet States been admi!i'u
wiihou, the psymen; Of any dulY, while duty
w,s lcv:cd On foreign vessels and careocs
,ha ohiac, Of the order you'd have heea deeard.
The Whole commefce wont; have been conducted
i, American vessels No cOniTihu ions could
have hesn Collected, and he Enemy "cu!d have
bren furnished with goods Without the exaction
t,oon him pf any contrbuion wha'cve'i and
,,nnld have been nus b'ne!ne! By orr military
nccrnsli.n. in, cad o b-ing made 10 feel me cvis
~ he gar. H. order 10 levy Mess con'ribGIGDS,
and 70 make them available lcf he suPpon 81 The
ARM !. h~canle therefore absolutely necessary
Iba, ,bey Should be collected npon imports n'o
Msyi.an na:s. whether in VESSELS belonging 10
ciliz.ps If he u States or To ui"saei'
I, was deemed proper TO extnd ne pii'ii'9e 10
vessels and their caTcces belonging To Eeu'idi ma
tions l. has been nv poiic2, since The com
mencement OF The war with Mexico, to act j"s',
IL ard literally towards all neutral nations on"
10 ford 10 them N jus; cause ct complain. "iu
we nave seen The good consequence % .,s' 10,
cv by the general satisfaction WHICH ! ""s w."
In answer TO the inquiry con'a,ntH !" .''T - -
In.inn asto the rates OF dniis I'"iS--"' 'e's.
..an ~ ,bc tocnmen,s which ACCOMPANIED ny
.nnral MESSAGE OF The IN o December ias',
,,n;cb contain the Information.
IT,, he ACCOMMODATING !sft:s Of The Sec!e'
,.r -, var AMI lhs Secretary Of The Navy, il
-, Ls s.an tat he contributions have been col
,,.,cd nm all vessels an! ca!aoes, whether Aner-
=. f,re;rn; M The :c;urus iofhe departments
- 40, show with exac,nees the i;nnuns collect
t1,ti ian