The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-02-11
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
FRIDAY NIGHT, FEB. II, isis.
Congressional.

Congressional.
In the Senate to-day, message from the President
was communicated, in reply to resolution of the Sen
ate calling for information TO the imposition OF duties
and taxes IN Mexico which was ordered to be printed
The message is as follows:
10 the Senate ofthe United States:
In the resolution of the Senate of the LIST in
stan requesting be informed whether "any taxes, du
ties mposts have been 'laid and collected" upon
goods and merchandise belonging to citizens OF the United
States exported by such citizens from the United States TO
Mexico and if what the of such duties and what
amount has been collected, and also by what authority
law the have been laid and collected" refer the
Senate to my annual message of the 7h of December last
IN which informed Congress that orders had been given TO
our military and naval commanders in Mexico to adop'
the policy, as far as is practicable of levyng military
hibutons upon the enemy for the support of army
As one OF the modes adopted for evyng such contributions
1t was stated in that message that
son thirty first of March last caused an order to be
issued to military and naval commanders levy and
chande which might any of the ports of Mexico in
our military occupation and to apply such contributions
the right conquest and The laws of war; the
consulting his own safety convenience either
permit upon such terms and conditions he may pre-
crbe Before the principal ports OF Mexico were blocka
under the laws of Mexico. was paid into the Mexican
treasury After these ports had fallen into military pos
session. the blockade was raised and commerce with them
permitted upon prescribed terms and conditions They
to the trade of all nations, upon the payment OF
been previously levied by Mexico and revenue which
was formerly paid into the Mexican treasury, directed
piled the of our army and navy Care was taken
that the officers soldiers, and sailors of army and navy
the merchandise imported upon which the order opera
ted must be consumed by Mexican citizens contrb
nues of Mexico, and the application of them to own
use In directing this measure, the object compel
the enemy to contribute as far as practicable, towards the
expenses OF the war"
copy of the order referred to, with the documents &C
companying it, has been communicated to Congress
The order operated upon the vessels and merchandise
of all nations, whether belonging citizens OF the United
States foreigners arriving any the ports in Mex
co in military occupation This contributions levied
were a upon Mexican citizens, who We're the consu.
of the merchandise imported Bat for the permit
license granted by the Order all vessels and merchandise
belonging citizens of the United States necessarily
excluded from all commerce with Mexico from the
mencement of the The coasts and ports of Mexico
ordered be placed under blockade the day Con-
gress declared the exists and by the laws OF nations
the blockade applied the vessels of the United States
well the vessels of all other nations Had blockade
been declared had OF merchant vessels entered
any the ports of Mexico bockaded they would have
been liable to be seized and condemned lawful prize
by the Mexican authorities When the order issued
operated privilege the vessels OF the United States
well those OF foreign countries the ports held by
arms, upon prescribed terms and conditions 1t al
together optional with citizens of the United States and
foreigners avail themselves of the privilege granted,
upon the prescribed Citizens Of the United States
and foreigners have avaied themselves of these privileges
No principle is better established than that nation
has the right fshng the burden off ITSELF and imposing
It upon the enemy, by exacting military contributions.
The mode of making such exactons must be left to the
discretion of the conquero but should be exercised in
confomabe to the rules OF civilized warfare.
The right levy these contributions is essential to the
successful prosecution of war in enemys country, and
the practice of nations has been in accordance with this
principle 1t is clearly necessary the right fight
battles and its exercise is often essential TO the subsistence
OF the army
Entertaining no doubt that the military right to exclude
commerce altogether from the ports of the enemy in
military occupation. included the minor right OF admitting
under prescribed conditions, became important,
question, the date OF the ORDER whether there should be
discrimination between vessels and cargoes belonging
citizens of the United States and and cargoes
belonging neutral nations Had the vessels and oagoes
belonging citizens of the United States been admit
ted without the payment of any duty, while duty was
levied foreign vessels and cargoes the object of the
order would have been defeated. The whole commerce
would have been conducted in American vessels No
butions could have been collected and the enemy would
have been furnished with goods without the exaction from
him any contribution whatever and would have been
thus benefited by military patton, instead of be-
ing made feel the evils of the In order to levy
these contributions, and to make them available for the
support of the army it became therefore absolutely
cesary that they should be collected upon imports into
Mexican ports whether in vessels belonging citizens of
the United States to foreigners
deemed proper to extend the privilege to vessels
and their cagoes belonging to neutral nations has been
policy, since the commencement OF the war with Mex
ico Justly and literally towards all neutral nations
and afford them cause OF complaints and we
the good consequences of this policy by the gen
sral satisfaction which it has given.
In the inquiry contained in the resolutions as to
the rates of duties imposed you the documents
which accompanied my annual message OF the 7th OF De-
cember last, which contains the information
From the accompanying reports of the Secretary of War
and the Secretary of the Navy will be that the
tribuons been collected all vessels and cargoes
whether American foreign but the returns to the do
parments do show with the amounts col
leced American dstngushabe from foreign essels
md merchandise.
JAMES X. POLK.
WASHINGTON, February 10, 1913.
report was received from the War Department, giving
the returns of the militia.
Mr. Breese presented resolutions from the Legislature
of Illinois, favor of act to indemnify the citizens OF
that State who may have suffered by Indian depredatons
in the Black Hawk war.
Mr. Crenden presented petition from Col, r. M,
Johnso for compensation for buildings for the Chocs~
Academy
Mr. Westcou presented petition from Wesr Elor;d,
asking division of the public lands for the ,,,a ~ ,ha
United States.
Mr. Miller presented petition from tezal;,b T. This
tie, complaining of the conduct Of tho Coss;oner Of
Patents.
Mr.. Clayton presented pe,;,;on from Midsbpman
Rogers, asking compensar an fo lss ,nJ spasr;ng sus
escape, &c,
WI -, maui few remarks on the services and suffer-
nd tho pfIpuo If tho