Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-02-19

use 81 our army and navy Care tax en- that the
SOU anu sailors OF and navy should be exempted
upon which the operated must be consumed by
the contributions exaced were In effect the
- e public revenues of Mexico and the application
@ - our own use In directing this measure, the object
sopei the enemy to contribute as far as practicable
towards the expenses OF the war;
copy o. Tue order referred with the
pany ing u, mas been communicated to Congress
Inc order operated upon the vessels and merchandise "a
all nations whether belonging citizens Of the United atex
or Foreigners arriving Of the ports in Mexico in our
military occupation The contributions levied were tax mon
czshs VINO were the consumers the merchandise
imported But for the permit license granted nv he order
all vessels and merchandise belonging 10 &c NJ Ir,
States were necessarily excluded from all commerce WITH
Mexico from the commencement OF the war The coasts and
ports OF Mexico ordered be placed under
the day Congress declared the exist and by the laws Of
nations the blockade applied the vessels the
well the vessels Of all other nations Had No
been declared had ny ~
The ports Of Mexico not bockaded they have been liable
to be seized and condemned as lawful prize by the Mexican a
hores When the order issued operated as priy-
ege to the vessels Of the United States wen as those OF
countries TO enter the ports held upon
scrIbed terms and conditions II altogether 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 ayaled Of
these yeges No principle is established than that
nation has right OF shifting The burden off itself
and imposing upon the enemy by exactng military
buttons The mode OF making such be left to
the discretion Of the conqueror bur should be
he right to levy these contributions the sue
cessui prosecution of in eDemys country the
practice oil nations has been accordance with this
IL - as clearly necessary the right fight battles and
exercise is often essential the subsistence of the army
Entertaining doubt that the military right exclude
commerce altogether from the ports the enemy mill
tar occupation ncluded the ght admitting under
prescribed conditions il became
date 81 the order whether there should be
tween vessels and caoes belonging the United
States and vessels and cagoes belonging nations
Had the vessels and cargoes belonging United
States been admitted without the payment OF duty while
duty levied foreign vessels cargoes object
the order would have been defeated The whole commerce
would have been conducted in American
tons could have been collected and the enemy would have
been furnished with goods without the exacon from him of
contribution whatever and would have been thus bene-
hted by military occupation, instead of being feel
the evils of the In order levy contributions
to make them available for the support of the army
therefore absolutely that they should be collected
upon imports into Mexican ports whether in vessels belong
ing to citizens OF the United States foreigners.
1t was deemed proper the privilege vessels
and their cagoes belonging neutral nations 1t been
to act justly end literally towards all nations and
afford to them just of complaint, and
the good OF this policy by the general
ton which il has given.
In to the inquiry contained in the resolution
rates OF duties imposed refer you the documents which
annual message the 9TH Of December last
which contain the information.
the Secretary of the Navy it will be that the conrbu-
tons have been collected all vessels and cargoe whether
American foregn but the the Departments do
not show with the collected American
dsinguishable from foreign vessels and merchandise
JAMES X. POLK.