The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-02-13
THIRTIETH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.


THIRTIETH CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.
Senate.
WASHINGTON, FEB IL, ls4s.
Prayer by Rev Mr. Curly.
Mr. Badger moved, that when the Senate adjourn it
adjourn over till Monday next Carried.
PRESIDENT s MESSAGE.
A message from the President communicated, Ia
reply to resolution of the Senate calling for in orma-
tien as to imposition of duties and in Mexico
which was ordered to be printed The message is ss
70 the Senate ofthe United States
answer the resolution of the Senate of the LIST 10
stsnr requesting be informed whether any du
ties imposts have bsen laid and coll .cted upon
goods and merchandise belonging to citizens of the nit
ed States exported by such citizens from the United
States Msxico and if what the rate of such du
ties, and what amount has been collected and also by
what authority Of law the have been laid and COL
eced refer the Senate to my annual message of the
18th of December last in which Informed Congress that
orders had been given to our military and naval com
msnders in Mexico adopt the policy prac-
ticabe Of levying military contributions upon the
my for the support OF our army AS one OF the modes
adopted for evving such contributions it stated in
that message that
ION the thirty first of March last, caused an order
to be issued to our military and naval commanders to
levy and collect military contribution upon all
and merchandise which might enter my of the ports
Mexico in our military occupation, and to apply such
contributions towards defaying the the
By virtue OF the right of conquest and the laws of
may either exclude foreign commerce altogether from
oil such ports permit 1t upon such terms and condi-
lions he prescribe Before the principal ports
Mexico bockaded by navy the revenue derived
from import duties under the laws Of Mexico paid
into the Mexican After these ports had fallen
into military possession the blockade raised and
commerce with them permitted upon prescribed terms
and conditions They TO the trade OF all
lions, upon the payment Of duties more moderate in
their than those which had been previously e-
We'd by Mexioo and the revenue, which formerly
iected BY our military and naval officers and applied
to the use OF our army and navy Care was taken
that the ocers soldiers, and sailors of and
ho tad tha nj fhso
der and as the merchandise imported upon which the
order operated must be consumed by Mexican citizens
the contributions exscted in effect the seizure of
the public revenues of Mexico and the application of
them to In directing this measure, the OBJ
ject to compel the enemy to contribute far as
practicable, towards the expenses of the wars
copy of the order referred to, with the documents
accompanying 1t, has been communicated to Congress
The order operated upon the vessels and andse
OF all nations whether belonging TO citizens Of the United
States or to foreigners arriving in Of the ports in
Mexico in our military occupation The contributions
levied q upon Mexican citizens who were the
consumers Of the merchandise imported But for the
permit or license granted by the order all vessels and
merchandise belonging to citizens of the United States
necessarily excluded from all commerce with Mex
ico from the Commencement of the war The coasts
and ports of Mexico ordered to be placed under
blockade the day Congress declared the to exist
and by the laws Of nations the blockade applied the
vessels of the United States veil to the vessels
ell other nations. Had no blockade been declared OF
had any of our merchant vessels entered any o,
che ports of Mexico not blockaded they would have
been liza to be seized and condemned lawful prize
itoperated privilege to the vessels of the United
States we'll to those of foreign countries to enter
the ports held by arms upon prescribed terms and
conditions 1t altogether optional with citizens
the United States and foreigners to avail themselves
the privilege granted upon the terms prescribed Cit
Of the United States and foreigners have awaited
themselves Of these privileges No principle is better
established than that nation at has the right of
shifng the burden of ITSELF and imposing it upon the
enemy, by exscting military contribution The mole
Of making such exactons must be lett to the discretion
ofthe conqueror put 1t should be exercised in
comfortable to the rules of civilized warfare.
The right to levy these contriou lions essential
the sstu prosecution of Ia enemys country
and the practice OF nations has been in daDce with
this principle clearly necessary the right to
fight battles, and its exercise is often essential to the
Entertaining doubt that the military right to ex-
clude commerce altogether from the ports enemy
in our military occupation included the minor right Of
admitting 1t under prescribed conditions it became an
important question: at the date Of the order whether
thsre should be discrimination between and
cargoes belonging to the citizens of the United States
ana vessels and cargoes belonging to neutral nations
Had the vessels and cargoss belonging citizens of the
United states been admitted without the payment Of
any duty, while duty was levied foreign vessels
and cargoes the object Of the order would have
defeated The whole commerce would have been con
Quoted in American vessels. No contributions could
have been collected, and the enemy would have
furnished With goods without the exacon from him Of
any contribution Whatever and would have been
benefited by military occup alton instead of being
made to feel the evils of the In order to levy these
contributions and to make them available for the So
port OF the army it became therefore absolutely
sary that they should be collected upon imports into
Mexican porLs whether in vessels ouging citizens
Of the United States or to foreigners
IL was deemed proper to end the privilege to
sells and their cargoes belonging to neutral nstous It
has been my policy since the the war
with Mexico, to act justly aud literally towards all neu
trail nations and to afford to them just cause OF
paint and We have seen the good of this
policy by the general satisfaction which IL has given
ln answer to the inquiry contained In the
to the rates OF duties imposed refer you the docu
ments which accompanied my annual message OF tn,
9TH Of December last, which contains the
From the scco npanyins reports OF the Secretary Of
War and the Secretary of the Navy IL will be seen that
the contributions have been collected all vessels and
csrgoes whether American or foreign but the
to the departments do not show with exactpe.s the
amounts collected American, rs bic from
foreign vessels and merchandise.
JAMES X. POLK.
WAsBrSoror, February 10, Is4s.
BLACK HAVE WAR
Mr. BREEsS presented memorial Of the legislature OF
Illinois, in relation to incurred by citizens of tn
State in the Black Hawk VIZ
col, n. NJ JOHNSON.
Mr.. CRrrTgNDEr presented n memorial from Col John.
asking for remuneration for certain Indian schools
erected by him.
MrpsHrrMAn EooERs
MI. CLAYTON presented memorial Of Midshpman
R,gers asking for remuneration for losses hardship and
suffering In the of his country AIR Clayton called
the attention of the COMMITTEE Military Affairs
services OF Midshpmsn Rogers-hs cutting ost the
Mexican brig from under walls Of San de Uoa
ana ms reconnosss Of the city 60 ssrviceable
Afterwards In the Investment Of Vera Cruz and duripQ
TINS DUTY he was captured, imprisoned in Vera Crnz
torments during the same Mr. C. also alluded To his
services 1 an aid to General Pillow after his escspe and
junction with the army at Pueba and the
airy notices Of him by that Ger and his ssryicss at
Chspultepec, &c and moved that the msmoria he re
fsrred 10 the Committee Military Affairs and
printed
Mr. HALg objected TO the printing of tbi, nsrsr,.,
few days ago, the senators from Ohio and from Ma,
sschusetts had presented memorials large bods, ~
the soc-ty of Friends asking for peace and then an
the OF economy the senate refused TO mint
them, He hoped the Senate would pursue course uni
form la i nature and not refuse the printing Of the
memorials Of large bodies Of Christians praying for
ana yet at the same time, print private memorials for