Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-09

aloped by the collection OF duties II Inc pot's OF
Mexico N our military occupation dutins NE
late war with that republic
So well established IS The military Tishi 10 90
this under Inc laws 81 nations mat oui military
and naval officers, commanding our forces on
The theatre OF war, atuped The same ihole oil
leyying contributions rom the enemy, before the
he order o! the President Of the 3lst OF March,
| lS47 was issued The general in command OF
the armv al Vera Crrz. upon his own view oil
his powers and dulies and without specihc IN
structions 10 ,ha, effect, Immediately ater IN"
capture Of thai city, adopted this mode. BY ms
order OF The % h OF March, lS47, heretofore COM
municaeG 10 Inc House oil Representatives, ne
| directed 'iemTo!ary and moderate iat:H .! nu'
ties 10 be established"
Such tariff was established, and contrioa-
,ions we're collected and applied 10 tie uses OF
our army. Al still earlier PERIOD Inc same
power was exercised By lie naval Officers IN
/ command Of cur squadron on the Pacific coast.
MOI doubling the authority 10 resori 10 this
I mode Tie order Of the .'lst OF March, 1917, was
| issued, and was in effect bn! 4 modincai'oh
of The nreyiuns orders OF these othcefs, oy max
inc The rates of contribution uniform, and direct
inc their col ecrion in all The ports oil the eneiy
in orr military occupation and under our tempo
rary military government.
The right 10 lew contributions on the enemy
i
! norris was sanctioned by the treaty ot peace win
| Mexico. By that treaty both Governments ie'
G. gDised and confirmed The exercise oil ulat
| right BIZ its provisions "hc cusioin-houses d.
all ports occupied by the forces oil me unheu
| STATES" were, upon the exchange oi ratinchtioGs'
] m he delivered M 70 the Mexican authorizes,
together with all bonds ard evidences OF deo'
! tar duties on impoTlaiinns and expectations MOI
ut fallen due" and "all duties on imports aou
\ on exports collected Al such cuslom-houSse VI
elsewhere in Mexico by authority q me onieG
| Sts,es,p before The ratification OF Inc treay ny
lie Mexican Government, were 10 beire'ained oY
The United States, and only the metz amount Of
duties collected after lhis period was 10 De DC
livered 10 The Mexican Government" ny us
! nroyisions. also, al merchandise imported pre-
| yiousiy II the restoration Of the cus'om-nouseS
a. the Mexican authorities" or "e1pofied from
anv Mexican port willis, in The occupation OF
the forces of the United States. was Protected
| from confsca.ion and from the payment Oh any
| impor, or export duties 10 The Mexican Govern
menl seven although The Importation ol sIen
merchs ndise she prob bed by he Mexican Ia
riff" The treaty also provides that should lhe
custnm-hnuses be surrendered 10 the Mexican
au,hcrilies in less than sixty days from lhe da'e
| Of lis signature the rates Of duly on Merchandise
impo.ed BY HE United States were, IN ihat
event 10 survive the war until the end oil ms
| period; and, in the mean time, Mexican custom
bonse officers were bound 10 levy no other duties
! theieon "lhan the duties established by the tariH
! found in force al such custom-honse al inc ''lis
| of the restoration OF line same Inc iaiiu
tound in force al such custom-houses," when Is
RECOGNISED and sustained by this stipulation, was
thai established by The military order OF Inc 3ist
Of March, 1917, as mode OF levyins and COL
lecrino military contributions from the enemy.
The risbt 10 blockade the ports and coasts Oh
the enemy in war is no more provided Tor OF pre-
scrbed by the constitution than The night 10 levy
and collect contributions from him in the form ol
dnties or otherwise; and yet it has mol been ques'
| tionea that the President had the power, after
war had been declared by Congress, 10 order our
navy 10 blockade the ports ami coasts OF NleAico.
| TIL RICH, ia both cases exists under me laws u
nations. If The President cannot order millIaiy
contributions 10 be collected without an ae' VI
! Congress, for the same reason be cannot otdef d
blockade: nor can he direct The enemy's Vesssls
n ~ capiorsd on the high seas nor can ne or:er
our military and naval officers 10 invade Inc enc
my's country, conquer, hold and subject 10 OUT
military government his cities and provinces;
nor can he give to our military and naval com
manders orders 10 perform many o'her acls es-
| senlial 10 success in war.
II. when The city OF Mexico was captured, inc
commander OF our forces had found IN me Hiexi,
can treasury public money when Inc enemy nay
provided TO support his army, can II be douo'eu
tia, he possessed The right 10 selz' and aPpfoP'i'
1 a,e il for The use OF our own army :,
II The money captured from the enemy could
have been thus lawfully seized and appropriated
| il would have been by virtue OF the laws OF war,
recognized by all civilized nationsi and oy me
same authority The sources OF revenue ana VI
SUNNY Of The enemy may be cut of from HIM,
whereby he may be weakened and crippled 10
| his means of continuing or Waslns Inc wal. ~
| the commanders OF our forces, while actihS uh,
/ der the or.ers OF the President In the neail Q!
the encmy's country, and surrounded oy nos.
| Tile papulation. possess none oil these essential
| and indispensable powers Of war; bat mus nai'
the army al every sep Of lis progress and wal
| ,nr an act of Congress 10 be passed 10 aulhoriZe
| them 10 do that which every other nation mas
The right 10 do by virtue OF the laws OF NATIONS,
| then, indeed IS The government oil Inc Chi'eu
| S ates 10 condition Of imbeciity and weakness
which mus, in all future time render u inposs.-
be 10 prosecute foreign war in an enemy
country successfully, or 10 vinficate Inc naiohdi
| rights and The national honor ny "af,
Tho contributions levied were collected III the
e,cm. ! country. and we're ordered to be tap
pliedT il the cnemy's country towards delray-
inc the expenses Of the war" an the approprl.
aiions made by Congress for that purpose were
Tins relieved, and considerable balances remain
ell undrawn from the treasury. The amount Of
contributions remaining uncSpended at lhe close
Of The war, as far as the accounts OF collec ing
aod discussing officers have been settled, have
been paid into the treasury, in pursuance OF an
order for that purpose, except the sum applied
towards the payment Of the first instament due
under The treaty with Mexico" as stated IN my
last annual message, for which an appropriation
had been made BY Congress- Tn accounts OF
some Of these officers, as stated in the report oil
the Secretary OF War accompanying that mes
sage, will require legislation before they can be
finally settled.
In The late war with Mexico, il is confidently
believed that Inc levy OF Contributions aid INC
seizure OF the sources OF public revenue, up,n
which the enemy relied 10 enable him 70 CONTINUE
The war, essen tally contributed 70 has,ch peaee.
By those means The government an peoPle q
Mexico were made 10 feel the pressure ot me war,
ami 10 realize that ii it was pforaced, us burdens
and inconveniences mus be borne oy themselves
Notwithstanding the great success OF our arms
!, NAV well be doubled whether an honorable
peace would vel have been obtained, but Tor The
yery contributions which were exceed.
JAMES X. POLK.
WASHINGTON, January2 iS49.