The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-13
Message of the President
We learn from the Picavune that


We learn from the Picayune that
the Sd inst the President sent message TO the House
in reply to resolution Of Mr. Bo
Constitution or by what other authority the Secretary Of
tariff Of duties ties IN ports Of the
Mexican Repubie DUNG the var with Mexico and by
thus derived" appropriated to the support of the army
resolution assumes says the President that the secre
s Of If ,s MsHyn tariff Of duties The
ected this established by the Secretary Of
ous s u m aad N.S Sf By The
the President Objected The sesrsta!y Of the
ssO ws s mss and ans Ss 3 him scale as
based t.
show s with my M a, of
The authority under which military contributions were
Of the sp were sG
IN the several messages referred to.
Here follow extracts from the messages referred
to relative to this subject, all of which are doubt
less familiar to our readers
BY the Constitution the to declare vested in
President shall Be Chief Of the af na
that the laws be faithfully executed lie SUD" 'AA'
war have Their BY declaring
to prosecute it. The Constitution has prescribed no pacu
iaT Inc NODE Dc IN which he shall perform this duty
President contends that The constitution prescrb
ed no particular manner in which to be conducted he
?s mfes
BY land He may conduct the by issuing orders for
UeseRinS ana capturing cries, cOnQueDng
vessels and other property on the high seas But these are
BY nations and to Which he auth s to re-
well ana the h
ana one which every begeent the ability
Whenever have opportunity seize on the enemy's
property and convert it to and thus, beside,
obtain at least partial decentralization Or equiv aient either
sor what the subject war for
selves Justice Instead OF the custom of pilagng the open
S a Wsl
has right to make the enemys country contribute the
the Thus he obtains part Of what due 10 him and
the enemys subjects by conserving the demanded
nawe the5r secured from page and the
III UP1n the DECLARATION of against Mexico by Congress
ohe5 nation at war would have possessed These rights
whose duty commander of the army and
navy OF the United States execute the law of Congress
provided for raising and money to enable the ffesIden
TO prosecute to speedy and successful termination
Rs nn
Inc node OF eyyng contributions must necessarily be left
as s 81 BE-
p bd 81 yn I'm OF %
province be exercised by imposing tax
and Be &c the
Ct e ss Mode by the
So well established is the military right do this under the
s % fnS hs
oef Of the March, w UsG u se
he general a IN command OF the army at Vera Cruz upon
instructions that effect Immediately after the capture Of
that city adopted th mode BY bis order Of the 2sh of
Ifentatlyes he directed temporary and moderate tariff of
Such tariff was established and contributions were COL
and te spped 10 the uses OF our I'm At M earle,
command OF our SQUADRON the Pacific
when the ely OF Mexico was captured the commander
be doubted that the right to seize and appro
If the captured from the enemy could have been
thus tn awfoy s seized and i would have been
tons and BY the same authority the sources and
he o. eped his Of oonnung
or wagng the war If the commanders OF our forces while
possess of these and indispensable powers Of
an act Of Congess be passed to authorize them
DO that which other ,a ration has h hight to do By
nIted States IN condition OF lmbecily and weakness
cute foreign war in an enemy country successfully or to
vndcate the national rights and the national honor by
country and We're ordered to be applied in the enemy
country toward defayng the expenses Of the war; and
thus relieved and considerable remained undrawn
at cose Of the e
collecting and discussing officers have been settled have
purpo.e except the sum applied towards the payment Of
he first insalmen due under the treaty with Mexico
stated last annual message, for which appropra-
hese officers stated in the of the Secretary of War
accompanying that will require legislation before
hey can be finally settled.
In the late with Mexico, it confidently belved that
he levy of contributions and the seizure of the of
public upon which the enemy relied enable him
continue the essentially contributed hasten peace.
By those the Government and people of Mexico
made to feel the pressure of the and realize that if
protracted, its burdens and inconvenience must be
)orne by themselves.
notwithstanding the great of arms, it
we'll be doubted whether honorable peace would yet have
obtained but for the very contributions which
lcted. JAMES K POLK |
WASHING TON, Jan. 2, 1919.