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

pUrlS had alien INTO cur military possession the
blockade was raised, and Commerce with them
permitted upon prescribed terms and conditions.
They were opened 10 The Trade OF ali naIIons,
upon The payment OF duties more moderate IN
theiriamouni Than those which had been previous
ly levied BY Mexico and The revenue which was
formerly paid inro The Mexican treasury was d.
rected 10 tc collected by orr military and naval
officers, and applied 10 Tie use Of on! army aud
navy. Care was taken that III. officers, soldiers
and sailors OF our army and navy should Be
exemp cd from the operations oil The Oriei; and
as The merchandise imported, upon which The or
der operated, mus, be consumed by Mexican Gill
GEMS The contributions exacied were in rticc, he
seizure oil the public revenues Of Mexico, and
the application Of them 10 our own use. In ii.
recling this smeasure, the object was 10 compel
the enemy 10 contribute, as lar as practicable,
towards the expenses Of The war"
II was also slated in that message, thai "neas-
ures have recently been adopted, BY which The
internal as well as the external revenues OF Mex
ico in all places in military occupation, will
be seized and appropriated 10 the use OF our army
and navy.
"The policy of lcvyins upon The enemy con.
uibulions in every form consistently with the
laws Of nations, which il may be practicable Tor
our military commanders TO adopt should, in my
Judgment, be rigidly enforced, and orders 10 this
effect have accordingly been given. BY such
policy, al The same lime that our own treasury
will Be relieved from heavy drain, The Mexican
people will be made 10 feel the burdens OF the
war and, consulting their own interests, may be
induce the more readily 10 require their rulers
TO accede 10 just peace"
In the same message, Informed Congress
that the amount of the "loan" which would be
required for the further prosecution Of the war,
l. hat pf
penditure can be saved BY military contributions
collected in Mexico;" and that "thc most rigo-
rous measures for the augmentation OF these
contributions have beon directed, and very
considerable sum is expected from that source"
The Secretary of the Treasury, 10 his annual re-
port Of that year, in making his estimate Of the
amount ofloan which would probably be derived,
reduced the sum in consideration Of the amount
which would probably be derived from these cen
tribu,ions, and Congress authorized the loan up
on this reduced estimate. In the message of the
10Th of February, ls4S, 10 the Senate, il was
stated that "No principle is better established
than that nation at war has the right Of shifting
the burden off itself, an! imposing it on the enc
my by exacting military contributions. The mode
OF making such exaclions must b. e;i . The dis
crelion OF The conqneror, but it should be exer'
cised in manner comfortable 10 The rules OF
civilized warfare. The right 10 levy these con-
tribulions is essential 10 the successful prosecu.
lion oil war in an enemy's COUNTRY; and the prac-
ice OF nations has been in accordance with this
principle. II is as clearly necessary as the right
10 fight battles, and its exercise is ot:en essential
10 The subsistence Of the army. En'eraining 40
doubt tha, The military right 10 e1clu.e COM
merce altogether from The ports OF The enemy 10
Our military occupation inc'u led The mldor iign'
Of a.minine il under prescribed con 'iiioIs Il BE-
came an important question, al The date q Inc
order, VIII her there should he a discrimination
between vessels and caraues belonging 10 citizens
OF The United States and vessels aud cargoes be-
longing 10 neutral nations"
In The message to The House Of Representatives
fthe oath Of July, 1918, il was stated thai III is
from the same source oil authority that we derive
the unqueslioned right, alter the war has been de.
clared by Congress 10 blockade the po!,s AMI
coasts ofthe enemy, 10 capture his towns, cites,
and provinces, and 10 levy contributions upon
him for The support Of our army. Oi the same
character with these is The rsh 10 subject 10 our
temporary military government The conquered
territories oiour enemy. They are all belligeranl
rights and their exercise is essential 10 Inc sue
cessnl prosecution OF foreign war as The right 10
fight b.: les"
By The Constitution, the power, ITO declare"
s,tumenl il is provided hat "ihr Pre!e shall
b. CON nandar.n chief Of the army and navy OF
the Uni,cd States" and that che shall lake care
lha, the laws be faithfully executed
When Congress have eXerte! their power BY
declaring war against foreign na'icn, il i Inc
duty Of The Pfeeiden, 10 prosecute i. The Con
sti,u ion has prescribed no particular mode in
! hich he shall perform this duty.
The manner OF conducting The war is not deil-
ned b. the constitution.
The term Uar, used in that instrument has
well understood meaning among nations. lha'
meaning is derive! from the laws q nations,
code which is recognized BIZ all civiiIz'd Tow
crs as being obligatory in state of war The
power i. derived from the Constitution, and he
manner Of exercising it IS regulated ~ the laws
OF nations. When Congress have declared war,
they, in effect, make The duty OF The President,
in prosecuting j, By land and sea, 10 resort 10 al,
The modes and &c exercise ali The powers ana
righ's which other nations al war possess.
He is invested with tie same power IL this
rcs2r2; as if he were personally present, com
maudns our fees by SEA, or our armies ny
land. He may conduct The war by issuing OF
ders for fighting balles, besieging and ca !nf'hs
cities, conouefing and holding The provinces o.
The enemy, OF By capturing his vessels ana olhef
properly on Inc high seas. Bat these are noi inc
only modes OF prosecuting The wal when are r.
coenizeL b. The laws OF nations, and 70 "h'cn Nc
is authorized to resort. The levy OF coh'floa-
tons on the enemy is right OF war, well es'ab
lished. and universally acknowledged among ma
,ioGs, and one which every belliee!cni poss ssina
the ability NAV properly exercise. The mos ap-
proved writer's on public law ADM! and Vindi-
ca c this right as consonant with reason, Iusllce
and humanity.
No principle is better established than that we
have right 10 deprive our enemy OF MS pos
sessions, of everything which may augment ms
strength and enable him IL make war. ms
every one endeavors 10 accomplish IN The man
ner most su table 10 him, Whenever We nave
an opportunity we seize on the enemys properly
and convert il TO our own use; aHd thus, besides
diminishing the enemy's power, we augment our
own and OBJ ain Al least pariIa! indcmninca''oh
or equivalent either for what constitutes The sub
iec Of the war, or for The expenses and losses IL
CURED ia is prosecution; in word, we do our
selves Justice" "Insead of the custom o! pillag
ing the open country and detenceless places" me
levy OF contributions has been substituted. =
"Whoever carries on just war; mas iish' "
make the cncmys country contribute 10 me sup
port of his army, and towards deirayins all me
charges OF the war. Thus he obtains part Of
what is due to him; and the cnemy's subjects, by
conserving 10 pay The sum demanded, have Their
properly secured from piasc, and The country IS
preserved" These principles, il Is believed, are
unconlroverted by any civilized nation in medeIn
times. The public Law Of nations. by which they
are recognized, has been held by our highest ju-
dicial tribunal as code which IS applicable 10
our "silualion" in state OF war, aad binting on
the United States; while in admiralty and mari
time cases il is often the governing RUE l. IS IN
a lust war that nation has the fright 10 make
The enemy's country contribute to The support Of
his army" Not doubling that our late war with
Mexico was just on the part of the United States,
| did not hesitate, when charged by The consiitu-
lion with It's prosecution, 10 exercise power
common to all other nations; and Congress was
duly informed OF the mode and extent 10 which
thai power had been and would be exercised al
The commencement OF their first session thereafter
Upon The declaration Of war against Mexico
nv Congress, The United States we're entitled 10
all The rights which any oher nation at wal
would have possessed. These rights could only