The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-10
The Military Contributions.

IN VIEW ol the recent ana prospective ACTION on this
subject in the House of Representatives deem ii
proper TO repubsh this time the Presidents message,
Transmitted the Senate under date OF February TO- 1915
in response to call of that body, and copy of which
annexed TO the late message TO the House OF Repre-
senatives In these two documents every point pertain
ing to the whole subject of the policy OF the government
in the levy and application of the military contributions
for the support OF the is laid fully and fairly and, as
we think, with signal and conclusive ability before the
people
1t is difficult to imagine unfortunate and hope
less topic for factous agitation against the President
than is found in this matter presented in the recent
resolution of Mr. Bolts To say nothing of the length of
time which has elapsed since the contribution policy of the
President was brought fully and formally before Con-
gress in his annual messages of ls47 and 1918, without
any movement the part of Congress either TO condemn
arrest that policy, TO provide any legislative substi
tute for or check upon say nothing of the implied
sanction of ii by both Housesby the Senate in the at
fcaon of the treaty and the significant silence in which
the Presidents full exposition of his policy the 0h Of
February 1885, received by that body, and by the
House. accepting the avails of the contributions part
OF resources, when passing the loan bill ito say
nothing of all this il is admitted all hands, even by
the Presidents accusers, that his contribution policy
adopted and honestly carried ont, with the sole design of
transferring the burden of the much possible
from ourselves to public enemy; that in this view
that policy did subserve, in high degree, the purpose
for hch it was adopted and that thus contributed,
in large measure, not only to support the but also
hasten the restoration of advantageous and honorable
peace by diminishing the of the enemy while
it opened to American and neutral commerce easier
and cheaper to the Mexican market than had
ever enjoyed before.
If such policy this in the absence of any special
Legislation by Congress the subject be indeed beyond
the constitutional reach of Executive power in the
prosecution of lawful in enemys country, then
surely must be admitted that government stands, in
this respect in Notifying predicament of neriorty to
that of any other civilized nation, in respect at of
its capacity TO wage war, to mitigate its evils during its
continuance and to avail itself of the best modes known
to the law OF nations to bring the enemy to terms No
proposition be clearer, than that If this seizure Of
Mexican in the Mexican ports be no, lawful
levy of military contributions under the laws of nations
would be for the interest of the civilized world that it
should be made So in view of all the great principles
which those laws designed 10 imbody, and the great
interests of humanity which they designed TO protect
What, them is the position of the wing leaders in the
House, who come forward this late hour, fully admit
ing the Presidents right to levy military contributions
in far harsher and serner modes, to arraign him for
adopting this plan at SO humane towards the enemy,
40 face of execution, well fitted to close the war;
efecual in closing it, and witha clearly beneficial
TO the interests of neutral and American commerce To
make out any seeming show OF case in this accusa
ton the wing leaders are forced to palpabe pre-
texts and prctences lin putting forth which it is hard to
however their
judgments may be couded by party rage. They are
compelled to aver that the seizure of Mexican revenue
Mexican ports is contribution levied neutras and
Americans They are compelled to aver that these
third parties are thus robbed and plundered by be-
ing permitted, entirely al their option. and on
full notice. to carry into NJ ,xican ports, under
moderate military tariff, the very goods which, but
for that tariff could not, in time of war, have en-
tered those ports at all, and which We're, in fact,
almost wholly excluded from those ports in time Of
peace by the prohibve tariff of Mexico, of which our
contribution regulations took the place The alleged
injury these third parties consists in opening to their
enterprise, with complete security to their property in
time of war; number OF closed ports The alleged rob-
berry of them consists in giving them in effect bonus.
compared with the Mexican tariff tax, every article Of
merchandise they choose import! The alleged usurp.
atl0n OF power CoiSioto
effort to hasten by these means that early restoration OF
peace which must at once take out of his hands all pre-
tence Of to exercise the very power which he is said
10 have usurped He usurps-such is this accusation
an illegal power for the sake OF being both enabled
and compelled by the return of peace, just as soon as
possible lay down both that Illegal power and along
with it oil his other legal ,car pomers
In passing from this topic OF charge to arragn the DIS
bursenca of the contributions for the expenses OF the
war; and to insist that such disbursement requires spe
cal appropriation by Congress in each case TO make II
legal the accusers of the President have ventured upon
position even desperate. To say nothing OF the
unquestonabe proposition, that the right TO LEVY contri
buttons on the enemy for the support of the war implies
and in fact the right apply them, when levied TO The
support OF the war; say nothing of the fact that these
contributions when made in money, go into the military
chest for the war expenses and not into the treasury JUS
as food or clothing or military munitions seized from the
departments Of the army Selling them and that, there
fore, these contributions not beng in the treasury, no.
seized for the general purposes OF government but fo
war expenditure only thus beyond the reach of tha
provision of the constitution which requires appropr
alton by Congress before money can be dratcn from IN
treasury TO say nothing OF all this, much less thar
absurd TO say that the right of government to levy
military contributions is cloggcd by an impediment un
known TO any other government, and which, if il existed
would for all useful purposes practically nullify tn
II i A.. H. Il