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

case OF military contributions taken kind, upon what
law or principle any distinction between such
tributons and contributions IN money! Are not both
seized by the authority seized for the same pur
poses, and under the controll 1t is said that
General Buffers payment, out OF the contribution fund
in the military chest of the first instament due TO Mex
leo under the treaty. and for which appropriation had
been made by Congress- was illegal He had the money
there He knew of the appropriation; and he paid the
money, and his government fully approved his course
Wing wisdom gTumbles at his act. And for -wha
Why, because he did not first send on to Washington
the money which he had and then lug back to Mexico
from Washington just much more money, and then
hand to the Mexican authorities at their capital,
having, in the first instance, duly paid the expense OF
the escort down Vera Cruz and then back from Vera
Cruz besides the freight and insurance on to Washing
ton? Can anything be conceived more preposerous than
all this But we wait for the forthcoming Report from
the House committee for new, and full and pregnant
revelations touching the true mode of conducting the
operations of the pay department of the army in war
time.
In fact, this whole procedure of the wings of the
House shows, that the opposition TO own country
and government in this matter of the Mexican war dies
hard. Like the drowning man, catches at straws, 1t
feels that lis position before the country from the first
has been perae 1t looks back upon the record OF Its
votes and speeches, and forward earfuy TO the judg
ment, and hereafter of the people upon them 1t
seeks to divert the public attention from these things
to new charge against the President The attempt
ororn hope and must reco on the heads of its conr
vers.
But we will detain our readers no longer from the
sage.
TO the Senate of The Uaifed States:
In answer the resolution of Tie Senate of the lt instant
requesting be informed whether any taxes, duties,
i'm posts" have been 'lad and collected" upon goods and
merchandise belonging 10 citizens OF the United States eX
ported by such citizens from the United States to Mexico
and So what is the of such dutes and what amount
been collected, and also by what authority of law the
have been laid and collected refer the Senate to
my message of the 9TH Of December last in which
Informed Congress that orders had been given mill
tary naval commanders Mexico, adopt the policy,
far is practicable of levyng military contributions
upon the enemy for the support Of army As one OF
the modes adopted for evyng such contributions,
stated in that message that
"On thirty first of March last, caused order tn be
issued military and naval conmauders levy and
collect military contribution upon all vessels and mer
chandise which might OF the ports OF Mexico in
military occupation, and to apply such contributions
towards deayng the expenses OF the war BY virtue of
the right of conquest aud the laws OF war; the consucror
consulting his own safely convenience may either
cude foreign altogether from all such ports.
pernitit upon such and cond tlons as he
scribe Before the principal ports OF Mexico were block
AIDED by the revenue derived from import duties,
under the laws OF Mexico, was paid into the Mexican
tfeasny After these ports had fallen into our military pos
session the blockade raised and with Them
permitted upon prescribed terms and conditions. They
open the trade Of all nations the OF
had been previously levied by Mexeo the revenue,
which was formerly paid INTO the Mexican treasury was
and applied to the use of our army and navy Care was
taken that the officers soldiers, and sailors OF our army and
and as the merchandise imported upon which the order
operated be consumed by Mexican citizens the
revenues OF Mexico, and the application OF them to our
use In directing this measure, the object was TO
compel the enemy contribute, as lar rs practicable to-
wards the expenses of the war"
copy of the order referred to- with the documents
com panyng it, has been communicated to Congress.
The order operated upon the vessels and merchandise
If all nations whether belonging citizens of the United
States foreigners arriving in OF the ports in Mex-
90 in our military occupation The contributions levied
we're a upon Mexican citizens, who were the consul
ners merchandise imported. But for the permit
license granted by the order l vessels and merchandise
belonging citizens of the United States necessarily
excluded from all commerce with Mexico from the
nencement of the Tho coasts and ports OF Mexico
we're ordered placed under blockade the day Con
res declared the exist and by the laws Of nations
the blockade applied the vessels of the United States
veil as vessels of all other nations Had blockade
been declared had any of merchant vessels entered
my of the ports of Mexico bockaded they would have
,een liable be seized and condemned as Lawful! prize by
tne Mexican authorities When the order issued, it
operated privilege to the vessels OF the United Sates
held by arms upon prescribed terms and conditions
altogether optional with citizens of the United States
md foreigners avail themselves OF the privilege granted,
upon the terms prescribed Citizens of the United States
md foreigners have awaited themselves OF these privileges
No principle better established than that nation at war
,as the riaht of shifting the burden off ITSELF and imposing
it upon the enemy, by exacting military contributions.
The mode of making such exacons must be left to the dis
.re,ion of conqueor but should be exercised In a
manner conlormabe the rules of civilized warfare
The right levy these contributions is essential to the
prosecution of in enemys country, and
the practice of nations has been in accordance with this
principls # ia as clearly necessary the right to fight
battles and its exercise is often essential 10 the subsistence
Of TIE army.
nteainng doubt that the miar right to exclude
commerce altogether from the ports OF the enemy IN orr
military occupation included the minor right OF admitting
[ under prescribed conditions, it became an important
,ueson at The date of the orde whether there should be
alton vessels and cargoes belonging TO
the zen. OF United States, and vessels and cagoes
belonging neutral nations. Had the vessels and cargoes
belonging citizens Of the United States been admit
ted without the payment any duty while duty was
levied foreign vessels and cargoe the object OF the Or
Ter would have been defeated. The whole commerce
would have conducted in American vessels No
btious could have been collected, aud the would
nave rnshed with goods without the exacon from
him of any contribution whsever aud would have been
thus benefited by military occupation, instead oil be-
ing made to feel evils of the In order to levy these
rbutons and to make available for the support
IF the army became therefore absolutely that
hey should collected upon imports into Mexican ports
whether vessels belonging to ctzen OF the United states
TO fore igpcrs.
cargocs belonging neutral nations 1t has been
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