"
JAMES K. POLK.
WASHINGTON, _February 10, 1848_.
_To the Senate of the United States_:
In answer to the resolution of the Senate of the 1st instant, requesting
to be informed whether "any taxes, duties, or imposts" have been "laid
and collected upon goods and merchandise belonging to citizens of the
United States exported by such citizens from the United States to
Mexico, and, if so, what is the rate of such duties, and what amount has
been collected, and also by what authority of law the same have been
laid and collected," I refer the Senate to my annual message of the 7th
of December last, in which I informed Congress that orders had been
given to our military and naval commanders in Mexico to adopt the
policy, as far as practicable, of levying military contributions upon
the enemy for the support of our Army.
As one of the modes adopted for levying such contributions, it was
stated in that message that--
On the 31st of March last I caused an order to be issued to our military
and naval commanders to levy and collect a military contribution upon
all vessels and merchandise which might enter any of the ports of Mexico
in our military occupation, and to apply such contributions toward
defraying the expenses of the war.
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