" The Secretary of
the Treasury, in his annual report of that year, in making his estimate
of the amount of loan which would probably be required, reduced the sum
in consideration of the amount which would probably be derived from
these contributions, and Congress authorized the loan upon this reduced
estimate.
In the message of the 10th of February, 1848, to the Senate, it was
stated that--
No principle is better established than that a nation at war has the
right of shifting the burden off itself and imposing it on the enemy by
exacting military contributions. The mode of making such exactions must
be left to the discretion of the conqueror, but it should be exercised
in a manner conformable to the rules of civilized warfare.
The right to levy these contributions is essential to the successful
prosecution of war in an enemy's country, and the practice of nations
has been in accordance with this principle. It is as clearly necessary
as the right to fight battles, and its exercise is often essential to
the subsistence of the army.
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