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 University of California Berkeley 
 
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 MODIFICATIONS ** 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MEXICAN MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TARIFF. 
 
 TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 
 
 November 5, 1847. 
 
 SIR The military contributions in the form of duties upon imports into Mexican ports, hav$ 
 been levied by the Department of War and of the Navy during the last six months under your 
 order of the 31st of March last, and in view of the experience of the practical operation of the 
 system, I respectfully recommend the following modifications in some of its details, which will 
 largely augment the revenue. 
 
 That the duty on silk, flax, hemp or grass, cotton, woolj worsted or any manufactures of the 
 same, or of either, or of mixtures thereof, coffee, teas, sugar, molasses, tobacco, and all manufac 
 tures thereof, including cigars and cigaritos, glass, china, and stoneware, iron and steel, and all 
 manufactures of either not prohibited, be thirty per cent, ad valorem. On copper and all manu 
 factures thereof, tallow, tallow candles, soap, fish, beef, poik, hams, bacon, tongues, butter, lard, 
 cheese, rice, Indian corn and meal, potatoes, wheat, rye, oats, and all other grain, rye meal and 
 oat meal, flour, whale and sperm oil, clocks, boots and shoes, pumps, bootees and slippers, bonnets, 
 hats, caps, beer, ale, porter, cider, timber, boards, planks, scantling, shingles, lathes, pitch, tar, 
 rosin, turpentine, spirits of turpentine, vinegar, apples, ship bread, hides, leather, and manufactures 
 thereof, and paper of all kinds, twenty per cent, ad valorem : 'And these reduced rates shall also 
 apply to all goods on which the duties are not paid, remaining not exceeding ninety days in de- 
 posite in the Mexican ports, introduced under previous regulations enforcing military contributions. 
 
 Yours, most respectfully. 
 (Signed) R. J. WALKER, 
 
 To the President. Secretary of the Treasury. 
 
 November 6, 1847. 
 
 The modifications as above recommended by the Secretary of the Treasury are approved by 
 me, and the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy will give the proper orders to carry 
 them into effect, 
 
 (Signed) JAMES K. POLK. 
 
 WAR DEPARTMENT, 
 Washington, November 8, 1847. 
 
 SIR I herewith send you a copy of an order of the President, modifying the existing rates of 
 contributions on imports into Mexican ports in our military possession. The modifications will 
 be at once adopted, and carried into effect on the receipt of a copy of said order. 
 
 With great respect, your ob't serv't. 
 Major Gen. Scott, (Signed) W. L. MARCY, 
 
 Com'de. U. S. Army, in Mexico. Secretary of War. 
 
 ' - j 
 
 NAVY DEPARTMENT, 
 Washington, November 8, 1847, 
 
 SIR I herewith send y^ou a copy of ah o'rdef of the President, modifying the existing rates of 
 c&nlfibmtolJs oil rmports'i'iitb Mexican ports in OUT military possession. The modifications will 
 be at once adopted, and carried into effect at each port on the receipt of a copy of said order. 
 
 Very respectfully, your ob't serv't. 
 
 &i M. Perry, (Signed) J. Y. MASON. 
 
 U. S. JSkval Forces, Gulf of Mexico. Secretary of the Navy- 
 
TRKASURY 
 November 16. 1847.' 
 
 SVrt With a view to augment the military contributions now collected by the Department of 
 tynr and of tT^.e r>vy. u infer yodi? oriief of the 3.1st of March la^t, 1 recommend 1 Ihat the export 
 duty exacted before the war by the Government of Mexico, be now collected at the port of ex- 
 'pnrtation, by the same officers of the Army or Navy of the United States in the Mexican ports 
 i'u our pjastjssiujj, why are, authorized to collect the import duties, abolishing however the prohibi : 
 lion of exports established in certain cases by the Mexican Government, as also all interior transit 
 J uties, dispensing alsu with the necessity of any certificate of having paid any duty to; the 
 Mexican Government ' 
 
 The exporl'duty would then be us follows: 
 
 On gold, coined, or wfougbt, three per cent, 
 
 Silver, coined, six per cent. 
 
 Stiver, wrought, with or without certificate of having paid any duty to the Mexican G'oyern- 
 ment, seven per cent. 
 
 Silver, refined, or pure, wrought- or in ingots, with or without certificate of having paid to tike- 
 ^exican Gfpve/nraent duty, seven per cent. 
 
 Gold, unwrought, or in a state of ore or dust, three per cent. 
 
 Silver, unwrought, or in a state of ore, seven per cent. 
 
 When gold or sifvei ia any form is taken from any interior Mexican city in our military pos 
 session, the export duty must; be paid there to the officer of the United. States Commanding, and 
 his certificate of such pre-payment must be produced at the Mexican port of exportation, other 
 wise a double duty win be collected upon t,he arrival of such gold or silver, at the Mexican port 
 oi" exportation. Whenever it is practicabfe, all internal taxes of every description, whether upon 
 persons or property, exacted by the Government of Mexico, or by any Department, town, or city 
 thereof, should be collected by our military officers in possession, and appropriated as military 
 contributions towards defraying the expenses of the war, excluding however all duties in the 
 transit of goods from one department to another, which duties being prejudicial to revenue, and! 
 restrictive of Vhe exchange of imports for exports, were abolished by your Order of the 31st of 
 March last. 
 
 Yours, most respectfully, 
 
 (Signed) R. J. WAtrKER, 
 To the President- Secretary of the Treasury. 
 
 November 16, 1S47. 
 
 The modifications and military contributions as above recommended by the Secretary of 
 the, Treasury ire approved by me, and the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy,: 
 will give the proper orders to carry them into effect. 
 
 (Signed) JAMES K. POLK. 
 
 WAR DEPARTMENT, 
 Washington, November 17, 1847. 
 
 SIR t herewith transmit to you an order made by the President dated the 16th instant, re 
 quiring the collection of ah export dury on gold and silver, and whenever it is practicable, all in 
 ternal taxes of every description, whether upon persons or property, exacted by the Government 
 of Mexico, or by any Department, town, or city thereof, to be collected by our military officers 
 in possession, except transit duty referred to in said order. 
 
 You will take proper measures, and give the necessary directions to carry this order into 
 to the utmost practicable extent. 
 
 Very respectfully, your ob't serv't, 
 
 (Signed) W. L. MARCY, 
 Major Gen. W. Scoit. Secretary of Wtat, 
 
NAVY DEPARTMENT, 
 Washington, November 17, 1847. 
 
 SIR I herewith transmit to you an order made by the President, dated the 16th instant, r- 
 quiring the collection of an export duty on gold and silver, and whenever it is practicable, all 
 internal taxes of every description, whether upon persons or property, exacted fay the Government 
 of Mexico, or by any Department, town, or city thereof, to be collected by our military officers in 
 possession, except transit duty referred to- in said order. 
 
 You will take proper measures, and gire the necesary directions to carry this order into effect 
 to the utmost practicable extent. 
 
 I am, respectfully, your oVt serr't. 
 
 Commodore M. C. Perry, (Signed) J. Y. MASON, 
 
 Com'dg. U. S. Squadron, Gulf of Mexico, Secretary of th Nary, 
 
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