with our people and those of other civilized nations, she will continue
the far more moderate system of duties resembling that prescribed by
these regulations.

In the meantime it is not just that Mexico, by her obstinate persistence
in this contest, should compel us to overthrow our own financial policy
and arrest this great nation in her high and prosperous career. To
reimpose high duties would be alike injurious to ourselves and to all
neutral powers, and, unless demanded by a stern necessity, ungenerous to
those enlightened nations which have adopted cotemporaneously with us a
more liberal commercial policy. The system you now propose of imposing
the burden as far as practicable upon our enemies, the people of Mexico,
and not upon ourselves or upon friendly nations, appears to be most just
in itself, and is further recommended as the only policy which is likely
to hasten the conclusion of a just and honorable peace.

A tonnage duty on all vessels, whether our own or of neutral powers, of
$1 per ton, which is greatly less than that imposed by Mexico, is
recommended in lieu of all port duties and charges. Appended to these
regulations are tables of the rates at which foreign money is fixed by
law, as also a separate table of currencies by usage, in which a
certificate of value is required to be attached to the invoice. There is
also annexed a table of foreign weights and measures reduced to the
standard of the United States, together with blank forms to facilitate
the transaction of business.

It is recommended that the duties herein suggested shall be collected
exclusively in gold or silver coin. These duties can only be collected
as a military contribution through the agency of our brave officers of
the Army and Navy, who will no doubt cheerfully and faithfully collect