10% fee on all transfers to “Mexico”
DECLARATION OF WAR!
Polk received word of the Thornton Affair, which, added to the Mexican government’s rejection of Slidell, Polk believed, constituted a casus belli (cause for war).[26]
His message to Congress on May 11, 1846, stated that “Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil.”
Congress approved the declaration of war on May 13, with southern Democrats in strong support. Sixty-seven Whigs voted against the war on a key slavery amendment,[29] but on the final passage only 14 Whigs voted no,[29] including Rep. John Quincy Adams.
Congress declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846, after only having a few hours to debate. Although President Paredes’s issuance of a manifesto on May 23 is sometimes considered the declaration of war, Mexico officially declared war by Congress on July 7.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War