Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-08-11
Ertrad Of hHo (rOmthe Sccretofgo f lfar 10
HajOr Gcn. GaiHts, dattd
" AR DEPARTMENTS,
July IL, go.

" AR DEPARTMENT, |
July Il, 1870.
=" have received and submitted 10 the President
Yonf letter June 7ll, together with the report made
10 YOU by Capt. Dean.
" an apprelIensivc from the .cnor ol lllif
port, a> we'll rs from Your observations, that the
frontier has much TO fear from the hosllilies of the
Indian tribes living in Texas On this subject il
Is proper 10 call your attention 10 the instructions
previously issued to You, and To say 10 YOU that if
the conduct Of the Indians in Texas threatens the
frontier whose defence is entrusted 10 YOU, and
Non consider 1t necessary, with view 10 lis pro-
lection, TO advance far Nacoedochcss YOU will
do So without hesitation. II the authorities of
that country cannot prevent Godlrs OF sayages from
approaching our frontier in arms, the necessary
precautionary measures must be taken by YOU.
! his Is the view of the President
These Instructions, it viii he seen, confer upon
Gen. Games no more additional or more absolute
power than that with which lie had been previous
~ elolhed-bnl, on the contrary, repeats the limi-
tatlons contained in the Secretar}'s dispatches
Of the llih of May. The discretionary pow
er with which he was invested 10 cross the Sabine
Is lanamonnt to an express prohibition of such
movement until some one OF the contingent les
mentioned shall have happened, OF be seriously
threatened. These contingencies are,
ln, The approach towards our frontier of arm
ed bodies, either or Mcxcans or TEXANS,
with an evident design to violate our terrific
ry and
2dfg, The employment" by either of the bel
ligerrnt parties in Texas, of the Indians, in
such manner as TO cndanger the peace of our
Il,
dies of savagcs from approaching our frontier
in arms
Tbese Two stipnlarions were the limit of Gen.
1alnes's discretionary powers, beyond which he
had no more risIh to stretch his authority han he
would have had to seize upon Naeogdoches bad
no instructions whatever been given 10 him.
Has either of these contingencies happened 2
No. Gen. Gaines himself, in announcing his de
termination to invade the Mexicln territory, makes
no such prctcncc. lie docs not sa, that our from
tier was endangered, either by the bellieerent par
ties IN Texas or by the Indians, but rests his de
fence upon the rrmor that the Caddoe Indians, 20
miles wesl OF Nacoedochcs, and 70 miles beyond
our frontier, had killed two men and wounded an
other-not American cilizens but TEXANS. F.
ven II this rnmor were true, we leave il 10 the iudp-
ment OF the reader to determine whether 80 insip-
nheant circumstance can be, by any inpc-
nnitv, magnllied into Importance enough to JUS
t'iy the invasion OF the territory ola friendly DOW
or
But we have not tic least doubt that the rumor
'iSeli is untrne--a pure invention, manufactured
Tor the purpose of ustiling PREDETERMINED act.
And we believe so, because we had precisely the
sa'he inmors, when, previously To the victory of
San Jaento, Gen. Gaines was ON the eye Of ma
KING a similar movement, the necessity of which,
however, Mas entirely removed, as soon as that
victory, by which it was thought that the indcpcn-
dence ol Texas was secured, had apparently pros
tratcd the Mexican power But no sooner do thr
MeNicans again return to Texas than Indian
murders are again manufactured, and General
Gaines again discovers umt the safety of onr from
ner requires thal he should take POSSESSION Of M
cogdoelles AID it will strike the reader as n
remarkable coincidence, that he heard of these
Indian murders by the very same express which
conveyed To him Gen. RISKS letter, announcing
the return OF the McNican> To Texas And what
Is sill more remarkable, in Gen Gaines, call for
troops, he docs not estimate the forces Of the In
d'dhS, Tor the protection of frontiers agains,
whom he prctcndS they are wanted. but expressly
say that hc will need ga force faHg t7aal 10 tat
othe principal bcHgerent,' that is, the Niexi
cans ! Why does he make the Mexican STRENGTH
the standard OF his rrqnsilion for troops if he
does not anticipate (gIn with the Mexcans rarh
a.. IL, L., 2