Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1843-08-23
laWSCEkLANEOUS.
From thc St. Louis Ereniug Gazette.

From the St. Louis Erening Gazette.
Gen. Gaines and The Santa FeI'raders.
Through the polieness Of that indeiatI-
gable and veteran officer, Gen. Games.
we are enabled 10 present our readers with
a transcript Of the energetic despatch for
wurded 10 him BY Brigadier General lay
lor, comm audiug at Fort Smith, Arknn-
sas, relative to the line of conduct which
will hereafter govern the military with re-
gard to the escort and protection oil the
Santa Fe tradcrs.-The spirit in which
the document is written will, we have no
doubt, have due influence upon tho ru!-
fans who are now prowline iu the vicinity
Of our southwestern frontier. General
lGaines deserves aud should receive, for
his prompli,ude in this matter, the thanks
Of his fellow .ciiizcns.
LETTER OF GEN. GAINES TO GEN. TAYLOR.
Head Quarters, 81. Louis, Missouri,
July 9th, 1913.
Sir: An escort for The protection oi
Santa Fe Traders has hecn asked for, and
authorised by the Department Of War, 10
leave independence. Missouri, on the 9th
of August uc&t, or as s0on thereafter as
practicable.
While making arrangements TO furnish
the desired escort, have received the re-
port Of Capt. ST. g. Cooke, Of The resi-
ment of Dragons, by which | had that,
although he had met with and very pro
periy disarmed one hundred men profess
| ing TO be Texans, whose avoycd object
was To attack and capture The Mexican
caravans found upon the Santa Fe road,
vet some other men Of the same descrip-
iion are supposed 10 be sill lowering about
this trading road ready topouncc upon The
uuofieuding caravans.
! This must not be. 1t is our boundcn
duty 10 put down oil predatory movements
of this sort Of land priva,eeriug, such rs
have TOO long contributed TO mark the
character Of men calling themselves men,
bcrs Of American Republics towards each
other.
We must destroy, arrest, or disarm all
such lawless combinations wherever found
within or near our unmarked boundary.
In the case under consideration, il IS very
evideu, that 40 such movements or cap
lures car take place any where upon The
Santa Fo road. without jcoparding the
lives aud property Of many OF our good
citizens engaged in this valuable and
growing trade. Under this view OF The
subject could not hesitate To approve the
conduct of that excellen, officer, Captain
Cook.
The question whether the prelcrded
Texiaus were found within our territorial
limits or mol, was question which, in the
absence Of marked boundary, Captain
Cooke had right to decide, so far as the
government OF his conduct was concerned,
while in the discharge Of the duty assign
ed to him. His duty was 10 afford pro-
lection to the persons and property of the
citizens of the United States aud Mexico,
lawfully engaged in trade upon The Santa
Fc road.
The sacred character Of this du:y re-
quircs perfect imparIiality OIL The part OF
the United States, commander to wsr,m ii
is couGded. aud naturally constitutes him,
whilo acting under The authority Of his
Government. Fl, and proper judge for
the time being TO decide how far he can
20, aud where nc shoald hall. consistently
with the we'll known principles of the law
of nations.
have long acted upon the principle
,ha, for the purposes Of protection of nn-
Offending cilizc1s against savases, as well
as against predatory bands of civilized
men disposed to violate The known laws Of
war, or 10 viulalc the long cherished rim
ciples Of tha, free trade and social inter-
course which have done so much for the
great cause Of civilization and free govern
ment throughout the civilized word, We
should not hesitate to con3ider every foot
OF land and walcr nonr our unmarked
boundary, and especially that upon the
Santa Fc road, from the Missouri 10 the
Rio del Nor,c as neutral grouud, and with
in the reach oil our authority. or al least
until the boundary line is u'orkcd and es-
tablshed according to existing treaties. |
acted upon this principle upon the Sabine
frontier in the year 1886, much TO the dis
satisfaction of certain aboliliouisls, with
whom these, ,land privaieers may now unite
in abusing me. But am nevcrso well
satisfied with my own conduct as when
end myself abused by political inrguers
aud land privaleers or pirates.
The escort recently authorized by the
Department Of War will be ordered 10
assemble as soon after the 9Th of August.
mex. month, as practicable, at or near In.
dependence. II is possible that The escort
may not he ready TO leave Independence
uuliI the 18th Of August.
am, very respectfully
Your obedient servant.
EDMUND P. GAINES,
aIaj. Gen. U. S. Army commanding.
To Brig. Gen. q. Taylor,
Com. the 2d Dept. For, Smith, Ar