Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-03-13
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.

Correspondence NJ the htchfiohM En4HHeT.I
WASHINGTON CRY, March, IL, 1916.
Mr.. Revefdv Johnson enlightened the Senate
Today as 10 his views upon The Oregon question
His speech was 80 faithful an echo Of The senli-
men,s of the other Federal Senators who had pre-
ceded him. that | do not deem il worth while 10
write to your readers the heads and points OF his
argument He is specious gentleman, and rea-
soned with all the sophistry Of an acute lawyer.
There are few men in The Senate whose profess
sion sticks out SO glaIingly in every thing they
say or do, as does that OF MIR. Reyerdy Johnson
The HarbOr Bill was again the subject mailer
OF the days proceedings in the House. Mr. Cen
try of Tennessee addressed The committee in Ia
yor. and Messrs. Jones of Tennessee, Cobb OF
Georgia. and Yancey OF Alabama against il.
The signs to-day are, that it will pass, nolwiih-
standing the strenuous opposition 10 il. can
only hore that il may be met with Ve!o
The good folks around me are on the qhi ,ie
:, I'm The sum and substance OF the dispatches
from Mexico which were received last evening;
bnt as vel nothing definite concerning their coll
tents has lranspired take il, they embrace
little likely 10 place our relations with that coun-
inv on different footing, or some one OF the in
AGED 10 have Obtained information for il. II is
certain that the difficulties between this Govern
,oent and Mexico must come TO head ere long.
The state of quasi war or quasi peace now ex-
istino between The two countries cannot be main.
laiped for any length of time, when our army
shall have taken post CAT Point lsaheD on one
side OF the debouchc of The Rio Grande, while
Mexican soldiery, custom house officers, citizens
and authorities are located on the opposite shore.
General Taylor is by this lime stationed almost
within gunsho, of the Mexican custom house Tor
the port OF Maamoras, which is located on The
Brasos Santiago; and am inclined 10 believe
that an excellent understanding Will be Kept up
between the Mexican and American people and
authorizes. know the Mexcans OF that region
well, AMI am satisfied that il but treated with
kindness BY General Taylor, as they doubtless
will be, they will prove not only agreeable neigh
hers but scryiceable friends
The citizens on The Rio Grande Frontier are BY
no means affected with the preIudices against
every thing American, which pervade The minds
OF all within the immediate influence of The Ca
pal This is strange, because OF all others they
have been The real sufferers in The border war
with Texas. For larce or four years ai'er Inc
battle OF San Jacinto, Notwithstanding tne strenu-
Gus efforts of the Government oil Texas, me teI-
ritorv between The Nueces and the Rio Grande
was infested with bands, large ana small, OF lne
most desperate and reckless white men that the
limited States ever produced, whose sole occupa-
tion was robbing, and numbering traders and de.
fenceless settlers on the Mexican border. There
is hardly trader or stock raiser from The PTesi,
do del Grande 10 Ma,amoras, who has escaped
loss or injury from them. Notwithstanding Tins
fact sincerely believe that three-loufhs oil those
who reside within hundred miles of the river
would Tomorrow gladly exchange laws, institn-
lions and authorities. What il is that impresses
Them fayorably with The American character,
cannot imagine, although the fact has beer the
subject Of much thought and investigation WIN
me- The specimens OF Yankees, with Wnom they
had most 10 DO, carry terror with their names ana
calling, even 10 citizens settled IN western
Texas Their presence and operations against
the Mexicans as well as against Americans, TN
TOO macy instances,) al one time caused almost
all but outlaws TO abandon the country as far
East as The San Antonio River. YET still the
border Mexicans have always louked forward
with pleasure to the time when The institutions OF
the United States should be permanently fixed
upon their boundary, as in the agricultural dis
tricts of Texas This feeling is most common
10 the lower classes, who are the verlest slaves
under the sun A reon Qaboring) Mexican is re-
garded as but one remove from dog, by those OF
his neighbors who fancy themselves but one re-
move above him.
Though The laws OF Mexico give him rights,
none have practical existence lor him. III he
owe len dollars, he is lerked up and sold; moi Tor
specified time, but until he can repay the debt,
which, in nine cases out OF ten, exists al his
death. The purchasers at such sales is bound 70
pay him some four dollars per month for food
and clothing Tor himself and family, out of which
he is expected to save the amount paid on his ac-
count and refund II TO the person who advances
the cash 10 the creditor. Poems on the Rio Gfande
frontier are said 10 be unsafe purchaser, as when
opportunity offers, they rarely fail 10 make tracks
for the settlements in Texas, where they hnd
employment, generally, as stock tenders, anu
they are the finest in The world Tor That re-
zion; or as house-servants, al which they are
about the most indifferent. From the Brazos
West, the American farmers are also herdsmen
many of them owning horned caule, each 10 Inc
number Of four or flve thousand. Every man
who owns as many as two or three nunareu nro'
cures a Mexican "ranchero," as ne IS termed, Ia
whom The entire management OIL Inc STOCK IS si'
ven IN. AS horsemen, they equal the Cuman.
ches themselves. Such riders both fer grace
and skill. | have seen no where else. They are
indeed invaluable on our Southwestern frontier
and doubt not will flock over so as 10 aid in nj
ling up Texas with rapidity as soon as they are
satisfied, from experience, that their individual
rights are as we'll projected as those ofthe Ameri
cans among whom they desire 10 live. UnioTn
nately, il was utterly out OF the power Of the 10
vernment of Texas, as weak as il was, TO give
them such protection near the border, and thel
seldom possessed the means TO go much turtle
than The settlements on the San Antonio, wheI
Grst making their escape from their purchaser
under the humane laws OF Mexico
We have had dull day in Washington
The excitement upon the Oregon question IN To-
Senate appears TO have die of for the time be
/ inc. al -. .laA Ia he ahle 10 uriie VOL tha