Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1855-12-08
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Defence Of the Frontier.

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, intimate that proceedings will be institute,
against them by order of the Govemmen,
for violation Of the neutrality laws Som,
reports from Texas-callei official, but which
we hope are not entitled to that designation
are said to call for these proceedings, and tt
characterize the Rangers as engaged in fill
clustering enterprise. This is in the tone o
the official bulletins Of the Mexican generals
who, on the first intelligence Of the crossing
Of this party, imagined they saw the van
guard Of an invading army, and issued procla.
nations for concentration Of all the availa-
bic force Of both contending factions, for the
defence Of the whole line from Eagle Pass
down to Matamo,as, against an army of terri.
Ible Texans. Mexican terro.s appear TO have
infected some loyal personages on this side
of the line, who have FASTENED 10 impart their
imaginings to Washington, and hold up Capt,
Callahan and his Texans as lawless invaders
Of a peaceful neighboring country. The word
selected to stigmatize the party is that they
are iilbusters--a word which has come 10
signify, in the newspaper vocabulary, some
thing akin to robber on land and pirate on
sea /; but employed chiefly for the purpose OF
casting odium without any definite idea Of the
partiular offence intended to be Charged
FIlibustering, in its usua signiicr,ion of these
times, consists in an armed incursion into an.
other country, with designs against its Gov
eminent, to overthrow it by foreign invasion.
or 10 assis, some domestic insurgents in a civ
il conflict against the regular authorities
The Texas Rangers have no such purpose
neither directly nor indirectly did they have
any revolutionary purposes against ant one
claiming authority in Mexico; nor did they
have any understanding or completely with
any Of the factions which are contendinu with
each other In that distracted country. Moth
ing in their proceedings countenances such
an imputation; and the absurdity of il be-
comes more transparent when we see that ali
parties in Mexico denounce the expedition
and the anti, Government party, TO which only
their services could be valuable. was the first
and fercest in denunciation, and most filed
with terror as we'll as wrath. On the baser
ground of mere plunder the party is equally
above suspicion. The treeboo,ing side Of fill
clustering, in its obsolete sense, is utterly alien
10 the character OF the men or their leader,
He is not registering blade, as many have
hastily conjectured, indulging rowing propen-
sites at the head of mere adventdrers, but
citizen of solid character and substance, lead
ing citizen force on a duty which he and
they believe to be demanded by the immedi-
ate extremes Of self.defance, aud justified BY
national and natural law.
The ground which they take, and which
the State of Texas will take for them, as we
understand, is that they were in pursuit Of
Indians who had crossed from the Mexican
side. and were in the constant habit of cross
ing; committing fearful rnvaqes in the Ameri-
can settlements; burning their houses, de-
stroying their stock and numbering their FAM
lilies. Ii will be contended that the Mexican
authorities did not, or could not restrain these
inrursonS from their side Of the river; that
from the weakness of the Government they
were unable to control the fierce hordes that
found shelter on their territory and from their
antipathy TO Americans, rather favored and
protected them. Ii will be shown that they
even shared in these forays; that Mexicans
disguised as Indians helped 10 burn and mur-
der; and it will be urged on in further evi-
dence, that the two factions, Mexicans and In
dians, were harmoniously blended in fighting
the Americans, who had crossed only to pun
ish the Indian robbers. These are the de-
fences TO be put in for Capt. Callahan and his
party, and they will be sufficient If established,
as we believe they can be, to rescue them from
the charge Of iilibuStermg in any sense. We
presume it will not be disputed that it is law
fu for any nation to cross into the territory of
a neutral in the immediate pursuit of a band
of robbers, d,stinclv traced where it has been
sufficiently established by experience that the
sovereign lacks the power to restrain the ma
muding bands. or refuses to exercise 1t. 1t is
la national right cF self-protection which no
Government can renounce.
Texas has suffered too long and terribly
from the weakness or righteousness of Mexi-
can torderers, not to make out case of the
right to take redress out of the hands Of the
faithlesS or imbecile authorities on the other
side oil the river, much stronger than that
which served to Justify General jackson in his
pursIit and punishment Of the Semnoes and
their abetnts within the territories OF SPAIN
The only ground of complaint against the
proceedings, as authorized and sanctioned by
Texas, will turn upon he point whether Tex
as has right to defend herself, or the Texans
ia right to protei and defend themselves, or
must wait for the United States 10 do it for !
them; and forbear the exercise Of these rights /
of selF-protecton, whatever may be the EN-.
Iergency, waiting for the interposition of the
United States. The nice pointed legal con-
Istruction we are not disposed to discuss; but
it is very clear that the weakness or neglect Of
our own Government in providing for the FROM
tier defences is but an additional grievance to
the Mexicans in harboring and concerning
with the robber gangs; and that such an in
creased demand upon the energy and prompt
ness OF Texas herself, to employ her own
means for her own defence, make an addition
al cause ior repusing the inputation that thew
who werc 50 employed are fillibusters or rob-
bers. whom lha United States is bound 10 pur-
sue with the rigor of the law, in compliment
70 Mexico. We trust no such attempt will
be made without the proof of an entirely diff. |
iersnt state Of facts from that which we have |
gathered from Official papers. and other sources
we deem authentc, of the state of TIE frontier.