San Andreas independent., 1857-05-30
LETTER FROM MUSTANG"
UPPER CALAvERITAs, May oath, 1S5

UPPER CALAvERITAs, May oath, 1856.
Mr. Edaor:-In your edition of Saturday the
23d inst, two articles were copied from leading
Journals, invoking vengeance on the Mexcans,
for the massacre of Mr.. Crabb and his party
Now, sir, is there nothing to be said on the
other side? Not word of pity for the two
hundred Mexicans, said to have been killed, who
fell defending that which is dearest to every
human being, ''heir homes" their household gods.
Have then left no homes desolate no families
weeping for their protectors? Not word of
disapproval of the act of firing upon the party
of Roderigues without any provocation, other
than he came in the discharge of his duty, as a
Mexican officer, to inquire the reason for the
appearance of a band of armed foreigners in the
country, of which he was one of the legal guar
dianS.
Aware, as are the Mexican people, of the
course which Walker is pursuing in Nicaragua,
combined with the cry of portion of the Amer
lean press-'the war of races; ;'-is it then as
tonshing that such terrible and cruel punish
ment should have been so speedily dealt out to
these misguided men? Without speaking of
the different incursions into Mexican territory,
bordering on the Rio Grande, are the expedi-
tionS of Walker and Raoussct de Boulbon al
ready forgotten? Is there any body credulous
enough to believe that the object of any of these
parties was simply to live there, as peacable
colonists, obeying the laws of the country which
they had voluntarily chosen as their future
home. IF such was their object why not first
have obtained the sanction of the Mexican gov
ernment which, when the proper course was
pursued, has always encouraged emigration.
In conclusion, | would say, let us cherish no
wishes for vengeance, but if anything an honor
able retaliation. Let us make no efforts to
force our civilization on people incapable of ap-
preciatng it. or to smuggle the Star Spangled
Banner into any country however desirable it
may be. When it goes, let it be openly and
honorably, and thousands will follow to guard
it unsoiled and prevent it from trailing in the
dust. MUSTANG.
We are very much obliged to "AIus-
tang" for his able illustration of wrong
theory Fillibusterism is wrong in princi-
pie and practice, and we are much mista-
ken if anything we said, conveyed diff
ferent idea. Two wrongs do not make a
right, and even if Crabb's party were Grim
inal in going into Mexico, it was a still
greater outrage to murder the party in cold
blood. 1t has been for three years conce-
ded that Sonora would shortly become a
part of the United States; the citizens of
Sonora, chihuahua, Durango and Cinaloa
have been endeavoring to peaceably accom-
plish their disintegration from Mexico
The land titles of these States, especially
Sonora, are in an unsettled condition; po-
litical disafections have prevented the
stipulations of many valuable grants being
fulfilled Like in California, all the most
valuable land is held by wealthy proprie-
tors of haciendas, with their poems or re-
tainers to cultivate it. The titles of most
of these lands were inefficient, or their
tenure insecure, if once tampered with
by the ingenuity of American lawyers !;
these wealthy land-holders knew this, and
to guard against the same evils the ma
tive population of California have, and are
now suffering, they invited Henry A. Crabb,
McCoun, Wood, Oxley, Biven and others,
of known legal or clerical ability, to emf
CRATE into the country to assist in straight
ening up the land titles, previous to their
peaceable annexation to the United States.
This was not strange, nor was the selection
of H. A. Crabb and friends, inconsistent
with the object. Mr.. Crabb was an able
lawyer, but he barely excelled some FIVE
or six others of the party. The Messrs.
Ainsas, Biven and Cortelyou, his brothers
in-law, were capable linguists, being thor
oughly educated in the Spanish language !;
and having served the Legislature of this
State two sessions, they were just the men
to be selected as interpreters and transla-
tors in the business. If we are not mis-
taken, this was the mission of Crabb and
party, to Mexico, where they were sacri-
feed in spirit of cowardly revenge.
This word revenge we must explain.
It is well known that there are two fam
lies of the name of Garcia, one living in