New-York daily tribune., 1863-11-24
TIE MOVEmENT ON THE RIO
GRANDE.

Il i now more than year since. in common
with many of the leading journals OF the coun-
trv and OF its most distinguished citizens. we
sought to impress upon the authorities A, Wash
ington the incacuable importance OF a move
mcul on the Rio Grandc. Gov. Hamilton, Mr..
Alexander and others. fresh from Texas. e.
Gaping AT the risk OF their lives and fortunes
from the gradually tightening despoiism Of the
Confederate apthorltics, and the bitter pro'crp-
tion of the Slave lord, A. home. had just arrived
Al the North. and strengthened the appeal. IN
/ December the expedition OF Gen. Bank, raised
A. the instance Of those who .aw the importance
Of q movement on the Rio Grande and dos
/ tined To effect . landing, LEFT this port. What
considerations diverted it from .ts De- tina.
( ton and sent y 20 New Orleans. are natter
uh.ch will come day, no doubt. Dee made pub
lie. and form a cunou, chapter M The history Of
thcwar We vii only recall thc .iueulaniy
Of the fact tll' % va known in France and
Richmond weeks before 10 became public here
and that tlc pies Of Gen. Batter obtained for
him ,hc Information from within thc Rebel hnr.
before Cen Bank. landed Ia Ncw Orleans.
/ We refer to the movement now because W.
notice in rhe public disposition to anticipate
more immediate results l-om ihc expedition
than are Likely % follow.
/ Hld Gen. Banks instead of dispaich.ng the
Nerucdfion io Galtc.ton la-f Winter % certain
di.a-,.r. cent the anne tore, io he Ro Gmndr.
Doe soall hagc made %. easy capture d. no~,
nad Ia.c b,,u Joined a. once hy from hfc thou
and h. ten itou.and Ician loyal lmon..'.
+ eager 20 escape fyrann, o. home. and Dee
would fayc checked that lmmcn-e trade th,n
F oaly uiall} organized between Tc'a., MaA.
mora. AMI Dr,at Hutau. which ha. reached
million, m amount. and has been the nan
.ouroe OF supply. NOT exceeded even hy WI.
mugn or Charlc-'on. go thc Rebel. The
coi'on. growing district F. distant from ihc RIO
|Glardc some 900 uiilc.. hut With au energy w"r-
tbs of a better cause. and with that executive
4 v.eor which j. ouly known 10 dr-pouc power a
wagon train was organized between the cotton
Il district and Roma and Brownsville which n-
cludcd every team. every horc and mule and
every wagon which could boz mpre--ed into lhc
.cryice. Even 100 Mississippi a. letter. cap
nrcd 10 Opclou.a. have informed us wagon,
ycrc sc'zcd for ih. line. We do not thnL 10
.u c.ag.rrfcd statement to say that l1n,nuu 'o
0oJ0 bale, of cotton have thus found export
more than from al other source. together r..
pea,cd statement have shown u. that 40 time.
go AZ other ~ vessels. have hccn lying or
..a.iiu., for onrgoc,. Gen. Bank, found 2G fr--
.cl- lying OIL ihc coast. and one wa- captured
having on board 5O0 balc-. At lhr present
value of cotton. 7ua -0c.. here value o.
s5ou Gn0 one hundred million oi dollar, m.I
uo. hc an outside estimate oi the value ol thr
export Wllh th,, Alabama. are paid for to
prey ON our commerce, aud large supplies oi
munitions ol war afc imported. Had ih'-
mo- cement been made one year since, wc should
have cat of al ihis strength from the Coulcd-
cruc,. We hould also have received an accc--
.on ol from five thousand To- ten thousand men,
who. with the arms and supple. which could
have been furnished them. would have pcunn-
ncnill held tie pon- now taken by Gen. Eanl.
and independent expedition, We have yet consd-
cred mi, one Of the most important ol the war
+ IL any isolated movement were to be- undcrta-
I ken: and that il va, the more incumbent upon
M. 10 look lo the protection and security of our
frouticr, in the presence Of q hostile force ia
| Mexico. especially as lirazos Island Is the only
barhor worthy Of the name on the Gulf from
/ Aransas Pa in Texas, 10 Iumpico, IN Mexico
while the position Of Point abel and Browns
vile Is the key to the lower valley Of the Rio
/ Gmndc.
We hope that Gen Bank- will yet Doc joined
bv the loyalists Of Texas. Many will doubtless
rally TO hs banner, bat it must be remembered
that year OF neglect by the Government of the
United States, and year of rigid conscrpion
on the part of Maerudcr aud ms nlnions' has
sadly thinncd their numbers. This movement,
made in the Spring oi i-6l, would have de-
priycd the Rebels of the G0.OOO recruit they