New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-01

I
MATNoAos. Nay y, ls6i.
From party Of refugees who reached this
tlty from Austin. Texas Via Preside de Rio Grande
day heffe yesterday II has been ascera.ned that with
tie e,orton Of some COO men under ord there T.
tSrt, Robc force laii 80 that state vest OF theColo
iado. Ills party some y in number. came on wen
mounted and armed, and met with no opposition IN
On though they encountered Of the Rebel cav
airy Do were on Writ there. and had got drunk il
the Mexican town OF Comnrco who az first declared
,lat,lcy would give them fight; but, on finding that
the Texans p.it.ns esh caps on their guns and
pistols ard were entirely willing to accommodate them
g. tLn particular remembered that they were on neu-
rn territory aud after stating that fact by way Of ex.
clso and expressing the wish Which promptly and
cordially rcoprocaed that ihoy might meet each other
on some battle field, rode on aad returned 10 EIggod
Barracks.
The LOYAL people 81 the North have never fully under
stood the importance Of what is styled the Trans
Mississippi Department q. e. Texas to tire states
c4eucd together in the Rebellion. Tho impression
prevails that il Is valued chiefly because Of s contra
band trade carried on through Mexico, and account
Of Us supply OF horses mules. and beef II is tEue
that o. these Texas is Of immense value to
the Rebel but, in their estimation tor still another
reason Teras is igdispenssbIe me C0Htcderacy. II
slavery were confined and roftr.ctd - the Rebel
Satcs east II the Mississippi and had no outlet how
long culd II be expected TO last How long would II
be before the negro population would have 70 in
creased in numbers to deterorate in value and eat
ont the wkitesi
Slavery must have an outlet. None other exists save
that through Texas II was through that State that the
Rebe leaders hoped to extend Slavery along the Mcx
can Gulf to Yucatan; and when that should be
i'll ,h.( CHE. Ia, ,a,r
tory tie Island of Cuba being such already, the
golden circle OF Slavery which for years past has
haunted their dreams, would be complete.
Such being their view the trans Mississippi De
partmeni as they style it, which consists of nothing at
present but Texas wresed from their grasp they would
be reduced to despair The loss of Texas would be
eemed by them far greater disaster than the fall of
Richmond They could extend and maintain Slavery
without Richmond. but not without Texas.
Since the Rebellion began there has been no State In
the South that might easily have been restored TO the
Union. All that was necessary was to land ayel ap
pointed force at Indanola, ST. Marys Aransas or Cor
pus Christi and to march at once upon Gonzales. Aus
tin. or san Antonio. Wood and water, and in the
proper season. grass could be found in abundance at
the end Of each days march No river would obsruct
the way The State would be divided, and the Rio Grando
trade cut off by campaign of weeks Duration and
loyal population far not conscripted, would be
afforded opportunity to take up in behalf of the
Government Of their choice.
1t is to be borne in mind that the distance from any
Of the points on the Gulf indicated. TO san Antonio.
does not exceed 40 mos and that lndanoa is in time
Of peace the post through which TO each Of
the places designated in the interior is carried on
The contraband trade with Mexico can only be
stopped by such is indicated. 1t has not
been off, but has only been diverted by the oecupa
ton of Brownsville Cotton is brought ont by way of
Piedras Negras at cost OF only two cents per pound
freight than would have been required If Browns
vile were still In Rebel hands BY glance 1T the map
il be that reach Pedras Negras, via
san Antonio. from Indanola. by hundred miles less
travel than by ascending tie desert valley Of the Rio
Grande from Brownsville. From protracted drouths
tie valley Of the Rio Grandc, though in many places
the soil is magnificent has become arid waste. The
grass is not merely dried but has been killed. and TO
considerable extent the timber and chapara Also One
must see il to realize the desolation that exists.
In the time the stocks Of cattle that have man
aged 10 live the leaves Of Tie nopa and the hoeSs Of