The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-24
The singular state of Things ON ih~ M"
Grnnde.

The singular state Of Things ON i"~ ni"
Grnnde.
The extraordinary occurrences winch have
lately taken place along the Rio Grande
naturally excitd the inerednlity Of most per
SONS. and the astonishmeut Of all Who find
that they have really occurred. Except at
Brownsville, there are to be found along that
river no bodies Of inhabitants, on even SO
journers, not Immediately connected with
the United States army Even before the
war. when many lines Of steamers and sail
ing vessels connected BrazJs Santiago, the
port alike Of Brownsville and MatamOras,
with the inhabited country which began
70 be found a hundred and fifty miles from
them in that place and Point Isabel, 10 which
imported goods were sent by lighters to 90
through the forms Of the revenue law and
then to be re-shipped for the river, there
were no inhabitants, except few custom
house officers and a score or 50 Of laborers-
From there 10 Brownsville reached an un-
cultivated-indeed, except in patches, an
uncultivable-rcgion, with scarce an lnhabi-
tant, even along the river, to enlIven the
ride Of the traveller toward that city.
Ifthis were so when commerce was thriving,
how much less inducement can there be for
anys person to settle themselves either at
those places or along the river Clarbsville,
the point from which the four hundred
negro soldiers are said to have crossed over 10
Bagdad, IS near the terminus of three or four
miles of railroad constructed for exclusively
military use, and connecting Brazos with
the river bank. 1t has no commerce, no in
habitants; and no civilians could find a livel-
hood there nor even sustenance, Ifthev had
the means Of purchasing it, unless employed
by the military authorities and fed by them
The only vessels which ever go down there
nsw are in the service Of the government,
and everything which goes there goes I'M
der the eyes Of its agents.
What adds peculiar odor and deepens + he
hues of this trausaction, is that the filibus-
ters who crossed over, took and plundered
Bagdad were negroes and it is averred dress
ed in the uniform of Union soldiers. Now
whatever negroes may have done among US,
and whatever aspirations they may have in
dulged OF the projects which they. or their
scheming 50 styled friends may have scon-
cocted, engaging in the civil war of another
country has certainly been far from one o.
them. On the contrary, their earnest desire
has been to return TO the cities and town of
the States whence they were taken, and the
desolate and naked Rio Graude could have
no charms for them. If these negroes have
been induced, III any considerable numbers,
to become the soldiers, even temporarily,
of the penniIess and famishing Liberal
government, it must have been under a pres
sure which they could not well Withstand
1t seems however that the business of re-
cruiting men for the so-called Liberal party
has been going on at Brownsville under the
immediate eye of Gen. Buffers protege, Maj
Gen. Weitzel, for sometime, and under the [
auspices of a person styling himself Major
General III the Mexican Republican army, a
grade unknown TO its nomenclature, who
had been dismissed from the Federal service I
for dishonest acts while q Colonel of volun-
teers, aud who had also been elected from
West Point at an earlier period of life for /
theft An officer of the regular army, like Gen
Weitzel, and graduate of the military acad-
emy, would hardly brook the presence of
such an individual near him, at a point
where martial law alone prevails, engaged
in such a business, if he did not intend to
give him and it more or less of his sympathy
and assistance. Indeed, Gen. Weitzel has
entered into correspondence with this
person, giving him the military title he has
assumed while acting as such even ON Ameri- |
can soil degree Of presumption which
would be Indignantly repressed if attempted /
within our boundary lines under a British !
French OF Austrian commission
We do not believe that this line of conduct, /
on the part of the [. S. commander on the /
Rio Grande, can have the sanction of the /
administration at Washington; but it has |
been too long continued and too openly car /
ried on not TO make it evident that others
higher in position than Cen Weitzel have |
also connived at it, and possibly the Secre- F.
tary Of War, himself, may lave participated. |
somewhat, with the design possibly TO in
crease the difficulties of his colleague of the !
State Department, a rival whom he is known
to regard with much disfavor, and the alb
sence of Mr.. Seward from his post NAV en-
able him, unless overruled by the President,
10 embroil us so deeply with the countries
as to render ii very difficult tor even the as
tute Premier himself to restore the entente
eordidie which he has hitherto so well pre-
served between us and other nations.
That the case has a threatening look now
cannot be doubted, Under the eve. n Major
General iii the [. S. service, when there
We're none living except such as were under
his absolute command, and at a military post.
a large body OF negro soldiers, then or lately
IN his army, are recruited into service under
another nag, by men who had lately been
officers in the L. 5. army, and these men
cross the boundary into another country,
and the United States General recognizes,
the captors subsequently and assists them
with troops III consolidating their authority.
Ifthe Imperialists and their allies do not re-
gard this as an act of war, and act accord
lngly, they will probably be treated. ere
long to something much more explicit.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.