The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-16

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keep the readers of The HRnALD informed,
through the telegraph, of events a. they
transpire from day TO day. Their dispatches
are an epitomizcd history OF The struggle.
Though the fate Of The contsnding factions still
hangs in The balance, and.there is az little hope
as ever of a stable government Or permanent
peace in the neighboring republic. the latest
news is more favorable to the Juarists. The
news by kilograms from Matamoros AID
Brownsville up TO yesterday iaiorms us that
an Official express messenger had arrived
from the city Of Mexico with dispatches from
General Mejia, the Secretary of War, showing
that the government troops had completely
defeated the combined regoutionists antler
| Generals Trevino, Guerra and Martinez, and
| bad rctaken tho city of Zacatecos. The Juarst
| General Rocha himself announces thai he
had captured all the infantry artillery and
| munitions Of The reVouiopists, .aud that the
| opposing generals had onty escaped with q
small force of cavalry. 1hcra was great re-
| joicng in Matamoros over the victory. and il is
said that the government regarded this success
fatal blow to the insurrecton. Looking,
! however, at the general dsailcction ia the
| republic, and particularly ia the northern
| states w should not be surprised TO hear Of
| continued and stoutcr resistance. IL is rather
| significant. if not ominous, that with these
reported defeats of the insurgents We hear
nothing Of General Diaz, who is the chief aud
| acknowledged ahlest mau in this revolutionary
movement. Admitting that it is possible for
Juare2 TO suppress the present insurraction,
he can never give permanent peace to the
country. The disorders are chronic aad
While this anarchy reigns in Mexico there
are other evils resulting from il which directly
affect the peace and property OF citizens OF
the United States. A few days ago we
published an account of the Invasion of Texas
by the Mexicans and Of the cattle stealing,
other robbcrss aud deprcdatons committed
on the soil of this republic These ouirages
had become SO aagraut, daring and frequent,
that our citizens in Texas were compelled 10
call meeting to consider what was besl to be
done TO protect themselves. The Mexican
government, If there be really anything
worthy of being so called. ia powerless to
prevent the invasion of our soil aud outrages
upon the person and property of our citizens.
Our own government appeared to be slow in
giving the necessary protection A border
war seemed to be imminent. Now we learn
that in an encounter between the revolutiOnists
aud Juarists at Piedras Negras shots were fired
across the river border into the United States
camp, causing damage and endangering the
lives of American soldiers Colonel Bliss,
who commanded the station, remons trated
and threatened retaliation If the outrage were
repeated Of course each party blamed the
other, but ii is Of little consequence to know
which fred the shots. The fact is, neither the
revolutonists nor the Juarez government care
about observing the duty Of neighbors, and
have not the power, even If they did care, to do
50. The parties accuse each other Of firing
across the border into the American camp for
the purpose Of provoking the United States
to interfere, and we think there is little doubt
that many Of these Mexcans would be glad 10
see the power Of this country exercised TO end
their intestine troubles.
Seeing, then, that there Is no way of obtain
property on the border from the Next
cans, from either the Juarez govern
ment or revolutionists, what Is the
duty of President Grant, The first
duty Of every government is to afford protec-
ton to its citizens. II does not matter whether
they are five Or FIVE hundred thousand,
the principle or obligation is the same. The
sparsely settled territory along the Rio Grande
is as much entitled to the protecting arm Of
our government as the densely populated At
lantic coast. In fact, all good governments
deem it their duty especially to shield the
weakest and those most exposed to danger.
Shall we, then, 1t may be asked, maintain
large force at great cost on this Mexican
border which extends for thousand miles or
more? Yes, If necessary TO protect our citi-
Gems and American soil from invasion, if there
be no other way Of affordng protection. But
there Is another duty, and that Is to compel
our neishbors to behave themselves and to
avoid the necessity of maintaining au expen-
sive military force along the boundary. It
may be said that the Mexican government
Is lu an exceptional situation, and that we
should show some forbearance. This perhaps,
would have the semblance of magnanmity,
and might be reasonable if there
were any prospect of Mexico ever having
stable government Or that she could ever grant
the United States redress for the injuries CON-
mitied No one expects this. Mexico is
utterly demoralzed and incapable Of preserv-
ing order at home or performing its duties to
q neighborng republic. The history Of the
couatry all through shows that. 1t is the
opinion Of the civilized world. The United
ha, III, int 10