The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-30

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detailing an effective body Of troops to the
Rio Grande, we think they should be under
no hampering instructions in regard to the
river boundary; but, considering the fact that
Cortinas has been depredating under carte
oSa"che from Juarez, our commander on the
Rio Grande should have full liberty to clean
out these Mexican border rufians on both
sides OF the river, including Cortinas and his
garrison in Matamoros. After nursing and
strengthening Juares through period of ten
or twelve years, including his protection at
FL Paso and the expulsion of the French
protectorate, surely it is high time to put an
end to this trifiing in decisive settlement
with Juarez and with all his fighting factions
by the strong hand ofjustice and in behalf OF
law, order, civilization and humanity.
For if anything Is certain it is that
the people of these United States will not
patiently submit to war. War it is on
this Mexican frontier, by whatever name
we call it. We are as surely bound to
protect this Southern border as to defend
the harbors OF Charleston and New York.
his people and avoid these acts of hostility to
the United States amounts to nothing. We
can give Juarez and his government all pos
sible opportunities for establishing the repub-
lie and crystallizlng the elements Of nationality
into sound and perfect nation. But he has
had this opportunity and has lost it. What
ever we may think of Juarez, and however we
may wish to strengthen his hands as the con-
stitutional ruler of the Mexican people, we are
bound to protect ourselves. Else wherefore
d. We CLAIM 70 be 9 government? We appre-
ciate the difficulty that stands In the way Of
General Grant doing anything that may look
like an invasion Of the prerogatives Of Mexico.
We can see how easy 1t would be to regard
the simplest act Of friendliness as war, and
how a reckless and ambitious chief like Santa
Anna might ob'rude war upon America,
which Of all things, In the present state Of
our industry, our debt and our reconstruction
policy, we desire to avoid. We can appreciate
the Presidents desire to avoid the blunder of
st. Domingo. We can see that there is
duty resting upon Congress that must be per-
formed before the Executive can act. At the
same time General Grant may, In the per-
Torrance of the ministerial functions of his
office, do something the moral effect
Of which will be equal to a
victory. Let him send Sheridan to the Rio
Grande. He has perfect right TO do this,
just as much as to send him to Chi
cago or st. Paul. The moral effect
of Sheridan's presence at Matamoros,
with a. regiment or two as ''brigade of
observation" will be equal to the movement of
an army six months from now. If the ncces-
sity arises, and the President sees, what he
cannot In time fail to see, that there must be
an occupation of the Mexican country or
protectorate to- secure immunity from these
acts of war, Sheridan will be ready to carry
his orders into execution. Sheridan will 90 as
the 'liberator' of this richly-favored but uu-
happy people and, in addition to insuring
the peace OF our border and the integrity of
our laws, the President will have the satisfac-
ton of settling a question which embarrasses
us as much as Europe is embarrassed by the
Polish or Eastern question, and of enabling
us, as our contribution to the progress of tho
age, to do with Mexico what we have done with
Texas and California. Let General Sheridan
be sent to TIE Rio Grande.