Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-17
Co,.uI,ation on the Rio Grande.

Congress, having adjourned, can al
ford no more startling sensations Oh
wonderful rumors for the metropon'an
rress The Credit Mobilier investlga-
ton has exhausted itself, unless II may,
nerbaps. be galvanized into momentary
vitality by the Observations OF J. W.
Patterson, lately an United States Sena-
tor from New Hampshire. The spring
elections are over, and have developed
no particular change in public sentiment,
either in New Hampshire, Rhode Island
or Connecticut. The "back pay or
salary question has been talked ana
written stale, and will lay in quietude
for two years, when it will be proper
subject of discussion and the people can
express, through the ballot-box, their
views thereon. Politics, we may say,
in all its phases, like changing for muir
der in New York, is, for the present at
least, "played out" There must be
news, however, and startling news too.
To meet this demand, New York
newspaper publishes, and it is tele-
graphed all over the country as a grave,
portentious and startling fact, that "a
San Antonio, Texas, letter states that
seven regiments are now on the Rlo
Grande; that General Sheridan, Secre-
tary of War Belknap, and other military
officers are there in constant consulta-
ton, leading to the belief that some mil
itary movement of Importance is on
foot, involving the possible acquisition
of considerable portion of Mexico,
bordering on Texas" Now we have no
reason to doubt that the military gentle
men referred to are in constant consulta-
ton at the place referred to. 1t may
or may not be so. The writer of the
letter and the furnisher of the news,
nevertheless, shows himself to be grossly
ignorant of the constitution, laws and
present condition of the affairs of our
country. The military officers referred
TO, or all the officers of the United States
army combined are powerless to take
the first step looking toward "the pos
sible acquisition of considerable por-
ton of Mexico, bordering on Texas, OF
the possible acquisition of any terri.
tory whatever The military move
ment of importance spoken of means,
if it means anything in the writer's
mind, war. 1t is impossible to conceive
of Generals Sheridan and Belknap or.
ganizing a "fllibustering expedition
or authorizing, or even winking at, s
raid from the United States into neigh
boring country with which we are now
at peace. They are not engaged in any
such business, and the letter and tele
gram does not intend to intimate any
such thing. 1t means to say that they
are preparing for war. The war-mak.
ing power, however, is in Congress
Does any one believe that these distin,
guished officers are usurping, or endea-
voring to usurp, the powers of Con-
gress Do we not all know and believe
that they would be the last men who
would seek to embroil this country il
another Mexican war? If the fact i;
true that these gentlemen are in consul
tation at the point named, there is OF
can be no peculiar significance to 1t.
The fact that the secretary of war was
to make tour of observation has been
known for some time. If anyone has, even
cursorily, read the newspapers of the
country for the past six months or G
year, he must be aware that the condi-
ton of affairs on the Texan border is
not of the pleasantest. The President,
also, referred to this state of affairs in
his annual message. The depredations
of Mexican and Texan cattle thieves
and outlaws, on both sides of the line,
are notorious. They have caused trou-
BILE and uneasiness, both in Mexico and
the United States. They must be re
pressed. Our border must be protected
Our misguided or lawless citizens must
be prevented from making raids on Mex
lean territory. This will have to be-
done by the military power of the
United States. There is and can be nc
war, unless is is brought on by the law,
less acts of these cattle thieves and out.
laws. There is necessity that General:
Sheridan, Belknap and other officers
should be in constant consultation tC
institute measures to prevent war. This
affords a ready and easy solution Of
their presence and actions in Texas
There need be no fear of another Mexi.
can war, or attempt to acquire Mexican
territory through their acts. They art
on the border for peace. Let us hope
that they will accomplish their work.
Afraid of an Indictment!