Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-29
TIE RUTLAND HERALD.
ruErNyAsIoN OF MEXICO.

y
dispatch from San Antonio, Texas, de-
failing General Mackenzie's victory over
a band of Kickapoos, at point eighty
miles in the interior of Mexico. In the
battle which thus triumphantly ended,
nearly forty Indians were killed and
wounded, as many squaws captured or
brought, as prisoners of war, into the
United States, and the remainder of the
band dispersed. Very rarely does it
occur that so decisive a battle. over the
enemies of our country and the foes OF
mankind is anything but a matter OF
congratulation and rejoicing. We are
willing to go as far as any one in up
holding any measure of policy on the
part of the government, or movements
on the part of the army, that will rid
as of these Indian complications and
difficulties. We hold that, if these tribes
will not maintain their treaty obliga-
tions, liqe at peace with the whites, and
whelly abstain from murderous and
theiying forays, war of determination,
If needs be, is right, proper and justifia-
BILE But in inficting summary punish.
ment on the savage and treacherous ma
RAIDERS, there are, at times, the rights
of others that we are bound to respect.
We should greatly rejoice to see the
members of the numerous depreda-
ting bands of Lipans and Kickapoos"
severely punished, even to extermina-
ton. If in inficting this needed punish
ment, their wives and children should
go to the ''happy hunting ground" with
them, we should have no sympathy
with the maudlin tears and protests of
Vincent Collyer or any other of that
class If these depredators will con-
tinue to make these savage butcheries,
and then, for safety, retreat to their en-
campment, among their squaws and 9th
or non-combatants, we should justify
the same course as was taken by Gener-
al Sheridan with the band of Pegans-
leave not soul alive to tell the tale.
This would entirely accord with our
ideas of carrying on warfare with
these enemies of the human race. 1t is
expedient, sometimes, to fight fire
with fire. But in accomplishing this,
there may be rights to be maintained, or
wrongs to be abstained from, aside from
the intliction of a deserved punishment
upon the savages.
General Ranald S. Mackenzie is atried
and gallant officer and an experienced
Indian fighter. That he is brave and
efficient officer is evidenced by the fact
that he entered the army in June, 1862,
from West Point, as a second lieuten-
ant of engineers and, before the close of
the rebellion, had risen to the rank Of
Major General of volunteers, and, in
March, 1867, was made Colonel in the
regular army; being upon the consolida-
tion'o of the Thirty-eighth and Forty-frst
regiments, assigned to the command of
thsST wenty fourth regiment of infantry.
Wyat his command, or portion thereof,
he'is in 'command of Fort Clark, Texas,
itSefhg his duty to prevent dePredations
on.the frontier, and protect the settlers
from hostile raids, be they organized by
sayages, Mexicans, cattle thieves or
others. We are bound to presume that
he<kAows something of international and
other law, as both branches are taught
at West Point, and he, was no mean
scholar, as%is shown by his original APP
pointment to-: the. engineers, which is
among the highest awards that are or can
bethere made forScholarship. He knew,
or ought not to have heenin an import
ant command so near the boundary line,
that the moment an Indian or band of
Indians passed into Mexican territory,
that moment they were sacred from at
tack by him, or the troops under his
control. 1t is not "a case where the end
justifies the means, OF where the act can
be palliated or excused upon the plea
that he allowed his zeal to outrun his
discretion. Officers are placed in com
mand, and selected for important posts
of duty on account of the discretion
they are supposed to have, and are able
to exercise. He was placed in command
of Fort Clark for the express purpose of
preventing raids and putting a stop to
depredations on either side of the bound
airy line, yet he, himself, sets the exam
pie of an armed raid, into country with
which we were at peace, and of commit
ting depredations therein. Why should
the ignorant and vicious consider the
law of any account, when they see the
officers of the law disregarding it in the
Mackenzie committed an inexcusable
wrong, for which he should be severely
censured, if not removed.
We have said that the act could not
be palliated or excused, on the plea that
Mackenzie allowed his zeal in the SER
vice to outrun his discretion. If there
ever has been principle that the Unit
ed States has strenuously commended for,
it has been the sacredness of. neutral
territory from. armed invasion. The
United States claims, and claims Justly,
that her flag protects all of her territory
from invasion by friend or foe, so siren
uously is this right insisted upon, that
British troops, even single company,
are not allowed to be transported over
any portion of our country, in times
even of the most profound peace, with
out express permission therefor. We
failed to capture the st. Adams raiders
out of respect for this same principle.
The same sacreClness of neutral territory
was recognized by the British authorit-
les, during the Fenian raids, and as soon
as these misguided men had gained a
foothold on American soil, all pursuit
. ceased. Its violation was the pretext
for the Mexican war, as it has BEEN
also, for countless wars and imbroglios
in other lands. The mere invasion of a
foreign country with armed troops is, of
itself, an act of war. 1t is the COM
mencemsnt of hostilities, and justifies
AGGRESSIVE measures On tho mart af fhe