The sun., 1873-07-23
AN INTENDING CALAMITY.
Secretary Beikpsp Plotting TO Involve the
Country Ia war with Mexico-Hc Bonsts
that he is n Eilibuncr.


Washington Correspondence ctncinndn Commercial
II would be well for the country to keep
an eve on Secretary Belknap, who manages the
War Department.
/ speak by the card when say that II will not
be the fault Of this belligerent Secretary II the
Government does not get into muss with
lfCoI Mackenzie, who recently made a raid
into Mexican territory after a band OF kicka-
poos with body of United states troops, were
to tell the Instructions under which he acted
the verbal Instructions Of Belknap, consisting
partly Of winks, mods, and sly hnts-tbe Ad-
mlnistration would very soon find out the feel
ing of the American people about the pfecipita-
II Col. Mackenzie were TO tell the way In
which Belknap has given him TO understand he
must act, under circumstances which may arse
at any moment, the cpsn,Ly w9yIS ", ,ha , see mat
Belknap, In fact, as he himself has repeatedly
proclaimed Of late, is hlibuster. :" fm nli-
buster" he said the other night In the presence
Of more than one hearcr, and he means To show
II II he Is not checked. He believes In "mani-
fest destiny" ns his predecessor IN the War De-
partment. Gen Rawlns, believed IN It. lie
wants " American institutions" extended over
Mexico; the West Indies; the Bri.ish provinces,
islands, from Bafns Bay TO the lstnmus OF
Panama. lie has no objection To bringing about
this end by such lighting US may be necessary
and II seems. on the whole. that the proper
thing is to get hold Of Mexico "a soon as pos
THE MACKENZIE RAID.
Col. Mackcnzie's raid into Mexico was hut an
incident In the policy which belknap haS
marked ON Tor MN. MS hnNtntnTouS
has been given To understand tnat whenever he
finds IL necessary for the preservation of peace
and order on the RIO tirande tina, he should
offenders, whether they be lndi ns or Mexicans
he is not TO scruple about doing II. Already
there have been several raids 10y detachments
of Federal cavalry at different points ON the
line OF the Rio Grande. II, In any OF these In
roads, Col. Mackenzie should happen To- he con-
fronted by Mexican officials or soldiers he is to
keep stin upper lip. II he should thus bring
about an upfoar In Mexico, followed by remqn-
fr.. tfa IA
fault. IL such things should result In an out
br, ak Of hostilit!es On the Rio GrInde Belknap
Mackenzie should have acted imprudentiy,
foolishly, or in such way a. TO stir up dssatis-
faction with the AdministratiOn-in which case
Belknap could show that Mackenzie mad carried
his proceedings beyond his instructions Bel
knlp did not exactly & say To- MaGhfnze Bring da
that this Il what Is wanted ~ him.
/ happen to have precise and positive knowl-
edge Of the way IN which Dclkap communicated
IT, Mackenzie his ideas ON this subject during
his recent tour To the southwest. and subse-
quontly, or within the Last two months. What
am writing Is not gossip, nor news picked up in
doubtful quarters.
WHAT BELKNAP EXPECTS.
Bclknap expects muss with Mexico before
the close Of The present year.
lie takes very high ground " uf course. He
i determined to maintnin peace on the border
even at the expense Of war, and to assert the
rights OF our citizens on this side of the Rp
Grandc and On the other side Of IL. The Texans
are nnnnvcd bV the incursons of the Mexican
Indians they suffer from tine mbrauding Of Mex
lean cattle thieves there II constant disturb
ance ON the border. These things cann9t be
tolerated, 10 use IN" language oi Belkndp. Then
there are mines IN Northern Mexico which
American operators are anxious t. work, and
there dlc regions whtcA q ght To he In the hands
of AMcrican owners. these matters ought to
be settled Us soon a. ppssihl IN BClkuap's
opinion. The annexation uf Mexico would bring
great glory to the Administration, BelAnap Is
cure OF 1t.
10 say how Grant fcels about The matter, or
whether Bcbuap has talked al out II 10 him In
the way lac has 70 others. Grant. though, Is GER
tuuly "A " manifest drstiuaran." There Is no
doubt about that. Iucrc Is nuthi ~ he would
like more than the extension Of American terri
tory during his administration. II Is IA. her re-
markablr that he has appointed two strong an
neNatiunt,ts III succession to the control Of the
War Department Gen. Rtwlins his lr,t sec
rctary Il War. was a bold advocate of Mexican
Canadian. and West Indian anne xatiln but ne
wls especially anxious for the annexation OF
Mexico. You remember the remarkable speech
hc delivered on this subject just after Grant =
FIRST election in lsos. II itawlns had lived, and
had ma mi aimed his Influence over Grant. we
would undoubtedly have had strons policy
in this direction. lielknap has less ability and
influence in the Administration bat he means
a. see !. he can't make a point for himself 10y
following in the footsteps Of ltawhns. How lar
/ Grant may nave encouraged hlm IN this am
unable 10 say a: present.
BELKNAr's REcKLEssNEss.
Belknap's scheme will be counteracted as far
I as possible by Gen. sherman, who, Hs immediate
. Cuut4.,nucr Of the army, has something To sty
about the disposi ion and emp oyment II troops
. uu the Mexican border Sherman his lately ex
pressed himself with great energy against arift-
ing into wa with Mexico. lie took the oppor-
tunitN of doing this some four weeks ago, under
+ IA her e&cCptiunhl circumstances, and in "A way
which dumbtOunded Bcllinap. The time ut
occasion v 'S IrAduaiiun day at the West Point
. Military Academy. when Secretary BslAnap de-
hvrred me ADDRESS to the g'adualinG class.
In this al 're-S ne gave the new lodged uiicer'
TO Understand, ia his own peculiar way, tutt
/ th,y need not look forward To an ugorious
career. hut that In Il q they might have the
/ chance Of winning liurels in Mexico ar else
J where. The illusion was undplpmatic to the
last degree. ,, WIS one for winch Mexico il
sine were a strong power, would quickly
. can our Government TO account | sho Id
. Ike, for instance, To know what would
dressing the graduates OF 81. Cyr, were 20 hold
up to them the prospect ~ winning laurels in a
war with GERMANY. venture 10 say that the
I very moment the word reached BlsmarCk's elI
Ma Mahon would learn something winch world
/ quickly compel him 10 dismiss his blunderinl
Minister, ana To apologize humbly To Germany
Tor the menace. But II surely Is not necessary
| to show tire folly Of Belkntp IN this matter
After Bcknap was through, Gen. sherman had
/ Few words To say. AlmO at once he alluded
10 Belknap's hint, by which he had evidently
been excited, and, with more than his usua
| yehcmence. he suddenly and lludly exclaimed
We want no war with MeXloo!' Belknap, "a,
/ Sherman superior officer was unprepared foI
/ this sort uf thing, and he was unable to refraii
/ from showing, after the proceedings were uN er
ho" badly IL had hurt him.
pIsCRTTI0E on THE MTNICASs.
So far as Is publicly known, the Mexican Gov
/ crumcnt has made no complaint Of the raid %
/ Col, Mackenzie, or Of any II our other rcCen
nperal ions beyond the Rio Grnde. II is reported
| In fact, that the Mex can Government h quit,
/ willing that our troops should pursue into MoAi
! en- soil. AMI there punish or take captive suCi
| Mexican marauucrs or lndO-MeNiCan bands "A
may have disturbed the peace of the peopl,
on this side uf the lho Grande. II this be So, /
certainly shows that the MeXican Guvernmcu
Is IN the hands of men possessed of unusual dis
crtton. But of course, though II be 80. anyhod
WIN admit that II would he possible for Belknal
10 20 too tai, even with Mexico, II can not b.
utterly Impossible for him to get M muss !
he be bent ON getting one up. For instanOt q
Mackenzie, In one or other Of his raids, Nigh
happen To shoot or capture some MeXiC.u
onicialt, or To come into collision with hand
tul uf Mexican troops. In case of an accident q
this KIND, we would bc very sure t. have "a muss
ur perhaps, ON the occasion II AN incursiun int
MeXiC n territory a zig lot Of Mexican trooper
might fall on u small lot of our troopers, chas
them 10 tins side of tho line, burn the town /
which they He'd. and play havoc all round
Then, Of course, the " American heart would b
nred,' and before we fairly knew what we wer
about the country would he precipitated int
NAaa and IlaIL ILrasas al l,. 4.