New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-20
OUR SAN ANTONIO LETTER.
Rio Grande Complications = McNally .
Fight and the Probable Consequences
The Other Side of the Me exican Ques.
tfon-The Robbery mt Leon Springs. In
Rexar County,


The Other Side of the Mexican Ques.
tfon-The Robbery mt Leon Springs. tn
Rexar County.
SAN ANTONIO June Ia, 1875.
Yesterday. the news that Captain Nc.
Nally's State forces had destroyed a gang
of twelve Mexican cattle thieves, was re-
ceiyed here, and created no small stir. If
Captain McNally is retained in command
Of the State forces on the Rio Grande, and
sufficient troops are placed at his disposal
cattle lifting will cease, for obvious reasons
30 bs the remunerative profession that it
has been. McNally is exactly the right
man to refresh the Mexican memory on the
subiec: Of boundary lines. He enjoys
brillsn: Confederate fighting record. and.
.nder the Republican administration OF the
Stat. government, he was ono OF Gov
ernor Davis most trusted and efficient
State police captains. He is not afraid to
shoot. aud is equally careless when it comes
20 being SHOT at.
The great, and perhaps immediate con.
sequence of the slaughter of a dozen of
Cor.ina's henchmeu will be to bring about
crisis IN the diseased condition of affairs
on the Rio Grande. Cortina himself is one
Of the hundred petty chieftains that have
from time 10 time strutted on the Mexican
stage :or a blief period, and retired into
oblivion on the conclusion of their little
farce or tragedy as the case might be.
Once. about fifteen years ago, he actually
captured the city of Brownsville, and it
took small army to oblige him to recross
TO his own side Of the river. In his revolt
tionary conflicts with his own people, he
proved himself more than a match for
Canales. and other generals of similar
calibre, against whom he has been pitted.
At present he is lord of all he surveys. He
is regarded by fully 5000 we'll organized,
thoroughly armed bandits, who are &C.
quain;ed with every foot of the country. as
their infallible chief. On the lower Rio
Grande, the Mexican government to the
contrary notwithstanding, Cortina is king.
am fully persuaded that there is nothing
he Mexican central government desires
more earnestly than peace with the United
States, but it is powerless to enforce its
policy on the Rio Grande. Sending troops
there to punish outlaws and enforce neu.
:ralitv along the line has been tried before,
and large proportion of Cortina's brigands
is composed of the very soldiers who were
sent there for very different purpose.
About year ago Colonel Christie was sent
to the Rio Grande with a full regiment Of
cavalry to put an end 70 the cattle stealing,
but before he had been there week he
was almost without men, they having de.
serted and come over to this side Of the
river. and now they are with Cortina. The
:nore soldiers President Tejada sends to
arrest Cortina the moro recruits does the
outlaw receive. How. then. is the Mexican
government able to prevent the depreda-
,ions on Texan soil
1t is not however, just or true, to assert
that the Mexicans are wholly to blame for
the intense bad feeling that at present
exists between the Mexicans and Ameri-
cans. 1t often happens that the just suffer
:or the unjust. The quiet, inoffensiye Mexi.
can. who has lived all his life on Texas soil.
and who has nothing in common with the
trans Rio Grande Mexican except his ap-
pearance, is often the innocent victim of the |
pistol of the American desperate. ! feel
justified in asserting that such events are |
almost of daily occurrence. a few days !
ago had lengthy conversation with two |
gentlemen (Americans), who were just from |
the Rio Grande, not far from the scene of |
the recent fight. They assured me- that |
four dead Mexicans had been found in the !
rear of party of cowboys that had passed
up the river. An old and respected Ameri !
&c nth rho hou |
in Texas. near the town of Conception. for
upwards of twenty-five years. Don Antonio
Palacos. assured our informants that for the |
first time in his life he was afraid of the
Americans, and that he was going to move
20 more secure locality.
A few days ago conyersed with q young
man, the son of one of the most distiD-
guished jurists in the State, who had just
returned from pretracted fishing and
hunting tour. and from him had the same
old story of four more dead Mexicans hav-
ing been found on the Nueces river. above
the crossing of the Fort Clark road.
Now there is no earthly reason why Mex
cans should be more unhealthy, jus. at this
time, than any other class of our popula-
ton. and the only reason why they are SO
frequently found dead is that they have
been wantonly murdered, in most instances,
as vicarious sacrifices for Don COrtina and
his crowd.
About ten days ago a Mexican peddfer.
Santos Bejareno, of this city, was hung in
The neighboring county of Atascoso by some
unknown parties on suspicion of having
stolen some money from house. OF bis
guilt or innocence know nothing. but here
ae bears the reputation of having been an
honest man. Il
Icould mention other instances, but l {
torbear. Like the Rio Grande river, {
great deal can he said on both sides.
merely wish to show that even the Mexican {
ian be sinned against. Il
But leaving the Mexicsns to shift for 9
themselves until my next letter, must tell I
'ou what happened Sunday yesterday {
at the Leon Spring, q stage stand
md small settlement eighteen miles from
.ere, on tho road to Fredericksburg. q
ierman town Of several thousand in q
abitants. About eleven O'Clock five q
americans rode up to the store OF Mr. !;
lax Ane. and after dra wing from him 9
EXPRESSIONS of admiration for their public 3
piritedness in hunting horse thieves THAT =
what they said they were after), procured a
,enAo