New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-29
of the President, but Of the purposes OF
o rascally set of spectators by whom no If
surrounded
ANNEXATION PROJECTS.

Floating about Washington IN rather q
nebulous form Is a scheme for taking another
slice of territory from Mexico. 1t changes Its
shape from time to time, but it always has
gaseous odor of iobbery. Not long ago it was
proposed to push the boundary line OF Arl-
IONA and New-Mxico hundred miles OF
so southwark. Then we were treated TO a
project for bartering the inflated claims oil
Texan hertlsmen and traders for strip fifty
miles wide along the right bank OF the Rl0
Grande. Now il is the peninsula OF Lower
California that the annexationists are covet-
ing. This last scheme has an appearance OF
official cOnnivance, which calls for an ex-
PLANTATION. The United States steamer Nara
gansett has been sent to spy out the land, and
we are told in recent dispatches from Wash
ington of the rich deposits of gold, silver, and
other metals observed by the officers of that
vessel. The account Of their explorations is
spoken of rs q report of survey OF the
peninsula.
A little light on this affair would seem to be
in order just now. and we hope the House OF
Representatives will, as soon as it reassembles,
ask Secretary Robson by what authority he
sent IN expedition to examine the territory OF
friendly power If the survey was made
with the consent of the Mexican Government
We should like TO see the correspondence which
led to it ; if not, then it was as gross breach
of international courtesy and as great piece
of impertinence as it would be If the British
Government should dispatch man-of-
war to look into the natural resources
of Maine with view to annexing
that State to Canada. Assistant Surgeon Evers
informs Mr.. Robson, and Mr.. Robson informs
the country through the medium OF tho Asso-
ciated Press, that "the mineral wealth of
Lower California is truly wonderful" This
is an interesting fact, but it does not concern
us unless it is proposed that the United States
should in some way get possession OF THIS
wonderful wealth. If such a scheme is enter
tanned at the Navy Department or the White
House the country would like to know 1t
before the business reaches Il more advanced
stage.
The good sense Of the American people will
oppose all projects for territorial expansion
southwark. We swallowed as much OF Mexico
in 1S49 rs we can assimilate i'll the present
century. The Gadsden Purchase of 1854 has
not yet justified itself. To take another strip
of alkali desert and Apaches for the chance
of finding n few silver mines upon 1t would be
folly. Even more absurd is the proposition to
annex the right bank of the Rio Grande.
The Texan ranchmen who are now
harried by Mexican banditt would per
haps he benefited, but other ranch
men would push forward to the new
frontier and would be much more exposed to
the depredations of their lawless neighbors.
We have now the natural boundary of large
navigablc river; bat if the plan of the Texan
frontersmen were carried out we should have
to build Chinese wall to exclude eifectually
the rowing bands Of Mexican and half-breed
cattle thieves. As to Lower California, we
doubt whether it would be wise to take it IL
1t were offered as gift. Not many years ago
a company of enterprisng BOstOnans, among
whom was Gen. Butler sent a colony to de-
'yelop the resources" of that favored region.
The adventures narrowly escaped starvation,
and after much suffering finally turned up III
San Francisco as objects of charity.
| Ii is the part of true craftsmanship to dis
courage all projects for acquiring new terri
tory, and to hold the energies OF our people
down to the work of developing the vast do
main we already possess. Our population Is
! spread out too thin. 1t covers our vide en-
pire like flmsy garment full of holes. We
| must thicken tho fabric and fill up the vacant
spaces if we would obtain the conditions OF d
| higher civilization.