Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-08-11
The Rio Grande Disturbances.

Shortly after the close Of the war oil
1897, the Mexican government imposed
such restriction upon trade along The Rio
Grandc as led to a revolution in Northern
Mexico. The leaders invited aid from the
American side, and some volunteers crossed
into Mexico. The movement failed, the
leaders escaping into Texas. Here they
were arrested for violating the neutrality
laws but despite the efforts Of American Of
fcers and courts, the prosecution failed to
convict, because the Mexican authorities did
not furnish the necessary Witnesses, and our
Government could not compel their attend
ance. This is the beginning Of the border
warfare, and the presence Of Americans in
this affair is urged by the Mexican border
ers as a precedent for the action, and upon
it they base their claim for rcprisals Not
withstanding the Mexican Government had
modified It's tariff laws, the borderers, under
the lead Juan n. Cortina, have continued a
guerrilla warfare until the present time.
1859, when he led the loray into America,
known as the "Cortina Raid On the
2sth Of September, in that year, he entered
the city Of Brownsville, about three o'clock
in the morning, at the head Of one hundred
armed Mexicans Several citizens were
taken from their beds and brutally muir
dered, and in some instances their bodies
were mutilated. The band then went to
the Jail, killed the keeper, and released all Of
the prisoners. Cortina remained in posses
sion Of the city until prominent MeXicans
came across to him aud persuaded him to
eyacuate it. A general guerilla warfare
has, with short intcrmssions, continued
ever since, and the lamcntable results which
ever follow such disturbances have been
very perceptible here.
The country infested is comprised in seven
counties along the Rio Grande, and CON
tains about forty thousand square miles of
land, equaling Ohio in area. BY the census
of 1870, it contained nearly twenty-eight
thousand people. A committee was ap-
pointed by Congress to investigate the
trouble on this border. 1t was proven be-
fore them by many witnesses, Mexicans as
well as Americans, "that there had been
stolen and driven from this section Of the
state into Mexico, over seven hundred thou
sand head of cattle, and over fifteen thou
sand head of horses. It was also proven that
! Cortina's stock ranches were worth half q
million Of dollars, and that they were COW
cred with cattle bearing the American brands.
More startling than this, however, is the
exhibit by a committee of citizens appointed
TO collect evidence as to the frightfu CON
dition OF affairs along the Rio Grande.
| This committee have made report concern
ing the operations of the two years that have
passed since the government report was
made and placed before Congress. No words
can do Justice to the condition of that dis
tracted country. Within two years forty.
four persons were murdered by cattle thieves
from Mexico The list of women taken pris.
oners stripped in many instances, and often
subjected 10 treatment worse than death, is
enough to rouse the blood of the coolest
American officials have been robbed and
fired upon, post-oilices and the custom hous,
have been plundered, and postmasters killed
stores have been stripped of their goods anC
the booty taken into Mexico, while the un
fortunate owners were glad if they escape,
with their lives and these things are done il
the open day, with immunity. The only ex
cuse given by these borderers is the plea tina
was urged by Cortiua in 1859 ave are ex
terminating our tyrants." 1t is pretty evi
dent that it is time these outrages shou
be stopped, and we are pleased to notice tina
effective measures are about being take
u with this object in view.