The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-14
BY TELEGRAPH.


WAsHIgGToN, February 12,-Geueral 0rd
commander OF the military department OF
Texas, was examined to-day as witness be-
fore the select committee Of the House on the
Texas frontier troubles, and gave to the com.
mittee o very full and intelligent account oil
the cattle.raids to which the rancheros OF the
American side Of the Bio Grande for five
hundred miles along Meriveo, and for one
hundred and fifty miles back from It, are
subjected, as well as OF the remedy which he
would recommend for them.
According to the Generals statement the
country which Is the scene OF these border
forays is separated from the river BY very
extensive belt OF underground forest, or
chaparral, which forms a screen and shelter
for the cattle-thieves who live by plumber,
and which renders 1t next to Impossible for
military patrols or military posts to interfere
with them. There are two classes Of Mexi.
cans living on the Texas side !; the one con-
sisting of intelligent, bouest rancheros, who
are as much opposed to these raids as the
American portion of the population is;
and the other consisting of worthless
fellows, many of them outlaws OF
deserters from the Mexican army, who
work occasionally on the ranches, and who
act as spies and informers for their cousins
or compd6res on the other side when they
cross the river on their cattle.stealiDg eXpe-
ditions. 1t is the intelligence which they
receive from these fellows which enables
them to avoid the routes by which they
might be intercepted on their return
with their booty on their own side
of their river. These bands which
sometimes number from 100 to $50, are
in league with the local authorities, their
recognized chief being Cortina so that all
facilities are given to them for disposing Of
their p.under, and such thing as restora-
ton Of the stolen cattle is not thought of.
The National Government of Mexico is not
TO be blamed, in General Ord's opinion, for
this state of things first, because the
system OF the Government is to let
each State take care of its own affairs !;
and second, because the Mexican soldiers
have strong tendency whenever they get
near enough to the border to desert their
colors and cross into Texas. The Mexican
Government is therefore powerlesS in the
matter, and the State Government of Tamau-
lipas seems to regard these frontier forays as
part of the established order of things essen
tiSl for the good order Of the community.
The only remedy, therefore, Cor the evil is,
and it is one which the General is urging on
the War Department, to Increase the cavalry
force on the Rio Grande, and give him au-
thority, when bis troops come on the trail of
one of those thieving bands, to let the pur.
suit be continued to the Mexican side of the
river, and let the troops deal out summary
punishment on the robbers. He thinks that
whatever opposition the local authorities
might make to such practical cause
the general Government Of Mexico could not
make any. He says that now in one OF
the more northern States (Chihuahua) the
Mexican commandant have a mutual ar.
rangement by which Iadian expeditions are
followed on either side of the river, and that
on some occasions the American and Next.
can troops have co6perated in their move.
ments against Indians, rations being supplied
by bis orders TO the MeXicaus. He is conf
dent that the only possible mode Of put
ting down these troubles and the forays j:
by following up the robbers in the way he
recommends. .l...