The New York herald., 1877-08-30
THE RAVAGED BORDER.
How Mexican officials Play the Farce
Of 'ActiOn in Conjunction"
ALL TALK, BUT NO HUNT.
American Officers Wearied and Disgusted
With Bad Faith.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD


SAN ANTONIO, Texas, August 90 1877.
whatever may be the bona yades in which General
Benavides acts 1t is quite certain that 1t Is not
shared either by the subordinate military officers
alcaldes or Mexican people. This is clearly indi.
Gated In the case OF the Lipan Indians, who are
= anparentlv no nearer extradition than they were
s'REAsoNs" FOR INAcrfON.
As long as talk will pay the Mexican Will talk
ike the Indian; but when it comes to the time for
action, which Is at variance with his prejudices
and his immediate interests, he will be as hard to
find as to move when found. Well informed OFF,
Gals near Eagle Pass write to tins point that the
euorts to extradite the bloodthirsiy Indian
wretches above alluded to are likely first to result
In crop of first class Mexican reasons Tor not
doing It,
The oficials who hold the papers look sage and
talk IN most friendly way, but most resolutey do
uothins.
"AcTIoN IN CONJUNCTION r"
While also there is great display Of willingness
IN words to cooperate with the American forces in
their pursuits of raiders, the same studied inac-
tivity is observable Every time that our troopers
spring to the saddle and ride their animals to
deaths door In pursuit Of band OF marauders
they come to an awkward halt soon as they
reach the Mexican border They are ordered not
to push their pursuit the frontier for have
not the Mexican officers all pledged themselves to
take up the scent on Mexican soil, and then to
I'm tho orY lore IN ga
to bring them back and hand them over to Amcr-
can Justice? But the Mexican is not man with.
out mental resources, and hence every time "ac
tiOn III conjunction" IS attempted the MeXicans
keep out OF sight, or If discovered they cannot be
induced to assist in the hunt, at the same time
strongly obectlng to our men crossing over
THREE REPUsALs.
Three times OF late has this virtual refusal and
utter indisposition TO help troops in their
dlshes after stock thieves occurred The Mexicans
coud not be induced to make even a pretence OF
following the maraudcrs not to talk Of organizing
vigorous pursuit.
NOTABLE EXCEPTION.
There is, to be sure, one recent exception to this
Inactivity. Representations Of the strongest kind
were made TO the Mexlcans of a large haul Of
Texan cattle by u noted thief and the ofnccr in
command immediately sent out a squad Of troopers
OH the indicated trail, with instructions to find the
man who stole the animals and tell him il he saw
anybody with stolen Texan cattle to bring HIM and
the beasts in. more thorough instance Of the
farcical way in which the Mexicans s.assist- our
soldiers could not be selected.
ARMY OFFICERS DIsGUsTED.
1t Is considered here, among all classes, that the
reconciliation policy is at an end The United
States Army officers here are disgusted. They nat
uraly dislike being made fools Of by such specimens
Of humanity the Mexican officers An army
officer said TO me that unless General Ord is
instructed to cross the Rio Grande when in pursuit
Of malefactors, whether the Mexican troops are
on the other side or not and unless more troops
are sent him, the Rio Grande policy will be worse
than failure. The talk among civilians is equally
emphatic in condemnation of this policy as it is
now laughed at and blocked by the Mexicans.
BY THE LIGHT or THE MOON.
The country at present Is full of small Indian
bands, who operate under the cover OF night. TWO
Or three men have been killed and many horses
stolen. 1t is a matter OF fact that at every full
moon during the past two years depredatons from
Mexico have been made in Texas. II the new
policy does check this state of affairs, OF what
uae ic IL people hero