The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-27
ON 10 MEXICO.
LEMDO MEXICAN WITHOUT MAN.
HDOD.
Vaughan Thomas the Leader Of the Meye'
nent and a Man of Destiny.
Especial Correspondence N. o. Democrat

WASHINGTON, d. O., May 81, 1877.
have before me an editorial. clipped from
southern Journal In which the questions asked:
q What has become OF that Mexican movement
Jan II be that it has ended AZ IL originated-in
he fervid Imagination of Buell7"
This inquiry seems 10 invite attention. II the
sditor OF our contemporary means TO assert that
my recent specials to the DEMOCRAT, concerning
b proisct TO Anericanizs the Northern States Ut
Mckee, had M foundation except In my own
fancy, must say that be ID not . trustworthy
upon current facts. It so happened
aeausintaneer, and was chiefly instrumental In
bringing their project to The notice OF The public
through tho agency OF newspaper now here in |
Washington. After the subject had once been |
ianited, however, il blss d up in all ditee.
li9ns, ard some portions OF the hame
OF newspaper enterprise undoubtedly got into the |
wrong TIMBER as 1t were. But so far as ! am
Responsible for the publications touching The
subject, they were all within the limits-snd a
long way within, to,4-of information / had re-
ceived from the prime movers themselves. The
only serious setback to the published statements
IL contained In the recently printed interview Of
New York reporter with Senior Letdo, in which
that fugarious patriot slrenuously denies the
share in the movement attributed to him, and
says that The publications aforesaid were un-
loubtedly made through emissaries OF Diaz in
order to prejudice the Mexican people against
him. But despite Lerdo's denial large number
of facts etIl remain TO show that whether active
ly participating 10 the councils Of the American
movement or not, Lerdo has been aware OF ID
from its inception and never felt called upon TO
discaim either knowledge OF or share Ia ii until
its aspects Of conquest dawned upon his mind to
convince him that, instead Of its being, as he at
first imagined, q movement auxiliary 10 his de-
Signs at restoration. It's promoters were using
him and his designs as auxiliary TO their own
scheme.
snes Lerdos densl the subject seems 10 have
basn generally dropped by the press. But this
s by no means necessarily an indication thskthe
movement is at an end. u was in existence long
before the newspapers got hold Of it, and il is yet
in vigorous state notwithstanding that it has
bsen banished from their columns as summsriy
as IL bazsd up in them suddenly.
But The publication Of the facts and the dis
ca sion OF tbs protest have not boon without
effect for they had tended 10 encourage the adher-
ents OF LerIo In North Mexico TO suoh an extent
that they have rison in several places against
the Diaz government With all tho usual Mex can
paraphernalia OF fiery proHlpcinniento and in
cipiebt horse-stealing. Lerdos scheme was To-
organizs an American legion on Mcxicsn soil, to
servo under his orders until he should have been
rsnsiated 10 the city OF Mexico, and then doubt
less be disbauded and murdered in detail ON ts W way
back home. Lerdo Is simply o Mexican, with no
more manhood than the average OF his RAGS. He
IL In no sense Of the term q great man, but, by
comparison with Santa Anna and Jusrez, is fee
BILE, timid personags, and is averse to all turmoil
that may involve peril to himself. When he
landed on our soil ts was fresh from smart race
TO keep out OF reach OF sharp stick with which
Diaz menaeed tho integrity Of his rear elevation,
and VAS in consequence little blown, as they
say on the turf. As soon as he could get bis
breath he set up for martyr and took lodgings
in New York, waiting for the turn OF the wheel o
pronuactamiento. What he wanted was to gei
back to Mexico and regain the presidency j, and
whether he WAS called back by Escobedo ut the
head of q successful uprising Of North Mexioans
or carried back upon the broader shoulders OF ar
Americas expedition, was totally irnmaterial II
him.
But Vaughn Thomas had not then, no. has b.
now, any purpose to flag second fiddle to Lerd1
It is no part Of his programme to set up an.
Mexican government, but simply TO pull dow,
; all tho Mexican governments ho can get hi
hands on. Thomas IL u piactioal revoluionist
, He has been In thu business Of revolu ion eve
since he l. 10 his home i'll Northern New Yorl
,wenty-eight years ago, at tho age Of thirteen, t.
seek bis fortune as the youngest OF the Argo
. nauts of 40. Hs has been In every revelation ol
the North Ame lean continent In the la st quartz
OF century. from the expeditions OF Walker t
the rebelio of the Confederacy, including
taste OF imperialism with Maximilian. He
now about forty-two years old, in the prime Q
vigor, mentally and bodily, more thorough
versed in the language, laws, customs
and character Of the Spanish. American people
than any olher native Of the Uoited States with
in the range Of my knowledge, and animate
by single idea-the doctrine CT Manifest Des
thy, which he learned when boy Of eighteen
sitting at the feet Of Walker, and which he wi
| never forget or abandon 80 long as he can live
: see foot Of North American territory "swa
ing" ss he puts it, ''the coming OF its naturt
master, the Anglo-saxon."
shall never forget conversation had wit
this remarkable man about four weeks ago. Il
had recently come on. from the Pacific slope, 80
q business The conversation began with an ALT
d sitn to Miler's verses to the "King Of Tigre
who, be II known, was Thomas himself. Theme
he ran on criticispg Miller, quoting the spaui
9 poets, commenting upon the literature Of th
spanish-American States, as compared wit
y that Of old Spain, and touching hundre
= = topics in miraculous naelange, ill finally
dropped back to his pet theme: "When the lie
r is satiated or sleepy" he said, "the hares an
= = jackass rabbits may browse around with impun
= ty, and the jackals may even nibb'e at the MOI
arch's tail. Thus, whils the United States ha'
been sleeping { fl the fatigues Of the late va
I Mexico has been frisky enough, even to the g,
! tent of nibbhng across the Bio Grande borde
;. But he must be blind to the signs of comm
!. events who supposes that the hon ia always I
X remain in letharov and tba ;cckal tn hos