The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-15
The Fresh Outrages ON the Mexican
Border.

lean difficulties will be successfully COM
posed by the wise methods suggested by
Secretary Evarts and adopted by the admin
istration. We have not doubted from the
first that the vigorous instructions given to
General Ord would have pacific effect IN
spite of some temporary irritation. Ii the
execution of that order had been intrusted
to an officer less discreet and clear-headed
it might have involved us in hostilities
with Mexico and have justified the denunci-
atoms which were Mt first Illuminated by
the Mexican and a portion Of the American
press The circumspect manner in which
General Ord has followed his instructions
has caused the voice of censure to die away.
The government of President Diaz, instead
of the resentment which was predicted,
evinces a spirit of cooperation. There is
no reason to doubt that the raids can be sup
pressed without disturbing our relations
with Mexico and without recourse to so ex-
treme a remedy as rectifcation Of the
boundary. Not the least significant proof
of the acknowledged wisdom of MIR. Evarts'
policy is that supplied by the tacit
change of front by Senator Blaine.
It will be recollected that in his Fourth
of July speech at Woodstock he singled
out the supposed Mexican policy of the adj
ministration as the chief topic Of his warn
ing and invective but in the recent Maine
platform the subject was passed over In
silence. Mr.. Blaine has become convinced
that no political capital can be made
against the administration by assaults on
its Mexican policy, which is a strong i'm
| piled com pliment to the sagacity of Mr..
Evarts The Secretary of State took legiti-
mate advantage of the urgency of General
Diaz to have his government recognized by
the United States, calculating that this mo-
tive would suffice for securing acquiescence
in demands and measures which were
founded on the plainest rules of interna-
tional obligation. We presume the govern
ment of Diaz will not be recognized until it
proves that it has the ability as well as the
disposition to make its authority felt in the
suppression of these border outrages.
The recent occurrences furnish no reason
for distressing the success of the new policy.
The most exciting of them, the attack on
the Jail in Rio Grande City and liberation
of prisoners by band Of Mexican outlaws,
is SO exceptional that it has little or no rela-
ton to the kind of outrages which General
Ord was instructed to suppress. 1t is good
omen that this discriminating officer at once
recognized the fact that an affair of this kind
is not within the scope of his instructions,
but must be dealt with by the ordinary civil
methods. It falls within the provisions of
our extradition treaty with Mexico, and ap-
plication has been made by the Governor Of
Texas to the Governor Of the Mexican prov
ince Of Tamaulipas for the surrender of
these criminals Even if they should not
be captured and sent back this species of
outrage has little bearing on the general
question.
Our extradition treaty with Mexico is the
| most singular compact of the kind ever
made between two nations. 1t is Of such
nature as to divest the central government
of Mexico of pretty much all responsibility
for the extradition of fugitive criminals. It
provides that in the case of crimes commit
ted within the limits of the frontier States
and Territories ''the surrender may be made
by the chief civil authority thereof, or such
chief civil authority Of the districts or coun-
ties bordering Oh the frontier as may for
this purpose be duly authorized by the said
chief civil authority of the said frontier
States or Territories. This singular
provision explains why the Governor
of Texas makes a requisition on the
Governor of Tamaulipas for the surrender
of these Jail raiders instead of the Presi-
dent of the United States making requisi-
ton on the President of the Mexican Re-
public 1t will be difficult to call the Mexi-
can government to account for failure of
duty by local Governor, and this part Of
the extradition treaty is probably blum
der If the local civil authority on the
frontier could always be relied upon to do
it's duty there would be an obvious advan-
tage in point Of promptitude; but if the
Mexican Governors near the frontier hap
pen to be in sympathy with the raiders the
operation Of the treaty is little better than
a farce. In the present case, even if the
Governor of Tamaulipas acts with energy,
it is not probable that any surrender
will be made, owing to another singular fea-
ture of the treaty. 1t provides that neither
of the contracting parties shall be bound to
deliver up its own citizens under the stipu-
lations of this treaty." If, as is supposed,
the raiders on the Rio Grande City Jail are
Mexicans, they capnot be delivered up, even
if they are captured. This remarkable
treaty was made sixteen years ago, before
cattle raiding had been organized into a
regular business on the Mexican side of the
Rio Grande, and when it was supposed that
the local authorities on both sides would
bring their own citizens to justice for crimes
committed against their neighbors 1t is
utterly out of relation with the present
state of things.
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