Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-05
AN OLD QUESTION REVIVED.

AN OLD QUESTION REVIVED.
The Rio Grande troubles Of the
present existed seventeen years ago,
and, strange to say, Cortina, the
leader Of the robbers and cattle
thieves, was the agressor then as
now. General Lee, then a Colonel
of the United States army, was
stationed at San Antonio. In 1860
General Stoneman, then a Captain
in the regular army, pursued Cor
tina's marauders twice across the
border. This was done under an
order to Colonel Lee similar to the
one recently issued to General Ord
from the war department. The
Mexican authorities resented the in
trusion and a correspondence was
the result. Soon after this South
Carolina seeded and the Mexican
question dropped out of national
politics. Just after the war it was
revived and a commission was
sent up the Rio Grande to ascer-
tain aud report the damages done
on this side OF the border. Tie I'M
vestigation was necessarily hurried
and imperfect, as the fund appgb-
priated for the expenses Of the coin
mission was limited, the country
difficult Of access and many Of the.
cattle raisers were afraid to leave
their places to testify lest they
should be assassinated afterward.
The disturbed state of affairsin the
Southern States east of the MiSsis-
sippi river, financial paAics, false.
issues and other causes diverted
public attention from this grave in
ternational question until after Mr..
Hayes Games into Office. 1t was
only when the bayonet was removed
from American politics and the last
State recognized as equal to any
other one among the sisterhood of
the Union hat the public mind be-
gan to receive impressions In re-
gard to the ongcontinued outrages
of the Mexican banditti on the
border. Gen. Ord has recently Wis
tied Gen. Sheridan at Chicago, and
had a conference with President
Hayes at Washington to report the
condition of affairs on the border,
and to ask such authority as was
conferred upon Col. Robert j.. Lee
seventeen years ago. The authority
was granted in q letter from Secre-
try of War George w. McCrary to
Gen. Sherman, the body Of which
is as follows:
The President desires that the utmost
vigilance on the part Of the military
forees 10 Texas be exercised FOR the sup
preston Of these raids. 1t is very de.
slrable that efforts to this end, in 20 far,
At least. as they necessarily involve ope
rations on both sides of the border, be
made with the cooperation OF the Mexi-
can authorities, and you will instruct
General Ord, commanding ia Texas, to
invite such cooperation on the part OF
the local Mexican authorities, and to in.
form them that while the President is
anxious TO avoid giving offense to Mexi.
co he is nevertheless convinced that the
Invasion Of cur territory BY armed and
organized bodies of thieves and robbers
TO prey upon our citizens should net be
longer endured. General Ord will at
once notify the Mexican authorities
Glong the Texas border OF the great de-.
sire Of the President 10 mite with them
in efforts to suppress this long,continned
iawlessness. AT the same time be will
inform these authorities that il the gov.
eminent of Mexico shall continue to
neglect the duty of suppressiDg these
outrages that duty will devolYe upon this
government, and will be performed, even
il its performance shoald render neces.
sary the occasional crossing of the Dor
der by our troops.
You will therefore direct General Ord
that, in case the lawless incursions con
tinue, he will be at liberty to use his own
discretion when in pursuit of a band of
marauders, and when his troops are in
eight OF them, or upon a fresh trail, to
follow them across the Rio Grande, and
to overiake and punish them, as well as
retake stolen property taken from our
citizens and found in their hands on the
Mexican side Of the line.
The last paragraph is explicitly
strong and significant. A less
cause brought on the Mexican war,
and this would undoubtedly bring
oA war if Mexico had able leaders
and a united people not afraid Of
the United States. There are moi
wanting plenty of bold, bad men
on both sides of the Rio GrandC
who would be but too glad to bring