The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-06-21
MIR. scHLEIoBER AND MEXICO.

A reporter for the New York World
tells of an interview with Hon. Mr.
Schleicher, of this State, in which this
excellent Congressman is pleased to de-
Glaze substantially that there are no az
nexationists in the South, and that
peace and order and security fer life
and property along the Rio Grande is
all that Texas asks. These are almost
the very words employed when it has
been insisted by the STATESMAN that
Texas only asked that Mexico be in
vaded by our railway system. CON-
uerclal annexation would be a con-
fessed boon to both countries, while
territorial annexation, contemplated by
flibusterS and Gen. Pillow, would be
an unmlxed curse. Governments Of
the conquered districts would become
cesspools of corruption. Satraps, such
as have recently lost places in the
South, through the intervention of the
President, would find fresh fields tor
robbery and wrong, and for the sud
den accumulation OF wealth, as by
Warmoth and others in Louisiana.
Mexican banditti may steal horses and
cattle and rob travellers along the bor-
der for thousand years and we would
never assent to their subsection to re
morseless despotisms such as was
Ames's in Mississippi, Warmoth's in
Louisiana and Scott's, Bullock's and
Davis's in other tyrant-ridden South
ern States. We have seen enough of
the horrors and humiliations of peo-
piles subjected, against their will, to
the mastery of strangers. Whether
these rulers be appointed by the bayo-
net or chosen by Africa, as ordered by
.oulless adventures, the detestation of
foreign rule is still the same, and every
instinct of honesty and of freemen re-
volts against it. 1t was not the match
less knavery of the carpet-bagger that
maddencd the South; but involuntary
subjection to carpet-baggers. The ne.
gro was not hated because he voted
ignorantly. He was an innocent dupe,
lnducted and swornignorantly into loyal
leagues and voting as machine. But
the white men who victimized the negro
and with matchless assurance that out.
ragged decency and mocked creduhty
stalked abroad the rulers of the people
and executing laws and lording it over
men once free - these were the facts
that made the days of carpet-bag domi,
nation in the South blacker than St.
Bsrtholomew's or that of Sicilian
Vespers memory.
Northern people may but Southern
people will never approve the conver.
sion of border provinces of Mexico,
as Gen. Pillow suggests, into Federal
satrapies. We would gladly have
thieves and robbers who obeyed Cor.
tina put to death, but in Gods name
let US never set over them our Kel-
loggs and Ameses and Warmoths and
SCOTS and Bullocks. Lay waste the
country, if need be, and go smashing
things from the Rio Grande.. to the
sea-make desert and call it peace,
but spare the accursed country the
domination of carpet-baggers. These
fellows, out of business since Hayes's
accession to Office, must have induced
Gen. Pillow to prepare his recent let
ter for publication. They would speed
lily he gathered, if all American army
crossed the Rio Grande, like carrior
birds along its line of march, robbing
the people and then filling civil Offices
that taxation, under forms of law,
might become a faultless scheme oi
robbery.
Mr.. Schleicher tells the simple truth
of the people of Texas. We want nc
more territory. We have land now to
give away to all who ask. We have
voters by the thousand who make
for US the most wretched sys-
TENS of local governments pos
sible. They so pollute ballot-boxes
that decency stands aloof disgusted
and often impotent aud we would have
no further accretions of voting force
even as intelligent, patriotic and
virtuous as that of Mexican origin.
Mr.. Schleicher interprets properly the
feeling of the South.
1t is also true that there is no reason
to suppose that the Diaz government
will declare war. Lerdo, on the con-
trary, must be very bellIgerent and very
resentful. He should inveigh bitterly
against the policy adopted by Presi-
dent Hayes. Lerdo is suspected in
Mexico of strong American procliyities.
1t has been said that he proposed to
invade his own country with filibus-
| tSiS AAOLA 4CAdo. hC WOuLo COiICCI
this impression at home. He would
prevent the cohesion of his own and
Diaz's adherents. Therefore he must
inveigh against the conduct of the
United States. He does it with
infinite tact and seeming earnest
ness. He thinks the crossing
Of the Rio Grande by Ord's soldiers
will be the signal for war. and that all
Mexico, if Ord set his foot on this
"sscred soil," should stand up in bat
tie array against the United States.
Diaz, ON the contrary, will quote Vattel
as we presented his exposition of the
Law of Nations, and confessing that
the United States have the right to
follow stolen property across the Mex
ican confines there will be no war. II
Gen. Ord do not act as instructed by
the President these robberies would
become SO constant and intolerable
that the people of Texas would be
finally forced to become a law unto
themselves and wage war of revenge
and levy contributions upon Mexican
populations. We want no war with
Mexico. It may come. Diaz may
deem war the pathway to peace for