The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-07
TIE RIO GRANDE TROUBLES.
GEN ORD'S INTEREsTING ExPLANA-
TION or 7HE STTUA TON
Dinx Trying to he n GeodeN etshbo--The Rea-
sons fv~ Cattle Rnids- Enough Troops
Available TO Protect the Entire Frontier.


WASHINGTON, Doc. 6.-In his testimony
before the Military Committee Of the House to-
day Gen. Ord bore remarkable testimony To tho
character OF Diaz and the good intentions OF
his Administration. He said he thought Diaz
was tho best President Mexico had had for
years past. and expressed a decided opinion
that he was trying to be good neghbor. Sew
eral questions were asked Gen. Ord upon this
point. and all brought out answers showing dis
tinctly that in the opinion OF a man bcttcr
able than any OF our public men to understand
the Mexican question. Diaz whom the Sec
rotary OF State has refused to recog-
nize. Is tho best ruler who has recently
been In power in Mexico. Ord said thnt while
II wns difficult 10 put the slightest confidence in
the uttcranccs or intentions OF n Mexican. he
believed that Dinz was working in good faith TO
secure ponce and good order on the frontier.
Dnz hns beon forced Ivy public sentiment to an
nouncc that the disciplined troops he was NOV
ing from the interior 10 the frontier were set in
motion TO rcpcl the expected rruption of Amer
lem troops. hut II was Ord's opinion TINT these
troous. which replaced the ill-trained lcvics Of
the frontier provinces, would he ready To- co.
operate in keeping the boundary FREQ from
mnrnudcrs and would ho used to control the
bitter feeling existln ng in border provinces
Al the request of the Commission. Ord wont
into nm extended recital Of tho causes and
character OF the cattle raids in progrcss from
time 10 time between Texas md Mexico. He
said that they were principally carried on by
Indians. with nm occasional Mexican and rene
gade American who were aided Ivy men on tho
American side. market exists In NIL the
Mexican towns for tho fruits NJ these forays,
and property thcro was equally at the mercy Of
mnraudcrs who plundered with the same i'm
Rio Grande.
The entire number Of incurslons into Mcxi-
can territory by cur troops had been. 90 far,
fourtacn, of witch tho last, under Lieut. Bulls.
was still on Mexican soil. searching for ma
thcs" expeditions. with Mexican troops in force.
would largely depcnd, Gen. Ord said upon the
c1I,rIpnter 81 the AmsriGnn officer In commnnd
Mexican officers ut dinner with mo" he said.
For the present he saw no reason 10 anticipate
because he had confidence in the honest pur-
pose Of the Mexican Administration to prevent
q col sion, and thus secure the recognition OF
.Gcn. Ord went at length into his conception
OF Mexican chnracter. and gave general dis
sertation on Mexican politics. under which
nity-six mon had held the onlcc Of President in
n time equal to fourteen Presidential terms.
and IN which no President had lived out his
For the future, protection of the. Texan from
tier. Ord judged two more forts only necessary.
one above and the other below Fort Duncan,
those, recently drtaiiNd to his command. Ord
boundary was possible. At the close OF his tes
tmony he went somewhat at length into the
SUBJECT of negro regiments OF which he drew
an unfattcring picture. He strongly advised
that the number of officers in these regiments
h. increased a. il was dfileult to preserve dis
cipline in them with tho same number as in
white regiments. owing Ia thu absence Of mate
rial from which good non -commiss oned officers
could b" made.
Ord's examination was concluded to-day. and
he returns at once 10 his command. The ex-
animation " the question will continue in his
absence. His testimony clearly establishes
these facts
First-Thc strong efforts Of Dlaz TO keep the
peace and project the frontier in good fnth.
S"cond-The existence of sufficient force in
the army rs now constituted 10 police the from
tier.
Thirl-Tha, the border troubles have a homo
on both sides Of the linz.