, 1877-08-01

Mexico; but it must be remembered that
the complaints come from Texas, and if
things are pretty rough in Mexico
they are not perfectly smooth in Texas.
The citizens of the United States are a
law abiding people, but this characteristic
is not most largely displayed by those
citizens who dwell near the banks of the
Rio Grande. Endless are the American
stories illustrating the free, if not the easy,
life of Texas. One will suffice It is not
long since a citizen of the State was taken
up on t~rifiing charge OF horse-stealing.
He was let out on bail, and Consulted q
lawyer, who seems to have gathered an
unfayourable view Of his clients chances
if he stood a trial, for at the end of the
consultation he frankly told him he had
better run away. Run away" said the
Other, why, | am in Texas already"
He had exhausted every city of refuge
before he had reached the lowest deep
down South. When, therefore, we hear
Of complaints from the innocent citizens of
Texas that MeXicans have come over the
border to steal their herds. we feel some
curiosity to know what the Mexicans have
to say in reply. II they coulu not cite a
fair number of cases of confusion Of
thought on questions of property in the
minds of jewellers on the north of the Rio
Graude, the Inhabitants Of Texas have
been greatly wronged by their fellow-citi-
zens. We are indeed. told that the WssE
ing:on Government have taken action on
the reports Of the military authorities in
the South but we al know hat military
Authorities are always in favour of action.
They will be emp DYED in pursuing the
retrva'ing marauders if pursuit is deter
mined upon, and without supposing for y
moment thai they would purposely misre.
present facts on this account, their minds
are imperccptib'y biased so as TO receive
with slight examination and repeat as as
certained and exact all reports tenu.D5 to
create occasion for their employment. On
the whole, we incline to the opinion that
the United States Government might have
given Senior Diaz a little more breathing
time, and ompler opportunity Of meeting
the charges brought against Mexican cltl-
zaus.
The Washington Government have sent
their message to Senior DiaZ, but it cannot
be expected that much will come Of it.
The Senior is 100 occupied with affairs Of
more pressing importance in consolidating
his disputed authority, to be able to at
tend to the repression of frontier raids.
Sending hun a notice is like what scnding
a notice to James V, to stop cattIe-lifting
in Cumberland would have been, when
the poor King Of Sco's was himself help
lessly under the control 81 or or another
party OF his own mobiles. at the END of
three or four months matters will be very
much what they are now, and the United
States Government will then be called
upon to consider whether they will redeem
the threat they have pronounced. II they
do, will their action lead to an extension
Of the territory of the States at the ex-
pense Of MexicO9 1t is possible that it
NAV, though we do not look upon this
result as probable, and we are satisfied
that the Washington Government do not
harbour any desire to eff ct such an extern
sion. The chief motive of the cid hunger
for annexing States in the South has dis
appeared. When slavery existed there
was a double object sought in adding neg
States to the Union in the South. Every
such addition afforded a fresh 6eld 70: the
employment of that thriftless slave labouf
which became Improbable unless virgin
land was always accessible, and it affordol