The New York herald., 1877-07-10
The Border Crossed.

A party of Indians appear to have come
over from chihuahua for a raid in Texas
they were pursued across the Rio Grande
! by detachment of American troops, who
made pretty short work with them. Twenty
seven were killed. twenty three captured
and the remainder driven into their noun
tain retreats. Meantime the HERALD cor
respondent at San Antonio reports that a
specie train from chihuahua was attacked
last Monday at Seco Creek. about fifty
miles southwest OF San Antonio, and
within the Texas line, by highway
men, partly Mexicans. who were beaten
off only after a desperate fight. in which
the master of the train was killed. We
have no doubt General Ord has already
ordered the pursuit of these robbers, and If
they should fly across the Rio Grnnde our
troops would probably cross the river after
them.
Why not? A HERALD correspondent re-
ports that General Treviho, the Diaz COM
mander on tho border. has sent subordi-
nate General villareal, to San Antonio to
explain to General Ord his instructions
from Diaz. Villnreal will arrive at Ord's
headquarters on Wednesday, and he will
hear there that the Mexican robberies will
have to be stopped and that Ord will GER
tainly follow the cattle raiders across
the line. We trust these explana-
tions will be satisfactory to the Mexican
commissioner, and that he will prove to be
sensible man and one familiar with this
question. If he is he will remember that
it is not new thing for American troops to
cross the Rio Grande to protect American
property or to pursue Mexican robbers; on
the contrary, it has been frequently
done, and the Mexican government
of the day was wise enough to
make no fuss about it. So long ago as
1860, Major (now GeneraD Heintzelman,
sent detachment Of Texan Rangers across
the river to guard an American steamer
against attack by the Mexican robber
Cortina, He had some correspondence with
the Mexican General Garcia on the subject,
in which he very properly wrote, II am
here with my forces for the purpose OF dis
persing these outlaws and defending the
frontier from further outages." In the same
year, Colonel (atterward GeneraD r. +.
Lee wrote to the authorities OF the Mexican
town Of Reynosa, Il hereby notify you that
you must break up and disperse the bands
Of banditti within your jurisdiction engaged
in committing depredations upon the per-
sons and property of American citizens,
and that I shall hold you responsible for
the performance Of this plain duty on your
icb fn
Minister Nelson, ''Soener or later this
government will have no other alter
native than to endeavor to secure
quiet on the frontier by seek
ing the marauders in their haunts,
wherever they may be-" In 1874 Governor
Coke of Texas, organized State force and
ordered them to pursue the robbers across
the border, which was done. and quiet was
for while restored. Governor Coke was
called to account for his action by Attorney
General Williams, but on q statement Of the
case the Attorney General ceased to inter-
fere. General Mackenzie, Captain McNally,
Captain Randlett and perhaps others
crossed the border in pursuit Of the banditti.
The Mexican government demonstrated
but it wisely took no further notice of these
acts In 1876 committee Of the House of
Representatives, after hearing evidence at
great length, reported resolutions authoriz-
ing the President to do precisely what
President Hayes has done ITO order the
troops, when in close pursuit of the robbers
with their booty, to cross the Rio Grande
and use such means as they find necessary
for recovering the stolen property and
checking the raids, guarding however, in
all cases against any unnecessary injury to
peaceable inhabitants Of Mexico"
General Ord, who is prudent and expe-
rienced officer testified before the commit
tee that he had satisfied himself that the
only way to put stop to these raids was to
follow the outlaws across the line. Texan
officers and planters gave similar evidence
1t was shown that these cattle stealing ex-
peditions are organized and fitted out by
the local political authorities, and that the
business is SO systematically followed
that the price of beef in the markets of some
Mexican towns depends upon the supply Of
stolen Texan cattle General Ord testified
| that the federal authorities of Mexico are
able to exercise no control or authority in
the border States, and other persons ia
miliar with that region testified that an at
| tempt by the Mexican central authority to
stop cattle raiding would make it SO un-
popular Us to produce revolution in
Tamaulipas
Our Washington dispatches report that
the administration does not intend to recall
or change the instructions given to General
Ord OF course not; why should they be
changed? They are precisely right 1t is
said that considerable number Of adven-
turers and spectators have gathered in