The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-08-12

THE WEEKLY fNTELLIGENCER.
Official Press Of King County.
Monday, August l2, 1878
STILL CONTINUES.


Recent raids along the Mexican Dor
der appear at last to have attracted the
sluggish attention of the Government
at Washington, and it may be source
of some satisfaction TO the plundered
citizens of our border districts, to whom
the present Administration has been
repeatedly promising Its protection. to
know that the Cabinet have discussed
the matter, and even gone so far as 70
consider the situation serious" This
morsel Of satisfaction mag have grown
stale however; as, whenever series OF
raids are Derpetrated along the Rio
Grande and hundreds Of the citizens Of
that section are plunlcfed al even
murdered by Mexican thieves, the Ad-
ministration usually venture about As
far as this; and then by way of consol-
ING the victims of these outIages, it re-
news its pledges 10 them and the cOun-
try for the protection Of their lives and
property against the marauders. Not
only has the Administration failed 10
keep its promises to those to whom 1t
is bound in all justice to afford its pro-
lection against system Of rapine and
murder which has for years been car
ried on against them with the full
knowledge of the Mexican authorities,
but it has even gone so far as to rebuke
General Ord for pursuing. with por-
ton of his cavalry, gang of these
Greaser thieves and cut-throats across
the border into Mexico.
Now if he,Fcds al Government is en-
tirely incompetent to protect the lives
and property of It's citizens against
Mexican marauders-if great govern
ment like ours must remain silent and
impotent while its territory is invaded
for hundreds of miles and its citizens
murdered and plundered by regularly
organized bands of deSparadoes, for
whose conduct the Mexican Govern
ment is clearly responsible, it had
better come out and say SO ut once, and
and permit the people Of the border to
take the matter into their own hands,
But no; it will not do even this, and its
conduct is humiiating in tho last de-
gree.
1t was pretended some time ago that
President Diaz had guaranteed his CO.
operation in the suppression of these
outragos. But it appears TINT these
pledges have never been kept if made.
1t is probably true, and in fact it is
now the general Impression that the
Mexican authorities have neither the
ability nor the inclination To control
these marauders Ii this be so, why
don't the Administration come out
boldly and independently and inform
the indolent and inefficient authorities
of Mexico that henceforth it will take
the matter in its own hands; that il
will no longer permit Mexican thief
to plant his foot upon Texan soil; that
it will, il need be, hunt them down on
the other side of the Rio Grande. and
at all hazards seek reprisals for out
RACES perpetrated on its citizens bv
striking blow for blow. Instead of
pursuing this manly course, however,
our government is even coming 10 be
regarded by the Mexicans rs too feeble
to defend its own heritage under the
most lnsolent ana violent proyocation.
The situation ut present is practically
what it was last Winter when Judge
Russell, of Texas, in his testimony be.
fore the House Committee on Foreign
Relations, made the following state
ment. which can be found among the
reports of that Committee
United States custom houses have
been invaded, post offices sacked and
burned. the wealth OF the country de-
stroyed, citizens killed on the highways
and in the presence of their families, TO
such an extent and in such manner "a
to challenge belief. For many wears
an almost organized war ty great
number of the Mexican population
against the border inhabitants has ex-
listed. But few days at any one time.
have elapsed without the community
being startled by the news of the kill
ing OF citizens and the driving of cattle
into Mexico by the robbers. These
raids have extended into the interior of
Texas. distance of one hundred and
sixty miles from the border. Formerly
the stock-raiSers were in independent
circumstances but now nearly all with
in one hundred miles of the Rio Grande
are comparatively impoverished. ="