Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-13
Our Mexican NeighbOrs.
BORDER RAIDS TO BE STOPPED AT ANY COST
PROBABILITIES OF ANOTHER WAR

Ever since the close of the war between
Mexico ard this country the condition OF az
fairs on the border has been subject OF seri-
Gus consideration TO this government. Raids
by bands of Mexican thieves and outlaws into
United States territory have been too frequent
for enumeration. At intervals they have
ceased, but break out again With as mucl GER
tainty as the recurrence of the seasons. In
some of these depredations only few h .rd Of
long horned Texas cattle have been stolen.
Others have been attended with atrOcious
murders, high-handed rObberies and system
attic outawry: AT times @ an unusually gross
United States to the inauguration Of vigorous
probationary measures. Whenever this has
b. en- done the Mexican authorities have been
loud in their prOteStatiOnS of willingness to co
operate in putting an end to these troubles.
Their chief aim seems, however, to have been
only to 60 so far as to prevent the adoption
extreme measures by this government.
THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION
IS alive to all these facts, and has had for
many months the settlement of the issues be-
tween the two countries under serious consid-
eratlOn: IL mas been In constant correspond
ence with MIR. Foster, our minister at Mexico,
on the subject. Through him has been COM
municated to Mexico, the strong feeling in
great pressure which has Eeen brought to bear
upon this government to bring about speedy
settlement with Mexico, even by war, if ne
&c tessary: In response Diaz says he is willing
border thlevery. This the government be-
lieves. He is not able, however, to render any
great assistance. He is unable to control his
MexicanS are banding over the Rio Grande to
resist any raid that U. S. troops may make
aeross IN the pursuit Of thieves who after
own country. The people on the Mexican
border are composed largely of the thieves
themselves. Those who are not of this class
are generally strong .sympathizers with the
raiders n N I'M WI hat wit
them. The administration is perfectly aware
OF TINS and has so communicated to The MeXi-
can government. 1t has also, through Minis
ter Fo- ter, notified the Mexican foreign secre-
tary that while not at all desirouS of resorting
to force, the reluctant conclusion has been
forced upon it that only by such an agency can
not necessarily mean war. The resort to force
will be put off to the very last moment, but
unless unfOrS" en- circumstances arise there will
be no modification whatever in this determi-
nation. General Ord'S forces will pursue raid
ers in spite Of armed resistance. WHAT com
plicatiOnS may arise from conflict of United
states troops and Mexicans the future must
develop.
CORTINA'S CAREER.
Among the many outlawed Mexican chiefs
who have, in a long series of years, rObb9d
and pundered American citizens, the most no
pursued toward him and his band by Mexico
will serve to represent the action almost invari-
ably taken by that government in dealing
Cortina was the terror of the border. No
attempt was made to check him in his
career until 1859, when he, was indicted
in the neighborhood of Brownsville, Texas'
and assembling about him a band of outlaws
and cut.throats, he defied arrest. Subse-
quently he crossed into Mexico and organized
A RAID UPON BROWNSVILLE,
which place he captured and held, demanding
large sum OF money from its inhabitants
and threatening. should it not be forthcoming,
IN h1r n Hrnrn hi
diSsauded by the officers of the Mexican gar.
riSOn at Matam0ras. After remaining there a
week or more he retired across the line into
amount Of plumber. A month later he he re-, e.
crossed with large force and maintained an
open war from October to the close of the
year Then he was again driven across the
mand of Ma jOr s. p. Heintzelman. consisting
OF one company OF regular cavary, four oil
artillery, two OF infantry and five companies
OItrageS committed by these outlaws that
THE FOLLOWING ORDER
ADJUTANr GENERALS OFFICE. WASHING
TON, ID. c., Feb. "a, l860.-Sir: Information
having reached the War department of the
continued depredat10ns OF COrtina and his
followers on American soil, the Secretary of
War directs that you make use of your best
exertions to put stop to the predatory opera.
tlonS OF that band OF outlaws, and that you
employ for this purpose, if required. all the
be spared for such services. The most Wig
orous measures for the capture of Cortina and
his band will be resOrted to, and, if necessary.
sued beyond the limits of the United States.
xant, soopsR, Adiata1p afla 19easser Generai Ser
Brevet Col K. K. Lee, commanding Denart.
ment Of Texas San Antonio, Texas.
OUR TROOPS CROSS THE RIVER AND ARE FIRED
ON.
Under this order the troops Of the United
pursuing COrtina were fired upon by Mexican
forces, it was claimed by mistake. These
forces were also it was alleged in pursuit of
this firing was accidental. By some @ itH it is
claimed that it was demonstration to cover
CortlnaS retreat,as on the day previous he had
been in the immediate vicinity Of the Mexican
forces, a fact OF which they diSclaimed all
knowledge. The breaking out of the rebellion
stopped any further proceedings on the part of
the United States government. The close of
TIE rebellion Nas signal for the renewal OF
driven off, ranches burned, contributions
levied upon small towns, and many murders
committed. No special notice was taken of
this state ate, OF affairs by the government until
gress the President appointed Messrs Thos.
T. RObb, F. j. Mead, and Richard H. Savage
A COMMISSION TO VISIT THE TEXAN BORDER
and collect let testimony co. Concerning these out
the same year recOunted an array of facts fully
substantiating every complaint made of The
atrocities and depredatiOns OF Mexican out
laws.
1T WAS THEN AS 1T IS NOW.
The following extract from that report OF
the commission is an apt description of the
state OF affairs existing On the border to-day:
For years past, especially since 1866, armed
bands OF MexicanS have continually emDIoy-
ed the safe refuge of an adjoining territory
and the favorable river frontier to cross from
Mexico into Texas in strong parties collect
and drive away into Mexico unnumbered
herds of cattle from this region. The thieves
have, with astonishing bOldneSs, penetrated
at times one hundred miles, and even farther.
into Texas. and by day and night have carried
on this wholesale system of plundering EN-
ploying force and intimidation in all cases
where resistance or remOnStrance was met
with. The Mexican local authorities, as a
rule, civil and military, have been cognizant
of these Outrages, with one or two honorable
exceptions.) protected the offenders, defeated
with technical objections attempts at recOy-
cry of the stolen property, assisted in main
tanning bands OF thieves, and directly and
openly have dealt in the plunder or apprOpri-
ated it to their personal uses"
MEXICAN INDIFFERENCE.
AS an evidence OF what the Mexican central
government has done to put stop to these
1iagrant violations Of the soil of the United
States, the following extract from the same
report is subjoined:
"The supreme government of Mexico has
been duly apprised OF the state Of the border
by earnest correspondence OF the United States
civil and military officers, transmitted through
the American minister, and in the opinion of