Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-16
THE MEXICAN BORDER.


Coz. w. II. Shafter Gives Some Valuable
Information to the House Military
Committee.
A special from Washington under
date of the Sth inst. gives considerable
valuable information upon the Mexican
question. This information is founded
upon the testimony of Col. w. r. Shat
ter before the house military commit
tee. His testimony is to the effect that
the aspect of affairs between the two
governments was rather peaceful than
Warlike. 1t shows, as member Of the
committee says, in the first place, that
there was no occasion for the order of
the secretary Of war; second that the
utmost good feeling existed on the part
of Mexican citizens toward the country;
and, third, that there was disposition
on the part of the Diaz government
to aid this government in pursuing and
Furnishing MARAUDERs.
Col. Shafter testified that he command
ed the district of the Nueces, extending
from San Phillippi down to Laredo;
that raids from Mexico to Texas in his
district were smaller and less frequent
in the year 1877 than previously, and
that they were not made by Mexicans
nor by Mexican Indians, but by Amer
lean Indians that had been driven out
and taken refuge in the northern part
Of Mexico in what is called the un-
known country There were taree
bands Of these Indians: mostly from the
Llpan and KickapoO tribes. He testi-
fed that the whole number of these
bands were engaged in raiding would
not exceed f. .... .....
TWO HUNDRED WARRIORS;
that as early as in 1866 he had crossed
with troops in pursuit Of those Indians
with the assent of the Mexican au-
thorities; that he had continued to
cross from time to time, making some
five or six different raids down to 1877
and that during all that time the raids
made by him gave no dissatisfaction,
but the respectable portion of the
Mexican people were glad to have the
Indians pursued and captured. He
further testified that since the Diaz
government was installed and within
the last tOllr Or i've months
MEXICAN TROOPS
had come upon the border; that there
were about three hundred stationed
opposite Duncan; that these troops are
in good state of discipline and well
behaved and that the commanding
officer in charge of that frontier is q
ranchero whom he knows we'll, whose
f,,n To A
government, and who always manifests
a disposition to aid in suppressing raids,
disorders, thieving, and things of that
sort. He says that he understands that
large bodies Of troops, some Of whom
may have arrived and some en- route,
are to be stationed along the Rio Grande
| representing the same governm ent He
testified that
THE DIAZ GOVERNMENT
apparently manifests more strength and
disposition to check marauders than
has been displayed before He has
been upon the Mexican frontier since
1866, and knows whereof he speaks.
Since the location of troops opposite
him he has crossed the river with their
consent, and they have co-operated with
him in pursuit of the thieves They
have always expressed a willingness to
when required. Col. Shafter testified
that the order of the secretary of war
authorizing a crossing upon the first
trail aroused
GREAT INDIGNATION,
it being construed to be an order in
fringing upon the dignity Of the Mexi-
can people, and that since that order
he has not crossed any more freely than
before. Neither has he taken greater
liberties than formerly. He says that
they always desired him to confine
his operations to the Indian territory
and to the Indians, and disiked his
troops to follow them into Mexican
towns and settlements. He testified
that the only effect the order had upon
him in changing his plan, style, and
manner of crossing, was that before he
felt he was doing it without being au-
thOrized by the government but now
he felt that he had full
AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT
to back him; that since that order and
his crossing, although there was feel
ing Of indignation among a certain class
of Mexicans, in consequence of wound
ed dignity, yet after the raids were over
he enjoyed familiar and free intercourse
with the officers and citizens upon the
other side, and knew that the best feel
ing prevailed between them. He said
they were disposed to manifest the same
feelings toward this government. He
further testified that he had official COM
munications from officers, showing their
willingness to accede to him the right to
pursue the Indians, and that he regard
ed
THE ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF VAR,
in case he was in pursuit of a band of
Indians or found them with property
manifestly stolen from this country, al
though Mexican troops might be pres
ent and fail to arrest and bring them to
justice, as giving him authority in the
face of the troops to make seizures of
the marauders. AS to the district of the
lower Bio Grande, he did not know so
much about It. but his understanding