The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-08
RIO GRANDE AFFAIRS.

COLONEL sHAFrER BEFORE THE COMMITTEES
ON MILITARY AFTAIns-rHE POPULATION OF
THE BoRDEE-MsTHops OF THE RAIDINa
PARTIES AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM
MOVEMENTS OF THE TROOPS INTO MEXICO.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 1873
The Subcommittee on Military Affairs, consist.
ing or Representative Banning, Bragg. Marsh ana
White, this afternoon examined Colenol w. r. Shaf-
ter, OF the Twenty-fourth regiment Of iniantry and
commanding tho district OF thc Nueces, Texas, in
laton to affairs the Rio Grande border. He SAID
that whit called the lower Rio Grando was settled
by native Mexcans, the greater part OF whom are
citizens OF the United States, snd connected with
families on the opposite side OF the by marriage
Tho upper Bio Grande was settled mostly by Ameri-
cans-a above Laredo to San Felipe, whilc the settle
ments al FL Paso arc almost exclusively Mexican.
THE LIBRA.
he defined the Zoua Libra 10 be a strip of country
extending along tne whole kio Grando front includ-
Ing that OF the Mexican States oil Tamaulipas and
part OF New Leon. Tho iona Libra Is three leagues
In width and granted people OF TamauIipas
Tor some service rendered TO the central government
Within this zone all goods Imported free OF duty
II they 70 beyond the line into the interior they pay
duty Tho eject is TO bring foreign trade to the Mex
side 10 the injury Of our people, Tho goods
imported within this zone FREQ OF duty arc then
smusglcd into The United States
rHs RAIprxG PARTIES
With respect to rading parties they number from
two or three thirty. Latterly he had heard
Of party Of more than twenty. He mentioned the
cases OF six or seven persons murdered b. c-Hb n
and Mexican raiders In 1871, and said the nus, ~
raids much smaller during the past pgAisae.
than previously. The object Of tho ,pe 1Ssens was
plumber, not to make war; ~
TROOPS CROSSING rHE LINE
The Colonel said that his troops first crossed tho
Rio Grande into Mexico IN May, 1875 He was In
search Of the Lpans. who were seven
miles from. tho town of saragossa and forty
I'VE miles from the Rio Grande. The result
OF his expedition was the killing and capturing OF
nineteen Indians, the capture OF their the
destruction OF their village. He kept up his cxpedi
tons all the time with the full consent OF the local
Mexican authorities. The wel.disposed Mexicans
anxious to be rid Of tho Indiana At the Same
time large part Of The lowest element thrves upon
The plumber the Indians bring them. They could buy
good horse from the Indians for bottle Of mascai
or So or So. Therefore such Mexicans were glad to
have the trade 60 on. The irst square cooperation
Of Mexican troops with those Of the Unitea States
NUMBER OF TROOPS REQUIRED.
In 70 the question, ''What number OF troops
would be necessary 70 project American citizensf'
he said thai II tho Mexlcans would exert themselves
In that direction wo have more than enough troops
but II into Mexico for that purpose we
have not troops enough In his expeditions into
ality by Mexican officers and by the respect able
citizens OF the frontier towns Before tho issuance OF
Rio Grande thoro did not appear TO DO any
objection ON the part OF the Mexcans that this
snoa, ,l.r % done oas w, when the formal order
our part to dictate to the Mexicans. That order
was however, modified in july 1877, as to provide
pursuit Of raiders ours must stop. A report OF the
result IN each instance was required to be made 70 the
FEELING ON THE yRoSrrER.
Tho bitterness Of feeling expressed on tho frontier
property Oar citizens on the border 'n srs
opposed TO war. lhey only want protection.
Tue Colonel saia that all along in his military dslric,
with the exception OF q lew Mexican thieves, tho
largest raids werc committed by Indians. 1t al
most impossible " prevent them from crossing, as
they come over on foot 10 the nhabted OF tue
border country ana lie IN wait until opportunities
cur Tor making RAIDS N ths sections After
stealing horses and cattle hoy dexterousy make
MORE ABOUT THE RAIDS.
Tho Colonel said his second crossing into Mexico
was in June, 1876. when he captured I27 head Of
horses and mules He nade Other crossings dur
ing the past year-six in ell Another cross
ing was made by him fifteen days ago in conjunction
with Mexican troops, but, alter pursuit OF twenty
miles, the rain washed away the trail and the pursuit
Two Instances where the Mexican authorities have re-
turned stolen stock; in one case TO u Mexican who
had ranches each side OF the river and In the other
TO an American. The why Americans do not
over into Mexico 10 claim stolen stock Is they say,
tnAt there are SO many resSrctionS there and tho
qurements TO prove properly that the jour-
ney would be iruitess Within the last three TOUR
months there has been o stronger array OF Mexican
troops on the border than a. any time previously in
tho interest OF good order.
THE INDIANS.
AS to the Indians IL seemed that they had to steal
somewhere GU our soil, as they could not steal any
thing IRON MexicAns, and this their only means
OF support Most Of the raids made by Indians are
by those who formerly lived on American soil. He
knew OF no disturbance IN which the Mexicans havo
refused to surrender stolen property application
but as a general thing Americans do not 60 for
that purpose, say ing II is useless. He did not think
there were any persons side OF the river who
assisted the thieves.
FEELING MEXICAN TROOPS.
Tho Mexican troops expressed strong desire to put
q stop 10 disturbances which produce much hard
feeling on both sides OF the river. The Mexican
troops on TWO or shree OCCASIONS have started In pur
suit OF raiders, but their movements we're 10 tardy
that they were not attended with success
P0SSBIfir1Es
General Banning inquired VI Colonel Shafter whether
there would not be danger OF collision resulting from
obedience the order of War Department to pur
sure overtake and punish raidng parties well as
retake the stolen property on The Mexican side.
The Colonel replied that II In pursuance Of that
order became necessary TO follow Indians Mexi
cans into town garrisoned by sroops in sufficient
number 10 successfully res ist American irterfer-
resistance, II would result in hight. But in this
opinion he might DO mistaken, and before taking tho
responsibility o. producing hostilities he would pro-
Ter to let an Insignificant stealing party 60. He
peated that the most friendly and cordial relations
existed between tho military onicerg on both siies
preventvaias and DO good neignb0r, but the prac-
ticc has not amounted to much.
The further examination was postponed until to.
morrow si