National Republican., 1879-12-25

ltfOfn tne sew 1Ork Dully AVeftiscr.l
One Of the latest numbers of Around tho
World with Grant solves a problem which
has been u difficult conundrum heretofore.
Out in the China Seas General Graut gave tho
| only possible explanation we have seen Of ono
OF the most incomprehensiblo movements
which followed the closing of the war. In
| the mass Of events which occurred in tho
summer of 1865 IL had been forgotten that an
army was mnsscd in Southern and Southwest
| orn Texas of ut least 10000 men and under
| able commanders. There was no enemy TO
| resist. The people of Toxas were moro
| kindly than was the rule just after the sur
| render. General Merritt marched from
Shreveport to San Antonio, distance of GOO
miles, with 6,000 cavalry under July
sun. Custer did the Same with an
| equal force on line about fifty miles
| nearer tho coast-two great invading forces,
| and never shot was fired. What it was all
| about the soldiers did not know There was
no enemy in front rear or flank, aud instead
OF living on the country, the country lived on
| the army. All was paid for.
What it was all about was something that
| those in the command, however intelligent
did not understand. There was nothing to
| fight about. Custer marched 5000 veterans
down the coast. Merritt took the interior
| route. Andrews Steele and othors massed in
fantry on the Rio Grandc. In all there was o
body of say 10000 troops holding country
that had no resistance TO offer and was gotting
rich from the parade. There was camp. hre
theory, developed by the statesman who sat at
night on the wagon tongue that all this grand
| moving and massing of armies was sort of q
| torchlight demonstration to show the power
| of the Union and ovcraws Texas. But Texas
was willingly overawed, aud emptied its corn
cribs, sold its mesquite grass and filed its
pockets with greenbacks, and seemed TO ad-
mire the grandeur of the Union. Every hospi-
tality was extended, and it was a very happy
occasion. Aud it lasted for several joyous
months In II good climate. What it was all
about was not 80 obvious.
Merritt's command reached San Antonio on
the 1st of August after march of 600
miles endowed with peace that would havo
done credit to u Sunday school excursion. On
the LIST ofScptcmber General Sheridan arrived.
There was grand review, dinner, aud the
next morning Sheridan won't tearing away
for Eagle Pass, distance OF 160 miles,
with relays of horses for his ambulance,
which had been sent In advance. just
why the Lieu,onant-General should be so anx-
iuus to get to Eagle Pass was not quito obvious
Two years afterward he WAS asked If he went
| there to meet Juarez, the Republican Prcsi-
dent of Mexico He said that he did SEQ tho
Secretary OF State. Macmillan was then
Emperor, but furthermore he said not word.
Now, all this mystery of the massing Of
troops on the Rio Grande, or within easy
reach OF lne mchlCAu DOfutT, DeCOneS Vllllu IN
the light of a chat with General Grant on tho
China seas, as reported by Mr.. Young, who we
are sure would tell only the truth The story
lis that Grant ordered these troops to Texas TO
befrsnd the Juarez government and, if ho
could carry his point in Washington, to drive
| the Emperor Macmillan home. He went 10
President Johnston and urged tho plan. Secre-
tary Seward opposed it, Grants theory was
that Maximilian was the sworn enemy of Re-
publicanism on this continent, that he had
done all he could in behalf Of rebellion, de-
served flogging and We had the mastery, with
| the whip in our hands. Seward objected that
| IL would bring on an unnecessary c0ptiict or
war with France, Grant answered that
| Louis Napoleon had been our deadliest enemy
during all the war of the rebellion, and that
| France could not afford foreign war across
the seas. The position was all in our hands.
! II was not the conquest of Mexico which ho
| sought. 1t was the overthrow of Maximilan
aud the secure establishment of the Mexican
republic. Compelled to retain large army,
| he might as well use IL in that direction as in
any other. Mexico would make AN outlet for
| the restive spirits of the South, such AS they
did seek In Brazil and Mexico itsolf. Aud
finally foreign war with France would not
hurt anybody much, and would tend strongly
TO consolidate tho warning sections OF the
Union. Grant was ovcrruled but we now
know how IL was that great armies were hurled
upon Texas after peace had been declared and,
so far as that grand State is concerned, loyalty
accepted. 1t is one OF tho unaccomplished
facts Of history