The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-03-06

It slso moves many OF our owH lawless spirits en-
that border 10 commit crimes ani, by an ,asy
fight to THAI asylum, cheat justice out OF It's
dues.
The state o: the co Intry oe,ween the
Nu"ccs aud the Rio Grznde, contrasted with its
former prosperity. too well attest. some neces-
sity Of some reme1y for the wholesale robbery
snd murder by Mexican citizSus and our own
outlaws that have for more than generation
nun Iiot in that favored section. From oans-
VILE TO Fl PasO, 8 distance Of nearly one thou
sand miles, the Rio & ande is easily forded, al
a. barIisr 10 the pa ge o. bands Of pedaIoil
Indians, Mexcsns and outlaws avaIls moth
iug. Above Eaglc Pass, until hi Paso county
Is reached, there are. with few excvpuous, no
settlements on the Texas side of IN river, and
const quently there is afforded bat liile induce
meut 10 the freebooter in the v ay of plundeT;
DSt the counties OF Crockett. Pecos AID PreR
din, now in course Of settlement. will seRn
AFFORD new hsld for robbers and murdsrers
from The Mexican side, even as they now do to
the Mescslera and other Mexican Indians who
prey upon that pa OF our great state. In FL
Paso codnty the parties engaged in the rio OF
1874, which eliminated in the death Of How
ard, Atkl9son and others, have not been pun
shed, and the reports recei rcd from the officer
commanding the handful OF rangers stationed
there show disposition on the part OF those in
dlcted criminals, over hundred IN number, to
set tue s,ill fur her at defiance. To
arrest and punish them. II Will be
absolutely necessary to increase the present
command there TO such a numter as W II insure
the supremacy OF the law. The AZ; empt 10 do
30 Wit0 the present e Ce Will n0t oniy c9lse
resistance their pr iaHt z WI uring tieir
rescue very iaIGe number OF tnSir McXican
allies who sre equally guilty With them.
In this county (El Paso) as wei, a. the cSun-
ties OF Preslaio, PEGS 5nd Tom Green, thee
has been, siuCe the promulgal II OF the pTOclI-
mailon OF the President OF the mttd states
concerning them, 4 large Influx from Mexico OF
the marauders, thieves and other ont aWr, who,
Since their arrival in this State have lot fo,g.t
ten their cal inJ. From each and all OF The
counties named come tiuings of these outlaws
In Fl Paso county he civil au horities sie set
at naugnt by them. aud have had 10 Call on the
squad vi rangers Tor assistance. Becoming en-
bOiccntd some OF thess dTsperadoeS fired into
the quarters of the Iangere, who then followed
them even into Mexico, ami killed Two of them
while resisting arrest. In Pecos county hendlsh
murders have been committed by Inem, and the
peaceful inhabitants of that coun have ap-
pealed for state protection from these outrages.
In the same county and Tom Green county they
have stolen large numbers of cattle, and are
herding them ON the Peeos river. Camping in
nun bers, and beng we armed, they bia den-
ance to the civil authorities, who aTe powcrcSs
TO arrest them.
The United states forces. under late orders,
VII net arrest any Offenders against the lawe OF
this StatCi hence the strong arm which drove
them out or lis territory of New Nj Xlco INTO
the State of Texas is -,Ot available 10 rid our
soil from the presence OF these scoundrels. If
they not eXpelled-and nov ':':e can it be
done than by tho frontier battalion. then, in
deed, will the growing prosperity OF that eXclu-
sive region receive u check f.om which II
will not soon recover.
by reason of its great extent the paucity
OF civil officers and the faG iii with which
these few can be avoided, the frontier affords
refuge, which not only our own but criminals OF
all other States seek. SO numerous had they
become that there was literally no law Cn our
borGer until the advent of the rangers. The
aysis ance rendered by them to the civil officers,
in arrcstlng fugluvcs from justice, com peled
those so fortunate as to escape arrest 10 seek
hiding places more remote from which they
viii speedily emerge once mole 10 prey upon
our frontier settlements in the absence of the
protection now afforded them.
The activl displayed by The frontier battal-
ion in hunting these fugitives caused many If
them to seek refuge IN the older orgau!zed
counties, and, as u consequence, lawlessness IN
creased in these. This fact, with the existence
OF feuds i'll various counties between parties OF
citizens, eften threatening and frequently pro-
ducing deadly conuict,h has necessitattd the call
ing to their assis ancs, by the civil authorities,
or the State military forces.
II is, perhaps, useless TO call to mind the
series of robbenes OF railway trains and stages
which nave, within the past year, brous hit Ohio
guy upon the good name of the Stat, or to re
cute, IN that nnsctlon, the services OF the
frontier batta ion. The punishment by It's ef-
forts, meted out to the chief ACTORS in those
robberies will long be remembered, and, while
that force remains in existence, VIII restrain
macy Others, wiling to emulate the fame OF the
dead sam Bass, but not daring 10 do 50 IN the
face of such sw fC retributiOn.
The vaue OF the services of this command
cannot be measured by computing the numb,
or arrests it has made, the miles marched. the
scouts performed, or by the number OF Indians
it has killed; but the true measure OF its worth
ls the confidence it has inspired in the breast of
the law-abiding citizen, not only On the frontier,
but in the oder counties, that the offender
against the laws cannot escape as he has hereto
fore done; The cessation OF Indian raids with
their accompanying robberies, murders and
crimes too hideous to name, psrpetrated upon
innocent girls and women; and the feeling OF
security that ig has instilled into the brave and
nardy pioneer, hO, embOldened by its pres
ence, is willing TO settle, not only i'll his Line
diate neighborhOod, but eYen to go beyond II.
Particular attention is directed ~ the last re-
port of the Adjutant General, August 81, 1878,
pages 81 to 4S, Doth inclusive From the com
muDications there found from district and
county judges, State attorneys, county Off
clals, grand juIies and many prominent ciIi-
zens reasons will be deduced for the retention
in service OF the frontier forces that are co cent
and unsnswefable. SiLce the date of that re-
port and notably since the beginning of the
year, communications are daily received OF the
same and even OF more pressing nature, which
we have seen and, bat for the length OF this
paper, would be here inserted.
In the months of December and January, just
passed. large bodies OF Indians, numbering over
100 warriors, have come into the Pan handle
and The counlies south OF it. These Indians are
from the Fort Sill reservation, in the Indian Ter
ritory, and claim to have come into this state
by permission OF the commands at tnat post,
which assertion facts do not substantiAte. The
Indians themselves in Donley and other couu-
ties state that they were followed by colored
troops, whom they compelled to return to Fort
Sill, end then, unmolested, they came into Tex
as where they now are.
in Texas il they have to fight for it. The thar
acter of their bunting may be judged from their
having taken possession OF Paladora Canon, in
which Captain Charles Goodnight has a STOCK
ranch Of about 1900 head Of cattle. which they
are killing for food. The Indians, meeting with
no resistance b come emboldened add insult
and malIreat the scattered settlers found there,
who are powerless to resist them, This cannot
last; murder will follow robbery. The mutter-
ingsaf the thunder that precedes the storm
are now heard in that section, and as soon
spring, new near at hand, shall cause the grass
10 gr' W, we may vel fear a repetition of the
&C, mes that were enacted by those red devils IN
1874 and 1875.
From Fort Concho to Red River dlttance
OF over three hundred mites, there is. with the
exception OF small guard, Qess than hlaf q
| company at Fort Glintn, not single United
States soldier and on this line, unprotected eaYe
| by few rangers, the lncians are now making
their way TO the interior. They have been seen
on the BraZos, within sixty miles OF Fort Griffin,
and even now the news may be on the way OF
| some frghtful crime that they may have com.
mitted-a crime that Will horrify the peaceful
| inhabitants OF our older counties and cause
those who, in their endeavor to reclaim the
rich lands OF odr frontier counties, have periled
| their lives ana that which is dearer TO them
| than life itself, to fy from their homes.
With these reasons for retaining the frontier
| forces in the field, your committee respectfully
/ recommend that an appropriation OF S150,U00
per annum be made for frontier defense and for
| the suppression OF lawlessness and crime.
We maze this recommendation in the firm be-
| lief that the facts given above, and based upon
Cfnclai reports, JUSTLY IL. LnaJ tnc Increase OF
population and OF taxab.e values which will en-
cue in the near future will vindicate the wisdom
/ OF the appropriation as a measure OF economy.
/ We urge IL as act OF justice 10 the frontier
settlers, who are entitled to protection to the
same degree and extent as the inhabitants OF
| our cities. We Rsk II in the name Of humanity
| and n a measure Fnre TO enlarge the area OF
'''''''''' anu FORD, Chairman.
Senator Storey, from the Committee
on Constitutional Amendments, sub.
4 mitted the following report:
Hon ]. D. SayCrs, President CT the Senate:
Your Committee on Constitutional
Amendments, after reference made,
have considered House j1iut resolution
No. 2, and in conjunction Herewith
Sepate Joint resolution No. 30. and a
ms )rity of this committee, after duly
considering the same, have instructed
me to report the resolutions back with
amendments to the Senate resolution
and recommend the passage of said
Senate resolution as amended.
STOREY, for the Committee.
Add 10 second subdivision of Sec
ton / the words, ''Not to exceed in
value $250;" in first subdivision
strike out $500 and insert $3.50. F"
The undersigned Senators submitted
the following minority report:
Hon. j. d. saJeTs. President Of the senaie:
The undersigned respectfully dissent
from the views Of the majority Of your