Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-08-19
A SnecIaI Envoy Semi to Mexicn.

Despite the efforts OF the State De-
partment to keep the matter secret, il
seems pretty well established that A. G.
Srdgwick, of New York, has been COM
missinned Il special envoy to visit
Mexico aud make a report , + the facts
in the Cutting case. This can mean
only That Mr. Bayard is dissatisfied
with the la5ors of his fire-ealing Bour-
bon Consul ut Paso del Norle and finds
It necessary To strengthen his case with
II new finding Of facts or prepare The
way for q retreat as graceful rs the
circumstances will permit In his re-
port to the President aud in the reSolu-
tionS he submitted To the House Foreign
Affairs Committee MIR. Is " ard declared
uncQuivocAlly that Mexico was claim
ing Jurisdiction of an uilensc commit
ted wholly upon American soil, an
~ this assertion is already known tn be
extremely doubtful, ii not altogether
incorrect, it bGiipovcS the Secretary of
State 10 seek new sources of informa-
ton and cndeavor to inform himself
accurately in regard to the facts
The procedure ot the Mexican courts
IS somewhat peculiar. and it IL not en-
yictud for oflr ibid ur whether all Of
the series were taken together aud
classed as constituting ono uifcns. We
fail to Sc, however, that it makes
much difference whci. course The Mex
lean court pursued the original iiDri
was written, printed, aud circulated on
Mexican soil and Cutting escaped pun
iShmcnt for ii only by agreeing Ia pub
iISh Il retraclion or recommendations -
which WAS drawn up by TIE Judge
This document Cutting printed in his
'asu del Nnrie paper in extremely
small tNpe without the use of capitals
or any punctuation points, and in
such manner a. to make the entire pro-
ceeding & contempt of court. As this
scurvy trick was perprtrated on Mexi-
can soil 1t nuque>tionably vuidcd the
''recOnciliation" and Jeff the original
charge standing III full force. About
/ the same time, however. Cutting crossed
/ the Rio Gran,Ie 10 FL Paso and pub
4 lishcd in a FexaS paper a reiieratiou OF
1 the first libel and, accnrdiug To Ills own
admissions. took copy Of he sheet
with him on his return Ia the Mexican
side and there put ii into circulation
/ Ii could make 40 differences where The
libel was printed. since Cutting pub
1 lJShed or, il legal phrase, ''u;tered" il
/ in Mexico. and the jurisdiction of the
4 Mexican court would he equally com
plcte whpih her he circulated one copy
or thousand According 10 the infnr-
nation now before the public il seems
| immatcral whether Cutting was con-
rictrd fpr the first or Serond libel or far
both combined, since in either view oi
the matter the American backguard
had rendered hIm>rl, amcuabie 10 the
/ Mexican courts.
! Unless the special envoy OF the State
Department can disproye facts BOW Az.
parently well established aud put the
affair on M entirely new footing lie
viii have TO recommend the withdrawal
of the n bitrary and unreasonable de-
mand Bayard made on Mexico. When
the State Department acts on false in
formation and puts itself in an unten-
able position the better course is 10 dis
patch special envoy To smontli the mat
Ter over and correct the bluaders of in
discreet, incompetent consulS, and
doubtless Mr.. Bayarl realizes rs well
rs anyone that il would have been still
wiser To make sure of the facts in the
first instance before aSsailing an inferior
power with unjustifiable demands and
needless buster, - Chicago Tribune.
.