San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-24
NOT ONE. BUT MANY.

| battle, and not urge a resort to the ar
bitrament of arms lightly or unneces,
sarily. The one question at issue Is
nOt-DOes Mexico deserve chastisement
at the hands of the United States for
| her treatment OF our citizens? OF this
there are hardly two opinions, among
those who are acquainted with border
Outrages. Neither is the question that
Of our ability to in1lict that chastise-
ment of this there is no manner OF
doubt from Maine to the Rio Grande.
The one question is this: viii Mexico
be sensibly persuaded to do her duty in
the future, as friendly republic, to the
citizens OF the United States within her
borders, treating them as respectfully as
she treats the subjects OF Great Britain,
and will she accede to the demands Of
this government in the Cutting case?
These are the ends sought. The Uni
ted States wants no war with anyone,
north or south, that can be honorably
avoided. Uncle Sam has no old scores
to settle, no private grudges to ayenge,
no fancied wrongs to redress; but, he
has u right to demand, and enforce that
demand. that all citizens owing and
owning allegiance to this government
shall be as fully protected in their
rights, at home and abroad, as the Citi-
Zens ofany other nation on this broad
fOOtstOOl. The interviews published in
the LIGHT and other journals of this
city; the letters sent north for publica-
ton by residents in Mexico; the CORE
spOndence of reliable press agents sent
into Mexico for the express purpose OF
reporting the exact situation and status
of American citizens there, all agree in
this-the citizens OF the United States
are not treated with the same cordially,
respect and just consideration for their
rights that subjects of Great Britain and
Germany are. There is prejudice
against this government and its citizens
by the common people and the lower or
der OF administrative officers over the
border. This prejudice is perhaps native
the independence of Texas and its ad-
mission into the sisterhoOd Of states
forming this republic.
A wise administration will take &C.
count OF these things and abstain from
taking public notice of every Otiense
committed, by private individuals or by
petty courts. against the peace and dig
nifty OF its citizens. This the United
States has done, and done for forty con-
secutive years. That the time has come
to hold Mexico to more strict account
for her treatment of the citizens of the
United States, nearly everyone CONVEX
SAINT with the situation believes. The
methods adopted by the authorities at
Washington have very grayely compli-
Gated the question. The demand for
Cuttings release, unenforced, will ex-
pose the citizens of this country to ag-
gravated assaults and the unjust usur-
patiOns of authority over them by the
Mexican courts and their minions. That
demand unenfOrCed, or evaded, will
subject this government to added con-
tempt by the Mexicans, and increase the
hardships and disability OF our citizens
there hundred per cent. That demand
uncomplied with will publish our
pusilsimity all over the world and adj
vertise our inability to protect our cti-
zens beyond the borders Of our own
territory. The United States has been
terribly Inundated by the course of the
government in this Cutting affair, but
nothing can now be done except to wait
the report of the government envoy.
The sendiGg of Sedgwick on this errand
should have preceded the demand for
Cuttings release, or he should not have
been sent at all. II the representations
OF our minister at the City of Mexico
are not to be laken, he should be re-
called and man stationed there whose
representations the government would
credit. The whole case has been blum
dered along with until the abiect att
tude of this government has become the
humiliation of her citizens and the di-
vision of the continent. Should Cutting
be released now on pardon by the
court, as is by no means improbable, be-
fore Sedgwick makes his report, won't
the department OF state have reason to
be proud of its record. Its demand for
Cuttings release twice refused; the
claim of Mexico to jurisdiction over
American citizens for offences commit
ted in American soil tacitly acknowl-
edged; the precedent established for
greater outrages upon the basis of that
already so supinely submitted to
these will be the result. War is to be
deprecated; but it is not the greatest of
all evils. War is a terrible calamity,
but there are others Of even graver
character. 1t is hardlya question of the
desirability of existence when it has to
be purchased at the expense Of honor.
1t is hardly necessary for that govern
ment to exist which only lives at the ex-
pense of its own honor. The United
States must preserve it's own self-respect
or die. Mexico must be compelled to
respect the rights of American citi-
zens on her SOIL. peaceably If she will,
forclble II she must. II Grover Cleve-
land and his democratic secretary of
state cannot enforce the demands of
this government for the protection Of
its citizens in Mexico and on the coast
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