Year: 1877

the House Committee on Military Affairs
throws some fresh light on the state OF
things along the Mexican frontier. He
thinks that with the reinforcements now on
the way his command will be sufficient.
On this point we agree with him. Indeed,
we perceive no necessity for reinforcing
him ut all. What use can he have for
FIVE thousand men in Texas If the
opinions he stated to the committee are
is acting in good faith. General Ord has
information that Mexican regular troops
amounting to four thousand seven hundred
men have been despatched to the klo
Grande by the Mexican government
and that two thousand more are
to follow. He has no doubt that
the Mexican officers who are to COM
mand these troops will do their duty. Their
force is sufficient to protect the Mexican
side of the border from irregular inroads by
Texas volunteers and to prevent raids across
the river into the United States Ii the
disposition thus evinced by the government
Of Mexico to perform its international obi
cations be sincere, as we do not doubt that
it is. there is no good reason why we should
violate the territory and affront the SOW
ereignty Of our sister Republic.


The language of the Presidents Message
is as reassuring on this subject as is the tes-
timony Of General Ord before the Military
Committee of the House The Presidentin-
forms Congress that assurances have been
received that the authorities Mt the
seat of the Mexican government have
both the disposition and the power to
prevent and punish unlawful raids and
depredations. Besides these assurances
the Mexican government has given the most
satisfactory proofs Of its intention to fulfil
all its obligations to the United States.
President Hayes says in his Message:-"It
is gratifying to add that this temporary in
terruption of official relations has not in
terfered with the prompt payment Of the
amounts due from Mexico to the United
States under the treaty Of July 4, 1868. and
the awards Of the joint commission. While
! do not anticipate" continues the Presi-
dent, IAN interruption of friendly relations
with Mexico, yet l cannot but look witr
some solicitude upon Q continuance Of the
border disorders as exposing the two coun-
tries to limitations Of popular feeling and
mischances OF action which are naturally
unfavorable to complete amity."


It strikes us that the reasons for such
solicitude as the President expresses are
not diminished, but increased, by his own
action in ordering reinforcements for Cen
eral Ord. With the professed disposition
of the Mexican government to discharge its
whole duty it is bad policy to have two
considerable armies watching each other
near the Rio Graade. 1t is committing the
peace Of the country too much to accident
Neither country wants war. and yet rash
act by some impulsive young army officer
who crosses the river and bloody retribu-
ton by the Mexicans may kindle national
passions on both sides to dangerous point.
The possibility Of mischief results chiefly
from the order given to our officers to
cross the river in pursuit of flying cattle
raiders. It is impossible to foresee what
ugly complications may arise in the execu-
ton of such an order. Although the Mexi-
can government is sending large force and
faithfully means to stop the raiding parties
it is always possible that dozen desperate
bushwhackers may elude the Mexican
troops, slip across the river IN the night,
steal cattle and provoke great display Of
energy by some hot-headed officer. Dashing
into Mexico he kills a few harmless people,
and then the Mexican government makes o
pompous demand for satisfaction, raising to
national importance ridiculous row got up
by dozen border cattle thieves. The peace
Of two neighboring republics should not
be made dependent on tho discretion
Of some hot-headed young lieutenant who
is ambitious to be the hero Of the day in the
newspapers Of his own country. Instead Of
reinforcing General Ord the President would
do better to withdraw all the troops from the
Rio Grande and put a generous trust in the
apparently sincere assurances of the Diaz
government. If the time should ever come
for making war on Mexico let as do it with
dignity and on o sufficient provocation. Let
it be the deliberate act OF the nation, and
not the accidental consequence of small,
bloody row, gotten up by rash or foolhardy
army officer watching on the border for an
occasion to set his name flying through the
country.


BY reinforcing General Ord on the Rio
Grande our government is incurring the
risk Of an everlasting repetition Of the
chronic follies of its Indian policy. BY
sending q few regiments to bully the In
dams and drive them to desperation, pro-
voking fights which result in the butchery
Of few soldiers. We keep at least one
Indian war pretty constantly ON our hands,
whereas we never hear Of an Indian war in
Canada and only OF an occasional transient
Indian skirmish in Mexico Our neighbors
on our Norther and our Southern frontiers
l=ao.. xroldin1x and nrnual.in1 ho