Year: 1876

ages only more fec but certainly not advanced
The one tenth OF the population who are somewhat IN
sructed-none OF them educated in the proper sense
Of the tcrm--sre 80 consumed by vanity, egotism AMI
coDcct that they susceptible Of no Improvement, so
treaties on the same basis as with entirely clvleu peo
pie are sadly out OF place.


THE FACILITIES FOR RAIDING.


Among the witnesses examined by the COMMITTEES was
Gen. f. o. c. Ord, commanding that portion OF the
United States army stationed the Texas frontier He
testified that for time after the arrest Of COrtna by the
Federal Government OF Mexico the raids were not 80
frequent before but recently the commanding officer
district Of the Rio Grande had sent him copies OF
teegrams aud reports which show that the number OF
RAIDS and murders has rapidly increased


Tho Of raids he says and the facility for
committing them appear really not to be understood ont
side Of that country On &C cunt Of the great number OF
ranches lining the banks OF the Neuces and between the
Neuces and the Rio Grande and from the fact that that
country offers especial advantages 10 stOckraisers, and
that the northerly winds frequently drive great num-
bers Of cattle 100 200 miles south from whero the
live the number OF the cattle the plain north
Of the has been very great On the opposite side OF
the river the supply Of beef has been very limited from
all that Gen. Ord could learn. The number OF Mexicans
who have been driven by revolution and by other a~less
Central aud Southern Mexico upon the borders
Of the Rio Grande, probably TO escape punishment for
their violence has filed the country with lawless ana
desperate men, Their rulers make little or no effort to
prevent them from committing ofenses against the
United States, they would probably lose their popu
arty II they did aud it would make them obnoxious to
majority Of the people.


On OF the facility for crossing the river aud OF
escaping the United States, the Mexican troops, who
are generally enlisted sailors used to be in England.
by sort OF pressgaDg system, take advantage OF Tie
opportunity afforded them when brought near 10 the Rio
Grande River and desert to Texas That prevents the
Central Government from maintaining n force on the
Lower Rio Grande control these desperate and awless
men.


Gen Ord then described the character OF the country
along the river bank and the obstacles which the nature
OF the chapara throws in the Of guarding 1t, and
continued by saying that the only way to protect the
property of the people the frontier and to prevent
ese raids was to the river whenever the troops
strike trail with the prospect OF oyeraking the cattle
IN ewes The Mexicans cannot be seen through this
thcket chapairal, and IL s impossible for the COM
andng officers to know when they are coming, except
they learn it by accident The only is to get upon


their trail in the rear and to follow them and even ten a.
they are well mounted and the rum the prospect OF
oyerakng them before they get to the river is generally
far from good.


MEXICAN TERRORISM IN TEXAS.


In illustrating the difficulty Of getting information OF
the rads, Gen. Ord said that captains OF American
steamers plying the Rio Grande River and gentlemen
who have been living outside OF towns and who have
given information TO the United states officers have
begged him not to mention their names In any statement
lie mig make based their evidence, as they would
probably be d, red by the raiders II 1t was known
that they had given information. Numerous instances
have come 10 lis knowledge Of the murder OF persons
who had given information to United States officers of
Mexican raids. He also recommended that no troops
except those Of the best sort should he stationed tie
frontier and explained that he meant by that that white
roops should in all be selected for the service, and
at least two regiments OF the best cavalry should he
stationed on the Lower Rio Grande at once.


Gen. Ord never heard of single raid from Texas into
Mexico and said that ON the Mexican side Of the Lower


Rio Gro nde far as he could zee, there was nothing 10
steal People The Mexican side are all supplied with
beef from our side and he was told by gentleman who
was for long time Consul at Monterey. that the prices
beef there varied with the arrival and departure OF the


Riding bands going and coming for cattle in Texas One
reason why raids from Texas are impossible Is that on
the Mexican side they have system OF river police
among the population living in the valleys. When
Capt McNelly crossed the river in pursuit Of party oil
with cattle In less than six hours between 90
and 800 Of these police in front OF him. and az
many M SEQ would have been there in less than "A hours
il he bad remained 1t is therefore impossible for any
body to go over or return without beng discovered.


In describing the deplorable condition of affairs on the
border Ord said that the Mexcans capture every
body whom they encounter while on raid. The raids
soon he took command, so frequent that the
Mexcans often in possession Oh our sde so thai
the roads impossible, except by large parties or
persons with escorts The Mexican Consul at San An
tonic when he wanted to 20 over to Camargo Tor hs
amly asked and obtained an order for escort the
Catholic bshOp, when he yistcd his people, asked for
military escort; the County Judge going from one town
to another requested military escort 1t was unsafe to
Journey outside Of the town and impossible to excuc the
laws at all. Gen. Ord said 1t SO at the time previous
10 Cortnas arrest and would become again on his re-
turn TIE country entirely In possession OF the
raiders and the United States forces could not check
them drive them out o the State.


THE BOUNDARY TOO GREATLY RESPECTED.


Gen. Ord testified that when in command OF the De
partment wb ch includes Arizona, he had an under
standing with the Governor Of Sonora that our troops
should the border in pursuit OF maauding Indians
from either side, and that company OF Mexican uoops
eo0peraed with United soldiers for two or thrc
weeks on our side Of the line. Gen ord approved Of
issuing rations to them and compliments them in orders
lie has now an understanding with the Government of
Chihuahua 10 the effect that their troops and ous
shall pursue hostile Indians, and cooperate In their pur
suit on either side As all these raiders on the river ARE
Indians, or Of Indian descent. the would be no diff
Guilty troops to put an end 10 the cattle
stealing. IL the Government of Tamaupas was inhu.
eDced by the motives as those OF the GONeFnment
OF the other States named


One of the difficulties which Gen. Ord mentioned
which compncate matters most seriously in connection
with these raidng parties is that the RIO Grande River
ia not locked upon as tue border ne Since the treaty
made by the Government there have been formed good
many OF what called pockets in the bends OF the
river which have been cut OFF from or the other side
leaving were, little pieces Of Mexico all along our
side of the river. The Mexican laws enforced III
these places and the Mexican population refuse 10 sub
nit TO any authority from our side In a great many
places the river has taken an entirely new channel
These radng parties rendezvous on this side OF the
river in Mexico and our troops cannot disturb them
without being on Mexican territory. ZL. W.


TELEGRAPHIC NOTES.