Year: 1872

than anything else, has made England what
she is, and as it is the great lever of modern
progress the want of sufficient supply must
check her prosperity and divert the current Of
commerce.


Our Mexican Noighbors-Thcir Claim


for Thirty Millions OF Doliars-Inso-


lent Action OF Loon Guxman.


The public of the United States have been
made aware from time to time, by very solemn
announcements from Washington, that the
farce of o Claims Commission was being
enacted on the Rio Grande border. In view
of the unwillingness of the authorities to
afford proper protection to our frontier cii-
zens, by the employment of the military forces
of the Republic against murderous savages
and thieving rancheros, it was thought neces-
sary to allay public discomfort by tho appear
ance Of making an effort to secure peace on
the frontier. The value set on the peace
policy of Washington by the border marau-
ders was clearly enough shown by the out
RACES committed almost within sight of the
meeting place of the Claims Commissioners.
But such slight and unimportant considera-
Gons as the murder of few more Americans
could not be expected to rufle the self
complacency of our peace-at-any-price
authorities. So, while the Mexicans drove
off Texan cattle and shot down obstrep-
erous owners, the representative of the
Spread Eagle bowed politely to the Mexican
Commissioner and assured him that such tri-
fling indiscretions on the part of his hot-blooded
compatriots should not be allowed to inteferer
with the sentiment of peace and friendship
that had ever existed between the two sister
republics. The Mexican naturally agreed that
this was fair and impartial as we'll as
broad and philosophic, view of the case, and,
improving the opportunity, suggested that, as
we were inclined to be generous. the payment
of thirty million dollars, more or less, on ac-
count of tho robberies already inflicted on us
would be q handsome way to wipe out
the past. This unfortunate shot in the
Treasury locker touched tho representative of
Washington to tho quick and brought
him up slick He was quite willing to
allow Mexcans to indulge in the excit-
ing sport of cattle stealing, with an odd MUIR
der thrown in as kind of spice; but to touch
the money bags at Washington was to profane
O place sacred to ofice-holders, and altogether
a different question. The cool request for
thirty millions of dollars, claimed on account
of Indian incursions, for which we ore ex-
pected to pay, was therefore agreed to be re-
ferred to an umpire; but for some unexplained
reason this course was not Immediately taken
and the matter was shelved until o Mexican
Commissioner was recalled and replaced by q
certain naughty hidalgo named Leon Guzman.
This person evidently thought We had been let
off too cheaply, and declined to allow the um-
pire to decide the question, insisting that the
little matter should be settled by treaty. This
proceeding on the part Of Mr.. Guzman practi-
cally put an end to the Commission, and 80
the farce ended-for the time


President Grant, on the occasion of the pre-
sentation Of Seiior Moriscal, the new Mexican
Minister, took the opportunity TO represent, Of
course in mild way, that If the conduct of
the fiery Guzman were tolerated the darling
convention would come to naught. The Prcsi-
dent even ventured to express an opinion that
such action on tho part Of the Mexican Com
missioners was not calculated to increase our
friendly feeling for the sister Republic. As
matter of course the Minister bowed, ut
tered the usual commonplaces and went home
to enjoy good laugh at the expense of the
American government. These people know
no law but the law Of force, and do not at oil
comprehend tho high Christian morality that
obtains at Washington. The borderers see
that there arc fat kline in Texas to be had for
taking and no great fear of interruption or re-
sistance. Such temptation is naturally too
strong for people whose ideas Of property
are somewhat rude. The central government
has neither the power nor the will to stop the
freebooting, and our authorities are too vir-
tucus TO violate neighboring territory in pur-
suit even of murderers and robbers. How
long this policy is likely to continue is
altogether question of patience, aud we begin
to believe that there is more of the saint in the
Texan character than we ever gave the inhab-
itants Of the Lone Star State credit for. But
the American public are getting tired of the
insolence and violence of our neighbors, and
the action of the Guzmans and the Cortinas is
rapidly creating a sentiment in this country
that even the sanity, peaceable men at Wash
ington will have TO hearken to. Phil Sheridan
and q few thousand of Uncle Sans boys would
settle all the disturbing border questions bet
ter and quicker than any number of commits
sioners, and to this kind of logic we shall be
compelled TO appeal at last.


THE SEASON AT BRIoHroN. another page
of to-day's HERALD we publisha gossipy letter
about Brighton, the famous English watering
place, its sights and its attractions, the people
who visit there and what they 90 for During
the Summer season it is the Mecca towards