PART 2 OF: RANCHERO'S LIES DEMONIZE JUAN N. CORTINA

(Ed.'s Note: When Juan N. Cortina went into battle with the Mexican Army against Zachary Taylor on May 7-8, 1846, he was fighting on his own land, a part of his mother's share of the Espiritu Santo Grant from which Cameron County and the City was Brownsville were eventually carved. But the newspapers of the time saw him – even though he was defending his birthright – as an obstacle for their plans to take the land from its owners with the assistance of the military and later the Texas Rangers. For that reason, he was demonized by the "leading " citizens of Brownsville and newspapers on both sides of the Rio Grande. 

We have broken this article posted in July 7, 1865 - after the confederacy surrendered - into two parts. Notice the ad in the bottom which refers to pardon applications. The pardons were desired by confederates from the United States and the Ranchero could give you a recommendation, for a slight fee, of course.)

Part 2  

By H.A. Maltby, W. H. Maltby and Somers Kinney
Editors, publishers and Proprietors
The Daily Ranchero
Matamoros, Tamps. Mexico
July 7, 1865

Juan Nepomuceno Cortina

WHY MINCE MATTERS?

Almost every man caught out was put to death. By day and night the people of Brownsville were under arms, hourly expecting to lay down their lives to this band of border robbers. Resolutely they held the place until succored from abroad.

At length (Major Samuel Peter ) Heintzelman and (Texa Ranger John "Rip") Ford got a sufficient force together to act on the offensive. Cortina moved up the river, burning the ranchos and laying waste to country as he went. The whole Rio Grande Valley, by Cortina, was reduced to waste. Heintzelman and Ford, and if we remember correctly Stoneman (?), succeeded in bringing the banditti to bay, attacked and dispersed them.

Following this no spot of ground from Laredo down was free from the ravages of this infamous border gang. No man's life was safe outside of Brownsville, no boat could ascend the river with any certainty of ever returning. Nearly all the stock on the east bank of the Rio Grande was stolen by the robber gang and driven into Mexico.

In this state the Lower Rio Grande border continued until a respectable United States force was stationed along the river, when Cortina made a virtue of necessity and joined the Liberals under Juarez.

But he could not stand the service. Discipline, honorable warfare, or ordinary restraint from robbery and plunder, did not suit him, so he came back home to the border. Since then, as before, blood and perfidy have marked his course. He has been a Liberal, Imperialist, and neither; true to no allegiance, and false to every pledge.

During the distracted state of affairs in this place, nearly two years ago, he engaged in a plot to depose of the Liberal Governor of Tamaulipas; so soon as which was accomplished, he took the governor of his own creation (Cobos) out and shot him. The deposed governor returned with force and compelled Cortina to surrender the city; which was done on an agreement that Cortina should retain his command and with his force go to the defense of Victoria against the Imperialists.

The arms, force and munitions falling into his hands, instead of being used as stipulated were turned by Cortina against the Governor; and as a consequence, the latter and his party had to flee for protection to the federal lines.  During his temporary reign as self-constituted governor of Tamaulipas, Cortina was bolstered up by men who had pride for their state and country.

Through a constant pressure of public influence, Cortina, for a time, was kept within bounds. With the exception of forced loans, summary punishments, tortures by the rack, his reign was tolerable. But Cortina could not continue faithful to anything; and no influence could long restrain his debased passions, and thirst for blood and plunder.

In September last (1864) he commenced a war on Texas, without provocation or warning. With his whole force he attempted a crossing on the Rio Grande, with a view of surprising and capturing Brownsville. And nothing but the defection of a material portion of the invading force saved that place from pillage, if not a worse fate.

The main feature of that infamous and savage plot, however, was the robbing of Matamoros. Having secured an outlet through Brownsville and Brazos Santiago, all the cotton and valuables of the Heroic City were to have been gobbled up and run out through that channel; leaving a pillaged city and a beggared people as the fruits of Imperial victory.

Failing in this plot ot plunder and wholesale robbery, he falls back, and suddenly becomes the best Imperialist of them all. Tru to his former self, his attachment to the Imperial cause was of short duration. But in this he deceived no one. The eye of Gen. (José Tomás de la Luz Camacho) Mejia was never off him. To this attempted deception he added the crime of perfidy.

Following this, Cortina fell back upon his old pursuit of stealing, robbing, plundering and killing. Since then, the scenes of '59 have been re-enacted.

To what party does Juan Nepomuceno Cortina belong? The only answer is to be given is that he is an independent outlaw. He acts with no party, but is a highwayman on general principals, and on a large scale.

Where is Cortina today? The only answer we are prepared to give is, that. he is in Brownsville, Texas, a United States Military Post, commanded by General Smith!(?) Cortina and his confreres are robbing and pillaging, but acting in concert with no party. Everything from a steamboat to a cambric needle, no matter to whom belonging, si fit food for gorman maw of the infamous banditti, now infesting this border.

By whom can Cortina be countenanced? In answer, we can only say that, no civilization can tolerate so foul a blot. We do not mean Cortina, the Liberal, nor Cortina the Imperialist, nor Cortina the citizen of the United States; but Juan Nepomuceno Cortina, the bandit and outlaw.

In the name of civilization, in the name of humanity, in the name of mercy, in behalf of his slaughtered victims, we enter our solemn protest against Cortina being recognized as other than what he is – the most thoroughly reckless, callous and infamous outlaw with which this country was ever infested.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------