The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-26 00:00:00

ilia/tan ‘Atilt

LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1846.

Singular intelligence has just arrived from Ame-
rica by the steam-vessels Columbia and Anglo-
Saxon, as well as previously by the packet-ship St.
James, dating to the sth from Boston, and to the
4th from New York. Our announcements of the
imprisonment of PAREDES, and the accession of
SANTA ANNA to power, are fully confirmed; and be-
yond this it would appear that California is already
annexed to the territories of the United States. In
the restoration of the banished dictator there is,
however, some rational possibility of the Mexicans
extricating themselves from the fearful em-
barrassments into which they have been plunged,
firstly, by the avaricious depravity of their neigh-
bours, and, secondly, by the miserable inefficiency of
PAREDES. On entering the harbour of Vera Cruz on
the 15th of August, in the steamer Arab, General
SANTA ANNA was welcomed by an enthusiastic popu-
lation. Inasmuch as the confidence of his country-
men is concerned, the foundation of his go-
vernment has already acquired stability. His admi-
nistration is at its very outset essentially popular
and hence, despite the proverbial fickleness of the
Mexicans, it is tolerably certain that the Government
of SANTA ANNA may become permanently rooted in
the affections of the nation. HERRERA and PAREDES
have successively fallen because of the weakness
which was so conspicuously manifested in their pro-
ceedings. The expulsion of SANTA ANNA was,
however, the consequence of no political
imbecility; it arose, on the contrary, from
the unusual vigour with which affairs
were administered under his direction a
vigour wholly unpalatable to the sluggish and
effete inhabitants of Mexico. Peculation was un-
doubtedly some incitement to this demonstration of
national dissatisfaction, but, in reality, the main rea-
son for the deposition and virtual ostracism of
SANTA ANNA was the unfashionable energy of his
Government.

Circumstances have, however, latterly demon-
strated to this indolent community the advisability
of expelling from office those who are as incapable of
action, and as unfitted for the management of affairs
as themselves. The succession of disasters which
have attended their own forces in the Rio Grande,
the internal insubordination which the agents of
PAREDES have proved themselves unable to check,
the ominous front presented by their invaders, and the
utter impossibility of retarding their progress, much
less of driving them beyond the frontiers by some
sudden and ignominious defeat, have vividly displayed
to the Mexicans the necessity for some radical altera-
tion in the Presidency. While General TAYLOR has

been acquiring a psuedo•celebrity among the citizens

of the United States PAREDES has been accumulat-
ing upon himself the indignation and contumely of
Mexico. Every individual movement of the troops,
every separate proclamation of the Government,
every successive convocation of the Council, was a
fresh evidence of the incapacity of the existing
authority, and an additional argument in favour of
the re-exaltation of the banished General. The fla•
gitious seizure of California proves the wisdom of
such considerations. When the republic is assailed
by a power so lawless, so covetous, and so enterpris-
ing as that of the United States, none but a ruler
with an iron hand, a stern and inflexible will, and a
thorough confidence in his own judgment, can ex-
pect to battle successfully against such a boisterous
incursion.

SANTA ANNA returns to the government of
Mexico, with a hoard of invaluable experience; his
countrymen are filled with the most glorious antici-
pations immediately upon his arrival; already have
the departments of Puebla and Mexico declared
themselves in his favour with alacrity and en-
thusiasm. They behold in him the man exactly
suited to the emergency—one of great military
intelligence and of singular prowess; one who
would not exclaim with the voluntary stupidity which
is not unfrequently found among trans-Atlantic
statesmen, " Video meliora, proboque ; deteriora
sequor," but who would be as ready to proceed upon
as to recognise the most promising track. No gua-
rantee has been required from the new President as to
his future conduct, and this we are disposed to
regret. General SALAS has been as lenient in this
respect to SANTA ANNA as General MONK was to
CHARLES 11., and this, moreover, to an extravagant
extent. An admirable opportunity presented itself
in either instance for limiting, within constitutional
bounds, the prerogatives and powers of the indi•
vidual ; in both cases the opportunity has been
lost. Nevertheless, there is such an urgent ne-
cessity at this moment for a supreme dicta-
tor that, as far as the present emergency
is concerned, the blunder is calculated to be produc-
tive of temporary advantages. Some personage of
.ibility c.mmensurate with the present difficulties of
Mi-xico, and invested, moreover, with unlimited au-
thority, can alone repulse the invading armies of the
United States, and preserve the former republic from
piecemeal dismemberment, or—worse still—from
wholesale annexation. Such a personage is
General SANTA ANNA. "If the 'people of
my country are for war," said he, before
entering Vera Cruz, "then I am with them, but I
would prefer peace!" That is an honourable an-
nouncement ; and, beyond that, it is a generous and
sagacious announcement. Yes, peace in Gon's
name ! But, if peace can only be obtained by de-
basing the character of Mexico, and rendering its
future independence questionable, if peace must ne-
cessitate pandering to the avar;cious and selfish policy
of the United States, if peace is only to be synonymous
with the commission of larceny on a gigantic scale
'lnd with impunity to the national criminal, then war!
That is the apparent policy of SANTA ANNA, and in
the event of his following that policy, the destinies of
Mexico will engage the sympathies of humanity.

The account of the interview which took place
between the Premier, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, and the deputation from the baronies of
Duhallow, Orrery, Kilmore, and Fermoy, which was
contained in The Sun of Wednesday, will be pc-I-used
with the deepest interest. The memorial then put
forward, emanating from a public meeting at which a
population of more than 400,000 persons were repre-
sented, the statements madetcollectively and indi-
vidually by the respectable gentlemen selected at that
meeting to form the deputation, consisting of persons
of different classes, creeds, and politics, headed by the
High Sheriff of the county, and having among its
members clergymen both of the Protestant and
Roman Catholic persuasions, must carry with them a
weight, must command an authority, which could
not be expected for any private communication, no
matter how great the rank, how exalted the character,
or commanding the influence of the individual by
whom it was made. It was in other respects im-
portant ; it brought before the Nobleman at the head
of the Government and the Minister whose especial
duty it is to preside over and regulate the financial
affairs of the country—a ho will be required to bring
forward the ways and means by which the vastly in-
creased expenditure of the nation is to be met and
provided for—the real state of the peotle4 as well
landowners as labourers, of the south of Ireland. It
pointed out the deficiencies in the existing laws, and
called the attention of those whose first care should
be to provide adequate remedies to the means by
which those laws might be amended, those d-ticiencies
provided for. Persons differing on all other questions
met in unity and harmony en that of their common
country, and vied with each other in a generous
rivalry as to which could most forcibly impress on
the Ministers granting the audience the interests
committed to their charge. A great matter was
achieved in procuring the attendance of the depu-
tation; it secured a patient and attentive hearing by