Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-01-18
From the Naschez Ccurier,

MR. EDITOR The Mexican Gener-
al Santa Ana, aud his friend and aid.
de.camp, Col. Almonte, have been re.
leased from their captivity in Texas.
and passed up the river o few DAYS apo
on their way to Washington. They
are escorted on behalf OF the Texan
government by Col. Hockey, Inspect.
or General Of the Army, Col. Bee. late
Secretary of the Treasury, and Can't.
Patton. | accompanied them from this
place to Vicksburg, and the views
which have induced the visit of Santa
Ana to our capital, have been placed in
my possession, with tho request that I
should make public so much of them.
as might be interesting to the people Of
this country.
In view ofe speedy and pacific nd
Justment OF the saneninary wal which
has existed between Mexico and Tex.
as, the captive General solicited per.
mission from the Texan Government.
to throw himself upon the protection of
the United States, and claim tho intor.
position of the mcdiatory offices ofour
Chief Magistrate. He proposed to nc.
knowledge the Republic Of Texas es
an independent and sovereign nation4-
or to agree 10 the incorporation Of her
territory INTO the North American Uni.
on, ifthe other parties interested should
SO determine. Being a prisoner ofwar
and the Mexican Government hay-
ing expressly declared that it would
hold no negotiation with Texas, thro'
General Santa Ana, while he so re-
manned in durcss, il became necessary.
u his authority and influence were 10
be made available at all, that he should
at once be placed in a different atti.
tude, IN which he might &C, free and
untramnelled, unbiased by any dis.
pareglng circumstances, but according
to his unquestioned legal right--that
he should, in fact, be restored 10 the
full and complete possession of all his
lawful authority and power as presi.
dent of Mexico. To effect this. his
immediate and unconditional release.
by the Government Of Texas, was in.
d~lspensably requisite--and under the
peculiar circumstances which exist. in
connection with his captivity. it wns
deemed advisable that the p~acifcatory
Offices should be invoked Of some ueu-
trial power, friendly to both the belli.
gerent parties, and impartial between
them. General Santa Ana therefore
proposed to visit Washington, and SO.
licit the mediation of the President of
the United States, ard his proposal wa.
accceded 70, by the Executive of Tex.
as, who believed that nothing could
possibly be gained by OBTAINING him
longer. On the first Of March next,
the term of his p~residentship viii cx.
pire, after which time he would be ut.
terly valueless as a prisoner.
The people Of Texas are anxious 10
terminate the war. They wish 10 live
at peace with Mexico. They desire
most heartily to establish their ovcrn
ment, and il possible TO annex them.
selves to our own Union. They could
hardly hope to attain their object while
they held the chief Of their enemy in
the bonds Of Imprisonment. They
have, therefore, in a spirit of magna.
rimity deserving of all praise, volun.
tarily surrendered him 10 his liberty,
on the pledge Of his word Of honor that
the war shall be terminated, that peace
shall be restored, that the relations Of
amity and friendship shall be cultivated
and cherished.
Respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN M. ROSS.
D. ear rnan