American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-09-04
From the New Orleans Picayune. ]
SANTA ANNA.
THE wAR-Hs PROBABLE POLICY.

THE WAR-HIs PROBABLE POLICY.
The return Of Santa Anna to Mexico, his
umphant reception at Vera Cruz, the COM
tete success of his partizans at the capital and
throughout such departments as have been
bard from, leave no room to doubt that he is
hce more established in power, and under aus
Ices which enable him to exercise supreme
&he with firmer hand and q more daring pur-
lose than at any previous period of his life
Ne has been by turns the football and pet of
#prtune. He has swung to and fro like pen
eulum that touched in its vibrations the ex-
temes of fate. A victorious general prisoner
Il war, dictator with uncurbed power, a fugi-
I've from an exasperated populace, an exile
Upon penalty of DEATH deposed tyrant and
.ller for the third time clothed in purple, are
Portions of the chequered character he has
slayed in the great drama of life. He is
y1edey of contradictory passions, compound
1 If cruelty, duplicity, talent, energy, courage
4 md rapacty. His greatness arises from the
I,gor Of his vices, his successes are traceablc to
+ The force of systemized sefshness. He has
&impfed states manship into one dea-self,
md to this point ali his acts-whether as ruler
| tr fugitive, whether as despot or suppliCant,
Ikhether as decimatng captives or imporing
mercy, as massacreing prisoners Of war or
+ikulking from an outraged people in the fast
|hesses of the Cordilleras. For self he will do
Fthings in themselves chivalTous, bold and gene
Ious, and for self he will enact prodgies of
Lcruelty and descend to shifts of the lowest pu-
|lblanimity and baseness. With him friendship
IS an absolute weakness and patriotism nur-
T,sery illusion. To him the government, the peo-
|tple, the army, laws, religion, Liberty, the state
b-all are Santa Anna or nothing.
Il What effect the return of such a man to su-
tpreme power in Mexico will have upon the re-
I lations of the United States with that country,
',,would be easily foretold if it could be ascer-
ytained what course of policy he thought best
!, for the stability Of his rule or the aggrandize
iment of his fortunes. The reply he is said to
I, have given TO our Consul at Havana, MIR.
. Campbell, previous to his sailing to Vera Cruz,
FURNISHES as good clue to his future purposes
9 as anything else. When asked if he was in
! favor of the war with the United States, he is
! reported to have said, "You know how it is, if
! the people Of my country are for war, am
! with them; but | would prefer peace" 1t is
! quite probable that if Santa Anna could con-
centrate 10 his own hands the absolute power
! of the nation under peace establishment, he
would prefer doing so; but that he will risk any
thing to obtain peace, however advantageous
. it might be to the country, is to imagine him
capable of sacrificing something for the benefit
! of others-a supposition totally at variance with
. every attribute of his nature.
II has been stated that subsequent TO the con-
Versation with Mr.. Campbell, an American CT
i, tizen was despatched from Washington city to
Cuba, to treat with Santa Anna about Mexican
4 affairs This rumor may Or may not be true.
] We have no means of knowing what founda-
lion there is for it, The rapid visit to Havana
Of an officer of the navy, and bis hasty depar-
ture for Gen. Taylor's camp from that place
not TO mention Santa Annals easy entrance in.
10 Vera Cruz, give some FEASIBILITY to the re-
port. However this may be, no manner of re.
lance can be placed upon any promises, OF
understanding between him and the Govern
znent or any agent of the Government There
can be no adjurations more binding, no engage
rnents. more solemnly contracted, than those
Santa Anna made to Texas after the battle Of
San Jacnto. Those oaths and contracts were
broken with a wilfulness which seemed to re-
lolce that perjury gave darker hue to the OBJ
ioquy OF violated faith. His life and liberty
were given him upon pledge of his honor and
truth to the ful6ment of his contract. He ac'
cepted the boon and repudiated the VOW
What form of plghted faith, what condition to
contract, what consideration to solemn bond
CAN be imagined more exacting in its nature
than the life and liberty of Santa Anna grant
cd to himself upon protestations uttered or
Bonded knees
There is ne arriving at what such man viii
do unless il can be seen what he will think il
most to his interest to do, regardless alike o
all notions of responsibility to God or man.
He was set at large by the Texan authorities
at time when the massacre Of Fannin's com