Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-06-03
FROM THE NORTH AMERICAN.
The Santa Anna Treason, its Character and
Designs.

n
extract l, from the regular Washington correspon-
dence of that journal:
victory round On every side and not drop of
comfort. Peace Is apparently as far of as ever
we shall, TOR want Of power to treat with. be
Coiged To Keep possession Of goodly portion of
.o conquered territory, and to fortify and hold all
the strong places in our hands,
With the defeat Of Santa Anna, NV hone ne
peace Is considerably diminished, for however
strongly the opposition press may have rallied
against what 1t was pleased to call ''the passport
granted TO that chief" certain it is that our best
hopes OF peace rested on him, and that nothing but
the impcssibilitv of sustaining himself in Mexico
has thus far batled his efforts to make the CONGRESS
agree to the proposition of our government to send
commissioners.
The tone of his warlike dispatches was from the
commencement forced upon hun by the circums,an-
ces in which he was placed, and perfectly under
stood here by the President and his Cabinet. San
IA Annals only hope ofsucccss consisted i'm first salts
tying the national vanity This countrymen or avail
ing himself OF some lucky accident, to turn, for
moment, the fortunes of war, and to improve that
moment Tor concluding peace. He came verv
near such chance at Buena Vista, but the battle
OF Cerro Gordo has put end to his prospects, and
win Them, to our calculation of peace from that
4uar,er.'
II Is our first duty inquire the source Of these ter
Iiole developments of most fearful and disgrace
hui treason; for unless this be the mere hallucna-
tons OF lunacy, or the idle ISLANDERS of print
wholly out OF the pale Of credit, there is that in it
which demands attention We assert that il is of
source worthy Of grave consideration, one imme-
diately connected with this administration The
correspondent of the Ledger is known to be pro-
perty OF this admnstration--an ultra Locofoco-
u Is known that he is in the confidence of the Go
yernment, especially of the State Department, and
that he has repeatedly been made, in advance of
,he press, the organ its divulgements to the pub
JIG. we cannot therefore, and we do not doubt
that IN the above communication he has giyen
truthfuy the views of the administration
And this belief is rendered the more confident
by the knowledge, that the President in his annu-
al message admitted the existence of an intrigue
with Santa Anna. He did ths-enough of itself
10 cover the government and the country with
shame and to rouse every honest heart in our con-
lines to mutiny and rage but he did more--he re-
cognlzed a still continued connection and promised
even then, that Santa Anna would yet procure us
peace. Let this be remembered in conjunction
with the other facts
10 effect this purpose, 1t was necessary that San
ia Anna should be upheld in Mexico. The alliance
demanded that the two Presidents should sustain
each other. To give ecat to the Mexican miscro-
ant. and to enable him to carry Folks designs,
victory was necessary. Read the above letter
and say what were Folks purposes
1.-The tone of his"--San,a Anna s--"warlke
dispatches was. from the first, forced on him by
PERFECTLY UNDERSTOOD HERE Ely THE PREsi-
DENT AND HIS CABINET.'' "AND CERTAIN 1T is
THAT OUR BEST HOPES OF PEACE RESTED UPON
HIM - ne cdie very near such q chance at BIZ
ena Vista, int the battle Of CcYro Gordo has nut
an END 10 ms prospects, and, srM Them, To OUR
CALCULATION Of peace from that quarter"
such is the language of the administration
we VIII not pause 10 characterize policy 50 dark
so treasonable but will proceed to prove by facts
that the plan of the administration was as here in
nicated, To give victory to Santa Anna, in order
that he might, to use the words OF the writer QUO
ted above, turn the Rjrtunes of war and improve
that moment for concluding peace"
AT time when il was known when il was COM
municaed by Cen Taylor to the administration
that Santa Anna was gathering large force at San
LUIS Potos, of from 80 to 10000 men, the eov-
eminent Withdrew from him, without notice ex-
PLANTATION the main part of bis force, Including all
ms regulars and his best Officers lie left in
state of apparent hopelessness; and that, toc in
the face of an army four times his number. What
was the object OF this An attack upon Vera
Cruz? But why was not Santa Anna at Vera
Cruz? Why did he leave the door Of Mexico
open anG prefer TO attack detached force in an ex
trepe section of the repubic2 And when SO I'M
eNec'edly repelled-("he came very near such
nance at Buena VISTA" says the administration
writer quoted above(-why did he make what his
countrymen believe to have been but eint at Ger
70 Gurdo
Whether or not, authority this letter sngularly
chords with the facts. 1t explains the withdrawal
OF zen Iaylor's force, the orders given TO him to
retire and afford Santa Anna triumph over every
post TINS side OF Monterey, bathing the country in
the blood of the gallant American volunteers who |
occupied 1t. 1t acknowledges in the most distinct
manner, That the intrigue with Santa Anna has |
been contInued to the present time. 1t expresses,
win horrible fTankneSs regret that Taylor and .
MS little host were not sacrificed at Buena Vista.
The charge Of a reasonable conspiracy between
the two Presidents of the two countries, is recoq-
nzed IN both. The Mexicans believe that Santa
Anna is traitor in the pay Of Mr.. Polk, and seek I
MS life, The treason, If it exists, is equal on the
part OF both the contracting parties. 1t is crime
which the country can never. by false cIemency,
PARDON lie who stamps brand upon the brow of
the republic by such a crime, is u worse elon than
any IN her dungeons.
''Our best hopes of peace rested on him" San
Ia Anna. There was then no trust in the patriot
ism or the country, in the valor Of army, in
the flrmness OF our government. "NOihing but tibet
lmPosslbllty of sustaining himself in Mexico has
mus lar bafiled the efforts TO make the Congress
gree 10 the proposition of our government" The
whole war has been a game played between two
dark political gamblers, who, understanding their
mutual policy. have played into each others hands
And what OF the thousands who have persisted in
this terrible game? What of them indeed
The lamentations of this writer over the victory
OF Busna Vista. his expressed desire that Santa
Anna should have prevailed and our patriots been
(for such must have been the result y
presents picture of political depravity TOO horri-
bic for contemplation. This is not treason merely ,
though it is treason the backest-but it is the
most insane form of sanguinary malice. Over the |
graves Of Mckee and Hardin and Clay and their ?
the writer laments that Taylor and r
mn wool and all who bated by their sides were