Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-05-14
RIG HMOND, VA.
Friday Morning, May ID, Is47.
SANTA ANNA "MR. POLK'S GENERAL
The following paragraph We find in The Mezi.

SANTA ANNA "MR. POLK's GENERAL !"
The following paragraph We find in The MeIi'
can news published in letter OF The N. 0. Della:
aOf Ger. La Vega we need only say, that heis
we'll known throughout Mexico and the United
States, Tor his gaIlantry at Resaca de la Palma,
| and for his dignifed and gentlemanly bearing
during his sojourn in this country as prisoner
| of war There are among The prisoners several
naval officers who were very efficient in manag-
inc the artillery in the batteries. They are nell-
Gent gentlemen, and speak The English language;
| The younger officers were very mucn eAcheo
against Santa Anna. They declared, That II ne
| had no, kept on, OF The entertainments and show
Oh b;s determination 10 fy, they would have been
able 10 maintain their positions They openly
charged him with being either bribed or irIshlen'
ed-a traitor or a coward"
The above remarks in regard 10 Santa Anna
confirm The correctness of The views we have uni
formly entertained concerning his position as
commander of the Mexican army. In reply 10
the Wing clamor about President Polk allowing
Santa Anna 10 return 10 Mexico 10 take command
III her armies, We have always maintained that,
admitting such 10 be The acl, il was master
stroke OF policy on the part Of The President. If
the Mexican nation had given President Polk the
choice Of general for heir armies, ne could no.,
have selected one more likely 10 secure The VIC
tory of the American troops. A poorer general
III an Santa Anna the world has never produced.
We ask emphaIically, where has he proved him.
self The great general whom the Wings would
have us believe him 10 be2 Was il in The Tex
ian war, when lie allowed Houston, al San ia
cinlo, 10 whip him with handful Of men, hall
armed against more than double The number
OF Me1icansl Was il al the battle Of Bue-
ma Visa, where Taylor scoulged him and
his twenty thousand troops, in the heart
OF the enemys country, with less than one-iourth
of The number Of troops? Was il al Cerfo
Gorto--where Scott again routed him with
greatly inferior number OF troops and occupying
the strongest positions of deience2 We repeat
where is The evidence Of his Genefaship3
greater coward lives not upon The globe. Wit
ness the figure he cul when skulking in the Tree al
San Jacin,o--wilness his cowaIdIy retreat al Bue-
ma visla-sec his rrecipi'ate and dis5raceiui
dieh, from Celro Gurdo. A more contemplate,
inefficient and cowardy General history furnishes
no account of-scarcey excepting the fictitious ne
70 OF the windmills. This The Mexicans now begin
to see themselves. The paragraph above quoted
shows the impression which begins 10 prevail in
Mexico. "They openly Says The American cor
RESPONDENT OF the New Orleans Delta) charge
him tSanla Anna) with being either brlbed or
frieh,ened-a traitor, or coward" &c. And
Yesterdays Southern mail brings report that
he has been deposed from his Generalship upon
these grounds Who can believe that there are
moi hundreds OF men in Mexico who would make
bravrr and better Generals than Santa Anna 2
La Veea-the young but gallant La Vega We
have no doubt, would make more efhclent
General-lo say nothing OF others who have
al least. some claim 10 bravery and the
characteristics Of a good soldier and skiIul
General. Certain i. is, worse general Tor The
interests OF Mexico, and better one Than Santa
Anna for the interests OF the United States, could
not be found We venture 10 say, within The limits
Of Mexico. Santa Anna is a great general up.
m paper. He can brae and bIusicr, and talk tree
" about spling his blood Tor his conntTy-6ut
here ends his generalship. A greater humbug. a
greater hypocrile, or more consummate dema-
gogue, no country can produce He has had The
cunning heretofore 10 deude his eounirymen into
the belief that he is a great mana great patriot
who loves his country better, above all, and none
therefore so capable as he 10 defend il in time OF
war-bur this deluson, we predict, is abouto be
dispeed- when he will again have 10 leave his
country for his countrys in,eres,s-or 10 save his
head-no more TO be entrusted with The honor and
interests Of a nation which has uniformly suffer-
ed and been disgraced in his keeping.
We stop not 10 inquire what was The motive OF
Presiden, Polk-we care not what was his OBJ
iect, since we arc persuaded il was good one
one which he believed best i.r The interests Of his
counlry-in allowing Santa Anna 10 return 10 a
people which had just eIed him, and Tor whom
il was reasonable 10 suppose he no longer had any
particular love. II is enough for US 10 know that
The results Of the war could mol have proved more
favorable 10 our own arms under any other gen.
eral whom Mexico Cor MIR. Polkl could have Sc
leced.
Let, then, the Wings go on with their nonsen-
steal olamor about The President allowing santa
Anna (who was at the time no longer ciizen Oh
Mexico-ha wing been eIiled BY his country 10
return TO Mexico Improves anything, Improves
that the MeYicans allowed The President-thelr
enemy-lo select general for them-one, whose
bad eeneralship and cowardice already make his
brother officers and counlrYmen "openly charge
him with being either bribed or frightened-a
traitor or coward" Surely il will not be said
thai The Me1icans would have abandoned the
war. ior wan. Of general, il Santa Anna had
NOT assumed The command Why then, should
we find fault with his being in command7 We
have more 10 dread from any other commander.
And il he should be deposed, and another aP-
pointed in his place, We predict that this view will
soon become apparent. As to The glorious ri
umph of our arms, however, over any and all
the generals and men whom Mexico can bring
against us, we have not The shadow Of SHADE OF
doubt. OF this, the skill and bravery OF Tay-
lor and Scott, and the host gallant spirits who
sustain lhem-who laid and comfort" lhem-sive
every assurance.
INTERESTING FROM MEXICO.
We give up much OF our space 10 The cheer
ing details OF General SCOTS victorious bot
boodless march Jaapa, and the dark and bloody
prison-lorress OF Perole, have fallen into our