The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-03-29
Santa ANNA at Cartllagcna.

As Santa Anna is about TO return to Mexico,
to take position once more at the head of affairs
everything in regard to his past life will be read
with deep interest. The Courier des Etats Cnis,
Of New York, contains the following interesting
letter on the life of the Mexican Dictator in his
retreat in New Granada The writer who WAS
Il l'rcnchman, visited the General in company
with Il distinguished Engshman, at Turb3co,
six leagues from Carthasena He has been re-
siding here for nearly two years, in company
with his young, beautiful, and accomplished wife,
and bis daughter by former marriage. This
writer says:
His style was quiet and uniform, nor did the
presence Of guests interfere in the least with his
daily routine. Every morning, after cup of
coffee, the General mounted his horse and rode
for couple Of hours. On his return he bathed,
and brcaIil;lStcd at ten o'clock. AT noon, pre-
ci$cly, he entered his private cabinet, where he
received all who called on business, and ''calcuia-
ted interest SO nicely that he might have told
You the productive value of shilling for a quar-
ter of an hour" In fact, it is said that he play.
cd the part of al adroit and most successful
money lcnGer.
After these daily tolls were over, the CUSTOM
airy Sie>ta Of the country refreshed his jaded
senses and then, five times every week, the
neighboring sportsmcn flocIrd TO his house with
their choicest game cocks. The pit was immedi
a'ely filled Santa Anna took the seat of houor,
to preside over the gladatorial poultry, and eve
ry main absorbed enormous bets, in which he
was commonly loser of the dollars he had gain
cd in the morning by his commercial u>ury.-
Yet the patient exile lost his doubloons apparent
" with Il, much coolncss as he had made them.
"B"toTc the six o'clock dinner the General i'll
du"ci again ip the luxury of a bath; and when
ever hi; table Was honorcd by the presence of an
eminent visitor, he did not fail, no matter how
hot the weather, to gratity lis personal vanity
by appearing ut table in full military costume
Ills meals were not only sumrtuous but luyuri
ouS, and no one seemed to enjoy them more than
the Amphytrjon himself. At nirht-cards, mu-
sic, wine, smoking, and sometimes dancing, filled
up the hours until midnight, when servants ap-
rcarcd to show the strangers tothcir apartments
where they might choose couch or q hammock
and sleep in comfort, beneath mosquito nets, un-
til day dawn. As soon as the first rays of light
appeared, the guest WIS aroused by the entrance
OF servants with fresh fruits and coffee, to COM
mcncc day which was to be precise counter
part Of its predecessor.
This picture of Santa Annals life, varied by
occasional CLEANS Of ambtion-which may now
and then be remarked even beneath his imp;ls-
svc coldncss--cxhihits the predominant charac-
tersticS Of this remarkable man; avarce, gam
bling, cockfghting, vanity, and lust Of power
These are strange elements TO form the leader
and hope of a nation. 1t will no longer be sur
Ir<ing that Mexico is as wrclchcd as it i, when
such person has had the power, with few inter-
missions in thirty years, to dcmoraizc the pco-
pie and TO use the Government with the ming lied
passions of Il gamcstcr and Il mis'r
"lct, with all his badness Santa Anna is gift
ed with Il certain political witchcrait that has al
ways served while to ull his country into qui-
ct, ;tnl to give it time to recover from the en-
horl>pn Of wasted energy. This may be the
case HOW. But the end will be Il repetition OF
thc pl>t. Since 1919, Mexico has suhsiStcd on
the money we paid for California; but that is
now exhausted, and time alone c:ln dcvclopr
what other resources will be rcSurtcd TO-"
The New Orleans PicayHm" denies the report
lately originated in New York, that another cxpc-
dition agninsL Cuba is being originated at New
Orleans.