The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-04
Imperialist Symptoms In Mcxlc, ,.

Imperialist symptoms In Mckee.
Our contemporary, the Trait a Union, is
quite right in supposing that this Journal will
view the ceremonies it SO grandly records. as
precursors Of the advent Of an imperial regime
in Mexico. How any one could regard them in
adiilerent light we are totally at a loss to con-
ceive. A national burst of enthusiasm at the re-
turn of Santa Anna from Tucubaya to the
palace, with garrison parades, salvos Of artil-
lery, and every demonstration of popular de-
light, is quite inconsistent with the republican
title which the Dictator still bears. Still more
uDequivocal is the re-establishment OF the Next
can Order Of Gaudalonpe and the creation of
twenty-one chevaliers, whose functions can be
nothing but dancing attendance On the court,
and frightening the splendor Of an imperial
throne These events are the natural sequel Of
the arbitrary measures by which the Dictator
has been strengthening his sway, and coacen-
tratng the whole power of the state in his
own hands; they add fresh link to the chain of
circumstantial evidence, on which we rested
our former assertion with regard to Santa
Annals designs. In the face of such acts, it
will need something more than a semi official
denial from the Mexican legation, to convince
the people Of this country that he viii not soon
exchange the title of Dictator for that of
Emperor.
History is in truth little more than a series
of repetitiops. Men Of like minds, placed in the
same circumstances. can hardly fail to pursue
the same cou.se; the proneness to copy instead
Of orig inating-which is common to the whole
human race-not less than very natural de-
sire to emulate the fame of the heroes of the
past makes all our great men plagiarists.
Even those who, shielded by the over
hanging mist Of time, appear to us to
have invented. would too often forfeit
all claim to originality, could we pierce the OBJ
scurity of ages prior to theirs and read the
annals in which they may have found a model.
Who knows but Caesar borrowed his am bilious
schemes and his feints of repabIicanism, while
Brutus was mere copyist Of some Phunician
democrat? As we find them, the first may be
sagely considered as the model OF usurpers He
was the first man of mark in powerful aad
noted nation, who ayailed himself of the disor-
ders incident to an oligarchical form of govern
ment, and his own military renown, to aspire to
be despot. First grasping the real power of
the state, he surrounded himself with all the
insignia ofroyalty, so as to accustom the peo
pie to their aspect: and when the crown was
offered him, he modestly declined it. His
assassination before his final triumph does not
impair the accuracy ola parallel between his
case and those which have followed it. Bru-
VT
Napoleon, the Create pass over minor
cases-had the example Of Cesar constantly
before his eyes, during the period Of transition
from the consulate to the empire. He, too,
was fond of declining the crown to his cour-
tiers and at the same time carefully revived
all the splendors of the old court. When the
time came-France containing no Brutus-he
achieved his end. His nephew has benefited
by both examples How often did his organs
accuse the foreign press of lying, when they
laid bare bis ambitious schemes How France
glitiered with tinsel, and plumes. and titles,
and all the gorgeous paraphernalia Of royalty.
during the last year Of The republic! Another
emperor, Of q different hue, Faustn Soulouque,
no doubt had the lives Of Casar and Ma
was meditating the establishment Of his
blackamoor empire. Everybody has heard
OF the gew-gaws in which he and his suite
used to deck themselves in order to famlliarize
the breechless niggers with the imposing aspect
of a monarch. The annals of the empire Of
Hayti are neither popular nor crcumstantial
enough to enable US to say with certainty that
notion to Soulouque, he made the nearest ap-
proach to a blush OF which his complexion is
susceptible, and begged to be excused. But
the weight Of probability is entirely in favor Of
such course. Now, Santa Anna is playing
the same comedy in Mexico. He has spent the
last few months in building the solid foundation
Of his project-raising money and troops-and
diverting the public mind from foreign al
liances, by concentrating attention upon him
self This act played, he is now passing to The
second--establisbiDg orders of knighthood, ex-
acting kingly honors from his subjects, and
taking every measure which could render
transition from a republic to monarchy i'm
perccptible to the masses. What more can he do
but grasp the imperial sceptre? Can any
reader Of history expect him to dcviate so far
from the beaten path, as to content himself
with his present dignities?
The world has produced a man, who, possess
ing sufficient physical power in the way Of mon
end money, an unbounded popularity. mind
capable Of executing the vastest schemes Of
ambition, and o field unrivalled for its exercise,
withstood the temptation, and remained
citizen where he might possibly have been a
king. But there has lived but one Washington
and, without wishing in any way to disparage
his claims to Immortality, it must also be re-
COLLECTED that there was in the breast o. our