The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1853-04-26

The accession of Santa Anna to the Presi
dency of Mexico is an important event to
that unfortunate republic and an important
event in the. career of that man of strange
and varied fortunes. Rich in every thing
but in dustry and skill, Mexico lacking these,
lie among the most helpless and degraded ma
tons. Brave in everything but action, and
eloquent and wise in speech, Santa Anna,
though popular. hasever proved impctent for
good. He enters upon the station to which
he has been called appealing to the pride and
warlike passions of his countrymers as the
only feelings he can arouse to sustain him in
last desperate effort for the preservation Of
her independence.
We look to the commencement of his adj
ministration with concern, but without hope.
The era Of hope for that nation is past. Dis
tracted and disaffected at home, there is mo
strength nor power in her government; and
in her relations with the world at large she
commands no consideration hey ond the hopes
that arise in other nations of appropriating to
themselves the wealth within her domains
that she can neither profit by nor protect.
How strikingly is exemplifed, in the com
parison between the two republics of North
America. the influence of intellectual and
religious freedom on the one hand, and ofiig-
norance and bigotry on the other! Neither
race, nor climate, nor soil, nor original ma
tionality, nor all of these together, will serve
to explain the great disparity. There arepa-
ralleIs of latitude, there are similarities in
climate, there are identities of origin in va
rious sections of the two countries; but there
are no social nor political resemblauces.-
Freedom of thought, freedom of conscience,
and freedom of action, reflect their light upon
the intellectual, moral, and physical world
around US; while mental imbecility, moral
degradation, and physical excavation charac-
terize the wide regions over which the re-
nowned Santa Anna has been summoned to
preside.
In the premature decay of that nation we
are regarded by her as her great and envious
oppressor. But with how little truth! The
number Of those of our citizens who we're
averse to making conquests of her soil was
very considerable, it is true; but their opposi-
sition was based upon their unwillingness
that our nation should possess it rather than
upon the conviction that Mexico had not Of
Tended against the principles of comfy and
justice, nor are they yet convinced of the
disturbances of the acquisitions we have
made. Should differences yet arise between
the two countries, we would regret the abb
sence of all other means of indemnity than
that Of the acquisition Of territory. We hold
in reverence the declaration, which forms the
fundamental principle Of our constitution,
that governments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed;" and we
regard all avoidable conquests as in palpable
violation of this principle. Territory thus
acquired forms, indeed, dangerous and un-
tending inevitably to weaken the fealty Of our
people and the bonds of our Union. For the
acquisitions we have in past times thus made
We hereafter have no cause to repent; and
in the future, may the necessity of fresh con-
quests never be impressed upon the minds Of
| our people, WASHINGTON Republic