Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-03-26
Santa Anna

ms crowned lndlVlCuai VIII soon again be
at the head of the Government Of Mexico. By
a late arrival at New Orleans from Vera Cruz.
we learn from the Picayune that Santa Anna
would arrive at Vera Cruz early in April. The
Vera Cruz papers contain full particulars of a
deeply interesting and important interview be-
tween the Ex-Presidcnt and DR.. Manuel NJ.
Escobar, who was despatched to Carthagena
on a mission to the exiled chief.
Senior Escobar reached Carthagena on the
lst February, and found Gen. Santa Anna re-
siding at Turbaco, five leagues from Carthage
ma. Upon meeting Santa Anna, his first ques-
ton was, "SVhat happens in our Republic
what says the Mexicans!" He then asked if it
was true that another American invasion was
threatened, to which Escobar replied that "The
question of Tehuantepec would force Mexico
to cede without fighting"
The details Of the conversation which passed
between them are furnished by the papers, and
a translation is given by the Picayune. The
significance Of the language of Santa Anna
touching the position of Mexico, and his dis
play Of unmitigated and f~erocious hostility to-
wards the United States, cannot fail to CON-
mand the attention of the reader.
From amongst much which Santa Anna said
to Escobar we make the following interesting
extracts. 1t was given to appear that he would
leave with regret his retreat TO again assume
the Presidency Of Mexico--and that it was diff.
ticult for him to be induced to do so. He goes
on to say:
Besides, it is impossible that l can return,
and meet with serenity q set Of men who have
elevated themselves to power without anything
in past history favorable to them; or him who
has never been a good SON, a good husband, a
good friend, or a good citizen; men who have
borne the filthy yoke imposed upon them, and
remained impassive even when they saw tina,
nothing was done to save our country from the !
aggressions projected by the new vandals of
the North.
slave the Mexicans abjured their passions?
Do they blush for their foIlies? See the abyss |
that is open at their feet? Know they that they |
will be absorbed by this modern Rome, without
any resource but to bend the neck, if they do
not change completely their course? Have
they the presumption to suppose they will be
saved without effort on their part, amid the |
disorders in which they lie, and when it would
seem that patriotism had fled the land of the |
Hidalgos, Of the Iturbides and Guerreros! X
"That his heart could only be Mexican; that,
Notwithstanding the past, he wished to show
to his compatriots how dear they were to him;
that their misfortunes were his and be could
never be Indifferent to them; that looking at OBJ.
jects from a distance, their determines were
better seen; that he did not wish that history
should one day say that he had been deaf to
the call of his country when she honored him
with a call to meet the common danger and that
he had seen with Indifference her fate; that he
desired to end his days in the spot he had cho-
son as a residence for bis family y; that his only
wish was to see his country happy, and that
casting aside every thing tending to detain him
he resigned himself to give the last proof Of his
patriotism, although history taught him to place
no confidence in the passing enthusiasm of the
masses.
81 hold" he said, "shat independence is the
greatest of our blessings, and every good citi-
zen should defend it with all his power, and |
cannot be deaf to the voice Of my countrymen,
nor fail to appreciate the high honor they have
conferred upon me in calling me to help them
out of the labyrinth in which they are involved,
and above all to save our nationality, now in
such imminent peril from the grasping spirit Of
our neighbors and the Incidence and treason Of
a few Mexicans. Return in the next packet, |
and in giving an account of your mission to
those who sent you, tell them from me that in
the next month of March | will leave this spot
for the shores of Mexico.
son my arrival there | will call around me
those persons of influence who are true lovers
of their country. ] will confer with them; and
if | find cooperation, if | find sincerity and a
good will to abnegate capricious and mistaken
opinions; and finally if | find men of heart to
make an obstinate defence Of our rights against
the aggressors from the North, and the only
cry is dependence or Death, then I will lend my
self cheerfully to new sacrifices, for in truth l
cannot survive the disappearance of Mexican
nationality, and desire to bury myself in its
ruins, if, after the Mexicans have done their du-
ty, the great Regulator of the destinies of ma
should order for US such a fate. But if t
my hopes should not find encouragement equal
% my desires, which never can be other than
he veal and glory Of our nation, | will return
1isconsolate to this retirement, to deplose the
blindness of a people that obstinately believe
t can do everything when it leaves the only Il
,ath left open to it, and will not initiate others, a
Who like them, have found themselves in a ST.
nilar situation" :
The next year or two, will quite probably o
rove fertile in events of the highest moment y
10Th to Mexico and the United States. :
Mer;cn--Hey Fujure In another co1umn- ',