The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-25

desirable at this Crisis, at washington, than re
trenchment and reform"
SANTA ANNA AND THE ADMINIsrRATIoN.-The
mysterious relations Of good will and SYM
patty which have subsisted between certain
agents and organs of Spain, and General An
tonic Lopez de Santa Anna have at last at
tracted the attention of the Washington Union.
says :
That Santa Anna, in the prosecution of despotic
designs, should turn his eyes to European alliance,
is not strange. His selection of Spain for his ally is
more ineXplicable. The occurrences of the last few
years in reference to Cuba may have led him to look
to that power especially for sympathy in his appa-
rent dread of the United States. However this may
be, it cannot be doubted that, in view of the geo
graphical and political relations existing between the
United States and Mexico any Spanish interposition
in Mexican affairs would be viewed by the people OF
the United States with jealousy and distrust Such
an interposition, ii invited by Santa Anna might,
indeed, present not fully contemplated by the
Monroe doctrine, when that principle was first an
nounced; but it would not, on that account, be the
less fruitful of peril and embarrassment to both ma
tons, and not the less repugnant to the American
policy which the people OF the United States are re-
solved to cherish and maintain.
Now. whether that is spoken by authority, is
at a venture. There is good deal of warlke
stuff in it, and very considerable sprinkling of
manifest destiny" But. according to the
drift Of some Of our recent telegraphc advices
from Washington concerning the boundary
question of New Mexico, we may expect before
many months shall have passed over. to know
definitely whether Santa Anna is in league
with Spain against us for the preservation
ba
the islands Of the Gulf, or is disposed
to compromise with the progressive spirit of
the Anglo-Saxon Yankees. He evidently still
entertains feeling of bitterness concerning his
defeats during the last Mexican war, and in
reference to the territories acquired by the Uni
ted States. He speaks Indignantly at the bare
idea of sacrificing another square inch of the
national soil yet we are glad to be informed
that the administration will probably seize the
first opportunity for sounding him upon this
subject.
Is Secretary Marcy "posted up" Does he
fully comprehend the inexplicable entangle-
ments and complexities of the Tehuantepec
question the question of indemnities to Next
co concerning the spoliations of her frontier
settlements by our savage Apaches, Camanches,
and NavaJoes the boundary question New
Mexico and, above all, the real existing state
of things between Santa Anna on the one part.
and the official agents. capitalists. and secret
emissaries of England, Louis Napoleon, and
the Court Of Spain on the other? We
should like to feel perfectly easy upon all
these points but, of course, we must be
resigned, and wait in patience the progress Of
events. We have at least the satisfaction to
know that the present critical position Of Santa
Anna and the Mexican republic will not admit
OF any waste of time in beating about the bush.
Santa Anna must act promptly and dec;sively
or he is LOST and our own government. by an
improvident delay at this most important juno
ture, may lose more, much more. than we
gained by the late war and the treaty of peace
We look, therefore with some degree of conf
dence to such steps on the part of our cabinet
as will give us the vantage ground with the
powers OF Europe in our negotiations with
Santa Anna. Nor do we despair of Secretary
Marcy, nor of his abilities to bring us out Of all
our Mexican difficulties with drums beating and
colors flying We know that our premier, as
one of Folks cabinet. is largely held response
BILE for that pass" by which Marcy was
humbugged, and Santa Anna was admitted
into Mexico in 1917; but if the Secretary of
War was then deceived by the dictator. Secre-
tary Of State will be all the better prepared
to cope with him now.
Be that as it may, however, we repeat that
we are gratifed, az we are well assured the pub
lie will be, to learn, even unoflicially, that the
administration do not intend to overlook the
present existing momentous state of things in
Mexico, but that the little boundary dispute
of the Mesilla territory will be made the basis
for such enlarged overtures to Santa Anna as
will result in the timely defeat OF all European
intriguers and commissaries, and their schemes
to make Mexico their permanent ally and the
the hereditary and implacable enemy of the
United States.
We trust that General Pierce and his premier
will not fall behind time. The affairs of Central
America the Cuba question, the northeastern
fisheries. and Canadian reciprocity may all be
safely postponed, perhaps for months yet to
come; but there is no time to be lost in waiting
for some providental turn in the affairs of Mex
leo to our advantage. We have now all the
advantages in our hands, not only for negotiat-
ing new. broad, comprehensive, and advanta-
geous treaty with Mexico, but for paving the
way, upon the liberal and progressive principles
which characterize our enlightened institutions,
for the future acquisitions and necessities of
" manifest destiny" Is the administration wide
awake? Or, is there still "A Bourbon among
us?r
INTERESTING LFcTrRE-Mr. W. G. Dix, who recently
read most instructive paper on South America before
the New York Historical Society, is to deliver lecture
to morrow evening at the Atheneum, Brooklyn descrp.
tive Of his journey from the Pacific coast across the
ADde. mountains the base Of Chimborazo and the
plain Of Coopaxi TO Quito the most elevated city in the
world Mr. Dx's habits Of intelligent observation and
his ability in describing what he has seen, sufficient
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