The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-12

themselves succe s'.j!y n defeat AZ them.
Again, during last session another b Il vas
presented in - Senate having tie same object
in view, and it v a. in a fair way o passing
when Of the principal ferry man gers pro-
missed that prompt mea .ures vouli be imme-
diately adopted, W. ich would rende the pas
sage of such bn entirely useless Nothing,
h0wever, has bee fife ted in this important
matter, while hardly m nth passes in which
we Go not hear of accidents lax ng place in
consequence of the Grim nll negl :, nee Of those
companies. We trust at something will be
done by next Legislature, or that some
hand.
The Present Political Aspect OF Mexico.
When Santa Anna was recall ed to preside
over the destinies Of the Mexican States, on the
resignation Il Arls ia ! January, 1853, he was
received by the people W tn ops, arms. They
were wesry of anarchy and confu.i n-they
were disheartened at the degra alton, politi-
cally and morally, to which their country had
snnk-ard all, monarch sts madrrados and
ultra republicans, looked TO him for change
which might be for the better, but could scarcely
BIZ for the worse.
Under such favor BILE auspices Santa Anna
again ass med the reins of power. But re-
verses Of fortune had not taught him wisdom
the experience Of the past was forgotten-and
his pretended patriotism dwindled away be-
fore the more absorbing passion of personal
| ambition Within very few months it was
discovered that he had broken his pro misses
and betrayed o nations trust. The mo-
anarchists were unjustly favored-the tyranny
of priestcraft was abetted-the liberty OF
the press was restricted-free discussion on
the acts of the government was prohibited-the
Jesuits were re- established-the passport sys-
tenn was observation-disclosures titles were in
troduced and conferred on undeserving mnons
the army was increased-new taxes were le
yied-ile federal government was suppressed,
and tho States were converted into Depart
ments, under military chiefs-the absurd order
Of the Knighthood Of Guadalupe was resumed,
and theP President, with the new title Of ':Se
rene Hiehness," seemed determined to mimic,
since he could not rival in extravagan e, the
follies and toibles OF European Court The
! march of The government from repuolicansD'
to despotism was Iapid that the people were
unable to resist its progress. Iu the autumn Of
1858 propunciamento, sty led the Act Of Gna>
dalsjara was drawn up, which embodied the
platform of the ambitious Pre- sident, and gave
him almost unlimited power. A subsequent
decree, dated the 10th Of October, continued
him in Office for life, and virtually re
stored the empire to the country.
With strange intatuation the people, by cities
and States, without a single exception, cam,
forward and declared their adhesion to the
plan of Guadalaiar. All Mexico tamely sub
mitted to the yoke. The dictator had almos.
reached the goal OF bis ambition, and only
waited f,r favorable oppor unity to grasp
the emblem, as be had u.urr ed the distance, of
imperial pow,r.
But there was even darker side to the
picture. Any ruler not blinded by selfish
considerations, would have seen, and needed,
if only as wsrning, the condition of the i'm
poverished people. With deficit of sixteen
millions, and with the interest Of the internal
debt unpaid, public credit stood at its lowest
ebb. Trade lspguished, and the decreasing
revenues of the country amounted only to
some seventeen Millions when with liberal
tariff they might have been quadrupled. Peo-
pie wire literally dying from starvation. FIJI
ibusteroes threatened invasion; robbers in
tested the highways, and savage tribes of
Indians were desc atiug tie fairest provinces
Of the north An, while ruin ant poverty
were thus doing their work. Santa Anna was
carefully weaving a pa,b # royalty to fling
over the republic, and hi'e her emaciated form.
But beneath the pressure Of financial diff
culties the President was pow rless. To re-
plen sh his empty Golfers and thereby realize
the cream of hi. ambition, he proposed to cell
barren, inhospitable, God-forsake tract of
country to our government Tor the moderate
sum OF ten millions Of dollars The offer,
strange to say, was accepted. The people Of
the United States were deliberately swindlsd,
end paid this large sum of money to prop no
the declining fortunes Of an ambitious aiven-
turer.
A revolution in Mexico was the direct cons
quepce. The people of Guerrero were the frs
10 rise in arms with their Gov, rnor Don Jua
Alvarez, a. the head of the movement. His
pride had been insulted by the suppression OF
State sovereignty and the Capitalization of
power in the capital, aud his republican spirit
had long chafed at the continued encroach-
ments of Santa Anna. Don Juan was beloved
by the inhabitants over whom he presided, ADD,
for this reason, the improvements he labored to
secure were counteracted, and his remon-
stances were treated with contemA His pri-
vate luminosity to the dictator only edded fdei
TO the flame which coud no longer Be sui,dued.
In that vast natural fortress around Acapulco
among those mountains where Guerrero de-
fed the Spanish armies and where Iturbide
first proclaimed the independence Of Mexico.
the chief Of the Pintos unfuried his standard.
The Importance OF the movement was felt at