Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-01-13
Santa Anna and President Walker.

suhta Abhh ana I1etluent W aIkeT.
The exciting intelligence from the seats of
active war ut home and abroad-from Turkey
and Ere-have in degree distracted public
attention of late from some events which
otherwise would have largely cngrossed the
public mind.
Within the last two months n new Empire
and new Republic have been founded in
North America.
On the 18th of November last, conclave
of political partizans assembled in Guada-
laxara, the second city of Mexico, and adopted
an act. known as the act of Guadalaxara, by
which the supreme dictatorship of the coun-
try was bestowed on President Santa Anna,
together with the title Of Captain General
and the right Of nominating his successor.
On the 10th of last month Santa Anna
issued "a decree proclaiming his acceptance of
the act, with single departure from its pro-
visions. Instead of the title of Captain
General he takes that of " His most Serene
| Ilighncss' lie declares the measure to be
necessary for the preservation of the country
and says the extension Of his authority shall
work for the future prosperity and happiness
of the nation.
The various cities and districts Of the Re-
public, either ovcrawcd and unable to oppose
or else willing to accept u dcspotism in the
place of anarchy, have signfed their adhesion
to the act, with great unanimity and Santa
Anna is firmly seated in his Dictatorship; AZ
firmly, at least, as he can be with deficit Of
fifteen millions in his treasury, no money
no credit. and tickle and dissatisfied peopl,
TO rule over.
If the quasi Republic of N!c4ico has disap-
pearcd, another quasi Republic has arisen on
the shores Of the Pacific. Lower California
the long peninsula which forms so marked {
feature of the Pacific coast, and the real Cali
fornia of geographcrs before the acquisition o
Upper California by our country and it
erection into State Of the Union, has been
declared free and independent.
Fairly in last November, Il band of lorty-fy'
broken down advcnturcrs under Col. Walker
formerly Il writer for the San Francisco Her
ald, sailed from San Francisco and reachc,
La Paz, Il miserable town in Lower Calilor
mia. They landed fought Il terrible battle
succeeded in shooting five or six Mexirans
! took the Mexican Governor prisoner, hciste
a flag with two red stripes and two goldc
stars. and declared the " Republic of Lowe
California; Col Walker was OF course clcc
+ ted President lie appointed Il full Cabinet
= and as many Military and Naval officers rs til
| limited number of his constituents admittc
with "al! the pomp and circumstance {
glorious war" President Walker has r,
Gently issued an address to the people Of til
United States, in which he declares "wh
! another representative is created on the i'm
, mediate confines Of the Uni4n." We quot
the concluding portion;
:" When the people Of a territory fail Il
most entirely to dcvelol the resources tia
nature has placed at their command, the il
; tercst of civilization requires others 10 20
' and possess the land.
e Mexico has not performed any of the ord
nary duties of government tGrlrdS the pcol
- In,v"r California
Sac has established no sure and ready ,ncai
| or the rest of the world. nor mas She ever VI
dertakcn to protect them from the wandcrii
robbers who iniost the territory.
Thus abandoning the peninsula and lca,iu
g it as it was, waif on the waters" Me!
leo cannot complain il others take i and mai
it valuable.
On such considerations have ! and n
companions in arms acted in the course "
have pursued.
l. And for the success of our enterprise "
n put our TRUST in Linn who controls the de
n TIMES of nations and guides them in the Wa,
of Improvement and progress,
l. (SiSncd) WIN. WALKER,
c President of Lower California;
, How long - His Most Serene llighncss " ,
II the new Empire, will allow the existence
his dominions, of the new Republic and i
r. doughty " President remains to be seen
Is p. S.--Our Photographic dispatches in Al
other column. give the latest intclligcn,
- from, and the probable fate of, Walker an
his band.