Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-03-23


SANTA ANNA AND HIS EMPIRE
Santa Anna, it 10 said has sent an order 70
Messrs Ames the great cannon manufacturers
OF Springfield Massachusetts, for two hundred
guns, OF from ten to fifteen pounds caliber each,
and that the payment Of the order, which, Of
course, includes the supply OF 2 vast amount
Of ammunition, musketry, revolyere, &C., is TO
be made contingent on the passage Of the Gads-
den treaty -Erchamge.
SO that Santa Annals ability to maintain q
Government Of forced authority and tyranny,
depends upon our supplying him with the
means 1t is thus we extend the area Of free
dom
On this subject the North american re-
marks:
Every arrival from the land of Montezuma
and Pizarro brings fresh rumors OF the lmpc-
rial preparations of Santa Anna. If the latest
intelligence be true, the event is contingency
resting not upon the dangers of opposition OF
domestic nature--for none such are appre-
hended or probable-but upon the ratification
Of the Gadsden treaty by the United States.
It seems that His serene highness has the
whole affair cut and dried beforehand, but he
has reached the bottom Of the national treas
ury-at all times an exceedingly shallow one
and he is at his wits end for the means of
carving out his plans, without endangering
the stability Of his power. Even the taxation
which is rendered absolutely necessary for the
support Of any Government is paid grudging-
", and occasions q cloud Of dissatisfaction
among His serene highness's' subjects. But
if he can get from the Treasury Of the United
States the money which the Gadsden treaty
calls for, he will be enabled to fulfil his inten-
ton Of self-aggrandzement and convert the
Mexican republic into an empire.
This gives rise to the question, Ought we to
be the agents of his designs The Gadsden
treaty is at best Of doubtful value, and gives
an enormous sum Of money for comparative
ly limited extent Of territory, which is at pres
ent not only utterly valueless to Mexico, but
very costly to her, on account of the warlike
character Of its Indian tribes and their con-
tinual depredations upon the white settlements.
It would be more proper for the Mexican Gov
ernment to pay us for Kidding that nation Of
the burden Of defending such q region, than
for us to pay for its acquisition. The sum Of
money, too, is sufficient 20 pay for much moro
territory, if that be the great consideration. II
is equal to the cost of the vast Louisiana pur-
chase-a fact which speaks for itself against
the treaty, without needing any comment.
Another item Of recent news deserves to be
borne in mind 1t is to the effect that Santa
Anna purposes compromising Mexico for the
loss of her northern possessions by the seizure
Of the States Of Central America. Divided and
distracted as are those feeble Republics, it is
altogether improbable that they could offer any
formidable resistance to such an army as Santa
Anna would have it in his power to send
~. E. AZ ~ 10
BY the United States under the Gadsden treaty,
he could pay his troops in such way as would
secure him any required number of men.
Moreover, the intelligence comes from Central
America itself, where it is said that the plan
Of annexation finds many adherents. Among
others who are alleged to be in the plot, we
find the name of General Carrera the Dictator
of Guatemala, and tho ablest commander yet
produced by Central America. IL seems ex
traordinary that such man, who is believed
to be absolute within his own State, should
Join in scheme which would render him a
subject and inferior of Santa Anna but such
strange combinations occur in these Spanish
Amerinan countries, that it is difficult to tell
what to believe and what to disbelieve. His
power may be failing in his own State, or Santa
Anna may have held out strong inducements
to him.
Gone thing is certain--that this scheme, If
successful will prove seriously detrimental to
the interests of the United States. One of the
routes for shortening the travel. between the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans passes in its
whole extent, through Central America. With
Mexico in possession Of this and the Tehuante-
pee route we should have no other approach
to our own Pacific possessions at the present
time, except across Panama, or around Cape
Horn, or through the perils Of the great West
ern wilderness IL does not seem at all improb-
able that Santa Anna will attempt the execu-
ton Of this conquest for if tho Gadsden treaty
be ratified, he must have something TO Offset
the loss Of territory he thus permits, and to
preserve his popularity among the Mexican
people. Without the aid with which that
treaty will furnish him, his power will proba-
bly, not last longer than six months, as the in
surrections in various quarters Of the country
plainly indicate. But with IL, he will be able
to import foreign mercenaries, and to suppress
all such outbreaks A former Democratic Ad-
ministration admitted him into Mexico in the
hope Of using him against his country, and
sadly did he disappoint their expectations. An
other Democratic Administration seems now
to be trying it's hand with him again, and with
similar prospect Of success His fertility in
expedients Of every description does not appear
to be sufficiently understood or appreciated by
our present rulers