The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-09-19
MISCELLANEOUS.
General Santa Anna.
lis THIRD ExoDE FROM MExIoe; SKETCH
OF HIS CAREER, &c, DC,

OF HIS CAREER, &c, DC,
A day or two since We announced that
His Serene Highness Antonio Lopez d.
Santa Anna had fled from Mexico, signed
hls abdlcatlon at Perote, and arrived in
Vera Cruz, just in time to catch the
boat for Havana, where he will spend
some time enjoying the sweets of classic
retirement and The refined amusements
Of the cock pit and monte table.
Santa Anna is most remarkable mil
Itary hero. lie never had parallel in
history and as his namein the Uni
ted States is as familiar as "housebold
words" we have compiled brief sketch
of his career.
Antonio Lopez, afterwards called de
Santa Anna, was born at Vera Cruz about
1890. Little is known Of his ancestry,
and lie may be called self.made man.
lie joined the Spanish service in 1912.
and early distinguished himself In 1921
he held the rank Of Lieutenant Colonel.
At about this time General Iturbiie pro-
claimed the plan Of "Iguala," and Santa
joined his party. He commanded tae
cavalry at the battle of Cordova, and af
terwards took Vera Cruz, where he was
appointed Military Governor. The Span
lsh forces retreated into the castle of San
Juan dUlloa, aud ultimately went home.
lturbide assumed the imperial purple,
and Santa Anna, reasoning that, as he
had conquered the Emperor's enemies, he
might easily subdue the Emperor, headed
the republican party in 1922, when the
civil war broke out which resulted in the
ov 'rlhrow Of the empire and death of It.
urhide. The family lay all their subse-
quent mlsfortunes at Santa Ann,'s door.
AS reward for his services, our rising
young patriot was continued in the gov
eminent Of Vera Cruz, and was consider
ed rs the leader Of the democratic party
in Mexico. He supported their peculiar
lenets in what was called the plan of Lo.
bato, which sought the expulsion Of all
the native Spaniards from the country;
which did drive out large portion of the
wealthiest, and with an enormous capi
tai, the los OF which, in financial point
of view, Mexico has felt TO the present
day.
In 1888, our hero first reached the Pres
idcncy: and in 49, 5, backed by a strong
party, he declared the dissolution of the
federal, and adopted the central system Of
government. Here commenced the Tex.
an difficulty, which has had so important
an influence upon the fortunes, not only
of Santa Anna alone, but of the whole
Mexican repuLIic-if such it could ever
fairy bs called. a great portion of the
co'onists Of Texas had ernigrated from the
United States Of the North, and had been
accustomed to strictly republican consti-
tuition. The constitution adopted by Mex
ico in 1924, and which, nominally at least,
hal been i'll force up to this period, was
modelled after that of the American u
Mon.
1t was under the provisions Of the con
stitntion, and at the invitation Of the Mex
lean government, contained in the grant
to Stephen Austin, that they had made
their homes in Texas. The Texan colon
lists then naturally murmursd at the new &.
ly adopted centralizing system, which was
in fact but little better than mere mill
nry dictatorship. The attempt to coerce
their submission precipitated u revolution
i'll that State-a declaration Of Indepen-
dence; and long war. Every one re-
members the struggle so gallantIy carried
on by the Tcxans-their sulferings-the
imprisonment at Mer-the massacre of
the Alamo, and the decisive victory at
San Jacinto, where the hero Of hundred
fights, Santa Anna himself, was found up
TO his knees in ditch mud, begging for his
life, which on account Of many cruelties
practised in bis name, was in no small
danger. General Houston saved his mis-
erabie life, however; and after short cap.
tivity he was released. He spent u short
time in retirement at his beautiful retreat
Of Mungo de CldUo.
Here we might pause and look at his
first ten or fifteen years Of public life. We
should find that he had betrayed his
country and his friends in every emergen.
cy. First, fighting against the liberty Of
the people, in the pay Of Spain--next dc
serting his colors for Iturbide's money
then protesting violent attachment for
pure democracy, and overthrowing Itur.
bide because he called himself Emperor /:
and lastly, forcing himself, by the help OF
the army, into the Presidential chair and
getting up dictatorship no less severe
than the despotic rule of the Car Of MI
the Russias Thus, in 1923, he appeared
on the scene as Republican, laboring to
support Guerrero as President agains, Pc.
drazza. In 1880 hs wheeled about and
espoused the cause Of Pe,lrazza, defeated
the army sent against him, and Pedrazza
was President until 1888. AT the next
election Santa Anna himself was chosen
President Of Mexico, defeated Arista and
D'Arran, who took up arms against him,
and held his seat until 1888, when au in.
snrrection, headed hy Lacateccs, broke
oat against him. siaying quelled this
oatbreak, he proclaimed himself dictator.
2 Nearly eli the commerce in Msxieo is
carried on by Englishmen, who liked