New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-24
5lfGo Q9rltans 4ailQ Gastont.
THURSDAY MORNING. MAY "a, 1866.
Interview with Santa Anna.
THE OBJECT OF HIS VISIT HERE.


From the New York Herald May 1851
Yesterday our representative again visited Gen.
Santa Anna. Upon our firing blank cartridge at
the general with respect to the real object of his
visit to the United States, after his long secusiOn
at st. Thomas the,ex.President promptly rounded
to and replied as follows in strong, sound Spanish,
which we translate and COndense as fOllows
You wish to know the object of my unexpected |
visit; and wish to have it well and clearly under |
stood by the great mass of Americans who sym
pathlZe with the struggling Republic OF Mexico,
In leaving my tranquil home at st. Thomas TO
help restore the Republic of Mexico, which Gre
ated over forty years ago, have no sOrdid motive
no ambitious aim to satisfy. hope, however, to
have the qualification of seeing the backs of the
French in hasty flight as once saw at Vera Cruz |
when drove the invaders from the city. For
months past, inmy quiet retirement of st. Thomas,
] have been receiving letters from all parts OF
Mexico, not only from friends and quOndam adhe- |
rents but even from MeXieans who have been an
tagonstic to me, complaining Of the futility Of the
efforts made by Mexican republicans to throw of
their foreign yoke and drive Macmillan and his
French usurpers from my native soil, and urging
:. me to once more present myself as the champion
= 1f the Mexican people and the Republic.
There are many reasons why did not at once
respond to these appeals. In the hrst place, theIe
was the expectation that the Liberal government,
judging by the obstinate resistance offered py tpeh
to foreign intervention at the hrst, anu llelr ire
quent successes, would prove strong enough 10
maintain the integrity of the republic. men mere
was the probability that the government OF Inc
United States by a reasserti0n OF the Monroe doc'
trine, would diminish the question to one OF pecu-
mary indemnity. But the Liberals and all Mexi-
cans Liberals except those VINO are IN the ser
vice of Maxmilian and the pay o. LOUIS Napoleon
-belng weakened ana ushloLG y W previous
internal discussions, cut OH, as IL WERE from the
rest of the world and, owing to the Sc.
Gesson war, dePIlVeu Vi Hl anu IFouI tle
United States, after battlng long ana VaIlantly
against superior forces in number, and superior IN
arms, discipline ana supplies nave al Iength be-
come exhausted ana dlsheaFfened until they are
now scattered over the country III SINAI! qetach-
nents some of them being in favor of this Liberal
general ana some OF ahoL,eFr WINE tne usnrper
FORCES were concentrated anu uniLeo. WITHOUT
unity there y no strength PRESIDENT Juarez,
man WlOm hlShly esteem anu respect, ana one
deserving OF all praise lof MS Efforts 10 restore
the republic, Is unable TO preserve the Liberal
party as uIlJ; out tHere Is OFtega' WHO disputes
his right TO the presidency 1nder the existing con
sutpuon, ana Escobeuo, O9ftsha ana others are
warning among themselves Wnlte powerful enemy
is at the throat OF republican Mexico.
Here we inquired wen, general, now DO you
propose 70 haTmonlZe them =!
y santa Anha-tls my proiouhd cohVictloh that
can eohcua{e ana concentrate ali the dlssentleht
element OF tle Liberals , ana conservatives ana
unite them III pOWe lul 'front.' against the french
invaders | am ready to cooperate with Juarez,
ana tahe the held AZ Tue neau o. uhited army
against thF lmpeflallsts. ban !! the old general
EXCLAIMED enthaslasncaily, slapRng ms corr Leg,
/ lost Luis leg III u!lFlhg uie Fiehch from vera
cruz, ana am Wiling 10 lose the othef one IN
arlying mem GUY OF tue clty q mexico. Gan ST.
IN the saddle yet twenty-tour hours on a stretch,
" IN the next campaign against the French"
" But, general we querled, supposng you
could thus unite all the loyal MeHlcans under your
banner 40 you mink you could carry on can"
palgn with more success than the Liberals nave
mad during the past two or three years? You
must have money to compete with your we'll
pad, Weli,afmed, ana Wenied loes.'
santa Anna-lt the war Tor MEXICAN Hbefty 3
10 pc conducted as H. mas Deen 81 Iale you might
spend hundreds OF millions without achieving any
important result.
sui" we interrupted, you must nave mon
to carry on war; and that money must be rived
outside Of Mexico must 1t notF
santa Annals matters, now stand, Mexico Is
n evidently N great heed 81 money Tor war pur-
poses, ana thai money, TO certain extent, may
II nave 10 ne raised outsae OF Mexico; plt am
convinced that there are many loyal Mexicans
VINO are a0le 70 and nave not subscribed funds TO
the cause, seeing OF late that the money would
publican party and strong army these men would
feel confidence and render al the pecuniary aid in
their power tc the cause: Ihen again. there are
vast natural resources lying dormant IN the coun
81 Try because the hauVeS are unable ana foreigners
unwilling To- develop them IN the present unset
tleo sLlle OF ahdrs' "heh Town OF a. state Is &C.
cupled oiten one DAY oy the imperlaiists, and the
next DAY by the Liberals ana wee versa.
All these would De speedily developed by tht
introduction OF american capital ana labor, anC
P the consequent stimulus that would be gwen Il
~ nauVe enterprise as lhe grand national army
marched forward, sweeping away the foreign IN
Yaders before 1t.
are you 4"art' GENERA, we ASKED, Lhat p;
many you are supposed 10 nave lndorsed MaXimli
Ians monarchy ana iLat YOU are a,so charged wit
| aiming at me presidency OF mexico ana the con
troll OF the S5O,UUOU UO loan Iately introduced INT
n sCcngressF
Santa Annals TO the letters attributed to m
setting forth that ! accepted Macmillan as En-
peror OF Mexico, they are iase they are multi
ated and disconnected portions of private cor
respondence which my enemies have construed t
do me harm but in few days shall supply tn
missing parts, and restore the incorrect sentence
in statement winch am now preparing for tn
press The insinuaton that have an eye to tn
my private fortune places me beyond the thirst
wealth, and secondly, there does not appear to b
much probability of the loan being Endorsed
Congress.
Our next remark was: General, you do n
seem to be in favor with the Mexican legation
Washington; they characterize you as Ftenc
spy"