The New York herald., 1866-05-17


heroes. Were it not for our million of soldiers
who have fought our battles we would now
have no offices to fill Let them, then, be re-
warded, and the Cabinet is the place to COM
mence from that down through all the subor-
dinate Offices throughout the country. This
will inaugurate new epoch and force the
drivelling revolutionists who are now dis
gracing the country in Congress into the re-
tirement which they justly merit.
General santa Anna Clearing Up the
Mexican Muddle.
The arrival of General Santa Anna in this
country has totally eclipsed the Fenian fzzie
and redirected public attention to the republic
which he comes to represent His arrival and
the very clear and explicit statement of his
views and intentions, which he authorized to
be published in the HERALD of yesterday, have
developed an entirely new phase of the Mexi-
can affair. Hitherto the Mexican republic has
been represented by mere diplomatsts, who
supply Secretary Seward with plenty of docu-
ments, but do very little towards fighting the
French. Santa Anna is person of
very different calibre He combines with
the tact of statesman the energy
and enthusiasm of a general. When he
speaks of Mexico his eye kindles with its
former fires, and in answer to the accusations
that he is French spy, he points to the wooden
leg which he wears as a trophy Of his battles
with the French in the good old days Of Mexi-
can independence, and he declares that he is
willing to lose the other leg if he can but chase
the foreign invaders to their boats. The Gen.
eral is no ordinary man, and he does not speak
with double tongue. He comes, like Head
Centre Stephens, to reconcile conflicting fac
tions and to unite all Mexicans in one grand
effort to free the republic from Macmillan and
his mercenaries /; but, unlike Stephens, General
Santa Anna has the means to accomplish his
designs, and will probably be successful. At
any rate his presence here will force the Mexi-
can question to decided issue.
Santa Anna has emerged from his retire
ment at ST. Thomas not q moment too soon.
In the hands of the diplomatists the Mexican
muddle was fast being transformed into an
immense job. Lower California has already
been sold TO party Of spectators for fifteen
thousand dollars, cash down, which is scarcely
the value of one OF the pearls to be found in
vast numbers at the bottom of California bay.
In course of time, pressed by personal neces-
sites, the foolish diploma.ists might have bar
tered away the whole of Mexico, acre by acre,
for small amount of ready cash. General
Santa Anna is man of wealth and does not
have to resort to such means to raise the wind.
He intends 10 save his country, not to sell it.
He is not forced to call upon the friends Of
Mexico to pay his grocer's bills or to take his
dress coat out OF pawn on State occasions. He
admits that Mexico is in need of money
to carry on the war and that a considerable
portion of that money will have to be raised
outside of Mexico; but he relies also upon the
loyalty OF the Mexicans themselves and he is
strongly in favor of developing the natural
resources of his country in every possible way.
Instead of diplomatizing, he wishes to fight.
He is willing TO serve under Juarez and to
take the iield in person at the head OF united
and patriotic army. In order to raise such an
army old fcuds between Mexican leaders must
be first adjusted, and that is the object of his
are driven from the republic, where they have
no right whatever, whether the internal govern
ment of Mexico be good or bad, and when the
Mexican flag once more waves over con-
stitutonal President and Congress at the
Mexican capital, then General Santa Annals
ambition will be gratfed, or as he grandly
expresses 1t, "then all shall wish for will be
to die"
II seems to us, after careful survey of the
whole field, that Santa Anna has a fair prospect
Of accomplishing his mission here easily and
satisfactorily. What he says of the dissensions
among the republican leaders and the evil ef-
fccts of those dissensions upon the Mexican
cause Is undoubtedly true. But he is of all
Mexicans best able to harmonic these differ
ences. His very name is a tower Of strength.
He was the father Of the Mexican repub-
lie, and he now comes forward to save that
which he created. The attacks made upon him
by interested parties will only increase bis
strength. They talk about his cock-fghting at
81. Thomas; but he will show them that there
are two Santa Annas--one who fights cocks at
ST. Thomas and one who fights the French in
Mexico. They publish letters asserting that he
has accepted Macmillan as legitimate en-
peror; but he says that he is prepared to prove
that these letters are mutiated and dscon-
nected portions Of private correspondence,
which when published in full will bear no
such Interpretation. They denouncc him
as a French spy; but 10 this he ardently