The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-02-12


THE CAREER OF SANTA ANNA
While generation Of men, still IL
active life, hold in distinct remem.
b-ance the principal events in the ca.
reer Of this remarkable man, 10 the
rising generation their history would
read ike an exfrayagani fable
The lives of modern heroes are
inside prominent in Inost cases by
some single. Startling characteristic
or success, that wins the worlds es-
TEEN or eompels its admiration
That there could, in eur age, be
crowded into the short life Of sin.
gle man such a series Of wonderful
events and exploits as fell to the 10,
Of Santa Anna, appears absolutely
incredible; the more SO, when We
consider his character the less so,
perhaps, in view Of his nationality
and the fields Of his operations.
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was
born at Jalapa, February q, lI9s.
OF his early life or condition there Is
little known that would distinguish
him from any other Of his native
place. He was cast into DOtorietr
BIZ one of those little waves they dig
nify BY the name Of Revolution, IN
Mexico, in 1871. A war Of indepead.
ence broke out, and Santa Anna, by
some lucky accident, became the lead
er Of the insurgents. and, in 1852. ex.
PEELED the Royalists frum Vera Cruz
That he was possessed Of extraOr-
dinary abilities was sufficiently
shown br his remarkable successes at
that early age.
When in bis oath year he was ap-
pointed TO the important command Of
Vera Cruz, but being deposed By
Iturbide, the seifproclaimed Emperor,
be raised the banner of the Republic,
placed himself at the head Of fthe In
surgens army, and in less than three
months, by a series Of successes,
both in the 6eld and in the less dan
gerous science Of Politics, bad over
thrown Iturbide and become the lead
er Of the Federal party.
From this time down TO period
not more remote than our own rebell-
ion, there Is crowded into his remark
able history more startling evenfs,
grand achievements and ignominioHs
failures, than have fallen 70 the lot oi
any one person during the present
century. He led his armies in over
hundred battles was seven times
made President, twice Dictator, final
" perpetual President and Emperor.
with power to name his successor. ss
the ruler Of his native land
He was worshipped BY his army,
and at times abhorred by his people
Starting in life Republican. he be-
came Federalist, then 3 Centralist,
and when the power was in bis own
hands. virtually 3 Monarchist- he
was frequently wounded in battle. and
st Vera Cruz, while repelling an as
sanlt on that city, lost one Of his legs.
Thrice banished by his people from
his native land. be was a. often re-
called to heal their wounds-wounds
that. like fever sores. were perpetual
ly breaking out in the body polite Of
his restless country
He was naturally despot He
oFerrode constitutions and abolished
al restrictions on executive power.
Upon his appointment as Dictator by
the army in 1855, as a arewsrd for his
successes over the insurgents at
Guadalupe, be destroyed the Federal
Constitution, dispersed the State
Legislatures. and appointed prOvin-
cial councils in his own interest in
their stead He made the State Gov
ernments not only subservientin their
functions, but dependent in their for
nation upon the supreme power
After bis defeat by Scott st Cerro
Gordo, finding the States unfaEossble
to his election as President, be ban
ished all bis opponents, suppressed
the opposition newspapers, and esfab-
lisbed q most arbitrary censorship
over the press.
When. in 1858. he was elected
President for one year under the stip-
ulation that he would eaIl Constitu-
tional Congress, he fomented a new
revolution and declared himself Pres
ideDt for life He assumed the royal
title of Supreme Highness. and wrest-
ed from Congress the right to name
his successor at his death.
Not content vet, be established an
empire. and assumed the further title
Of Antonio l. He inaugurated s
reign Of despotie pOwer. and. after q
series Of revolutions under Alvarez.
he was hurled from his Office, offered
his unconditional sbdication, and sail
ed for Havana
II has been claimed FOR him, and,
to some extent justly, that his ambi-
ton was to give Mexico stable gov
eminent II must be remembered
that her people were in 3 constant
state Of fermentation I; that reyolu-
tons and instructions were Of con-
slant and frequent occurrence: that
her people. TO use his own language,
we're lax in morals. and her rulers We
nal and corrupt He probably
thought BY wrestling the power from
the people, who were unfit to exercise
II. and from the rulers who abused it,
his distracted country might have
some share in the prosperity Of the
nations Of the earth
But the Mexicans were imbued
with the spirit Of Republiesnism-
They were not likely to consider
themselves unfit for self-gorernment.
They were constantly getting them
selves into danger Of selEannihila-
ton and he as constantly relieved
them from the danger. For that they
loved him; bat. the danger over,
they feared him They were not
blind to his efforts at Capitalization
or his aim At imperial dynasty. and
they were constant only IN their per.
sistenf opposition TO the increase oi
executive power. or any interference
with their own prerogatives-
Another thing that made the sssk
of ruler, alwsys . dinc1lt one IN any
country. usually hazardous in Mexi.