Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-12-23
From the San francisco Chronicle.
Santa Anna.

Santa Anna.
Since writing to you last | have sue
ceeded, through the influence of General
Martinez. in obtaining an interview with
the old Mexican hero, Santa Anna.
came to Mexico with the impression that
he was dead The old MIN lives very
quietly now, and receives little company
The fact thlt he is almost universally de-
spised by his cOuntrymen causes him to
shun Them and, for the same reason, ii
is much easier for 4 foreigner to obtain
access to his private parlOrS than for L
Mexican. He is living ut present in an
old-fashioncd Spanish house on Vergara
street; and although he is said to be poor.
he has about him not only the comforts but
many of the luxuries Of life.
Five o'clock in the afternoon was the
hour appointed for our call, and ut that
time Colonel Moso. an intimate friend of
the generals, received us in the court and
conducted Us up 4 flight of stone stairs
into long, comfortably furnished room
fronting on the street. A piano stood in
one corner, and several pieces of st.tuary,
and IL few pictures here and there about
the room, displayed Il quiet taste. At one
end of the room hung magnificent and
life-s.zcd painting of a woman in full
Spanish costume. 1t was taken forty
years ago, when the subject WAS Santa
Annals bride She must have been very
beautiful then. if the picture is true. for
there i, 4 wonderful charm in the dark.
sad eyes We had been seated but Il mo-
mcnt. when Il side door opened and Santa
Anna himself stepped into the room.
Instead OF the gray old man that we
expected to see. an upright, soldicrly fig
ure stood before us, and we noticed that
in spite of his wooden leg he walked with
ease and without the assistance Of cane or
crutch. Santa Anna's eye is still black rs
a coal. and his h,lr. although thin, has not
Vet turned gray. There is Il kindly ex-
preston in his face that is strangely ut
variance with the dark tales that blot his
history, and rs he received each one Of u,
with some pleasant remark and Il cordial
| clasp OF his soft, woman 5 hand, We could
htrdl, realize that the Mnn before us
WAS the author of 50 many bloody scenes
Be seated, gentlemcn, lie said. after
we had stood for y few moments "and
have Your chairs drawn up closely toSeth
II here 50 thu can hear you. he
turned and walked 10 \ Sofa beneath the
picture OF his wife. AMI sat down. II
was in seating himself the iniirmties Of
his are showed themselves more cun,pic-
.iuII>lv. The false limb troubled him then.
.tnd he WAS obliged 10 extend it out very
carefully before him. He threw his right
ltL across II. rs If 10 conceal ii. and sat
straight upright. During the whole hour
hat we were with him he did not lean
back OF change his position.
Santa Ann, mind j. still clear but the
drift OF lis conversation shows that he
lives almost altogether in the past. He
/ loves 10 talk of his own exploits. and the
accuracy with which he gives dates and
/ particulars of events which have been
D,ck in history for over half a century is
/ rtmlrktblr. He asked many Question
,bout the United States. and among others
The name OF our president, which he had
forgotten. Ike alluded 10 the time when
he. WAS the guest of Gen. Jackson in the
White House. and laughed rs he recalled
some little cmblrra~sin. circumstances
INTO which his inability TO speak English
placed him some one inquired after his
health. Mexico never did agree with
mr." he replied: - am troubled with
c:ltarrh, AMI the atmosphere here is too
rArelicd, l was always better on the coast
where | WAS born
- ID You not weary sometimes of this
~cclu>ion, we inquired. " after the active
lite YOU have led?
Ou sec am growing old now" he
ln> wcrtd, with 4 smile that had something
Of sadness in il: since 1871, when de-
clarcI the independence of the republic,
nave seen Il great deal The allu>ion t.
the past SCENE to revive All its memories,
and without being asked. he commenced
4 sketch of his early life and the many
political events in which he bore So prom
neuta part. In alluiiny 10 the establish
mcnt of the republic, he said:
Il did not know what u republic was
lturblde had Just concluded \ treaty with
Ihe Spaniard>. and his friends in Mexico
had made him emperor. | WAS a young
man Of twcnty-four then. had Il volcan-
lc hcad-l cared for nothing. With three
hundred men under my command had
acquired considerable reputation along the
gulf i'll our war with Spain, and now my
follower, came around me and asked me
TO declare y republic of the monarchy
which 1t .rbidt has established .Bu
what is :: republic? | asked. Tlra ia
Hepubiica!' they shouted. Well, vol
fools. thought. if you will have a re-
public we will 90 in search of one. An,
50, ltu Them against lturDde. POOl
lturbide.' he said after Il while, =. | had tt
: overcome motives of personal friendship
IN making war on his governments; an,
how cried when heard of his unhappy
leath at Iampico.'
For threc-Yuartcrs OF an hour the oil,
man ran on from event to event wilhou
interruption, and by that time it had be
D., come 50 dark in the room that we coul,
; scarcely see his face. Santa Anna is yer,
forcible in his talk, and although he is nov
over scventy-elghs years old. his blacI
Il,shing eyes show that the fire of earle
> years i not all spent. In speaking he i
very much annoyed by bad fitting set O
teeth and the deafness which is coming O.
\ him in later years would make convers,
9 ton laborious task but for his willing
e ness to carryon the principal share oft. II
: took leave of us with many kind wshe:
n and the customary Mexican courtesy
is always consider his house our home
l. courtesy which we may avail ourselves .
l. some future day.
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