Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-07-29
An Interview With Santa Anna.


Vtdette, of Mobile, by 4" ID. S. RI:
Probably no life of the present century
| ifwritten out, would present more check
cred, sensational page than that of Santa
| Anna Associated as it is with every
event in the history of our Republic. if is
! filled also with private and personal expe
riences which sound like the exaggera
| tions of fiction. 1t has been filled with
| honors and universities, and now, at the
ripe old age of seventy-eight, the possessor
! looks over ii all and would fain be Young
again 1t was about the year 1856 that
Santa Annals absolute political power was
broken. Since then, with the exception of
some mimportant part in the French in
tervention, his life has been comparatively
quiet.
Happening a few months since to be in
the city OF Mexico, and learning that the
OLD hero was then spending few weeks
IN his city home, determined, if posi-
ole, TO crafty my feelings of interest in
MS romantic career by securing an inter
view. Owing to mutual feeling of dislike
existing between Santa Anna and the Nev-
lean people, the former holds himself in
great reserve. His rooms are open to
but few, and it is no easy matter TO
gam an audience. Toward foreigners he
Is not so surly, and it is generally much
easier Tor stranger to gain his private
parlors than for native citizen.
We hardly had time to cast bastv
glance about US before side door opened.
and Santa Anna himself stepped into the
room. His private secretary, Col. Noso,
presented us, and, after shaking hands
and making few commonplace remarks
to each one of us, he motioned toward the
chairs, and we all moved over and sat
down. My surprise at the appearance of
the Old General was shared by my com
panlon. Instead of the gray haired old
man that we had expected to see, an up
right, soldierly figure stood before us. His
form was not yet bowed down by the
weight OF years, and his cool, black, flash
ing eyes told that the fires Of early life
were not yet all spent. Incredible as it
may seem, Santa Annals hair has not vet
turned gray, and his face has kindly,
hopeful expression, strangely at variance
with the widespread ideas OF his charac
ter. He wears no beard of any kind, and
Is as smooth-taced as woman. In talk
ing he is much troubled by a bad-ftting
set OF false teeth, which fall from the pal
ate, and he is slightly deaf. 1t was in
moving across the room and seating him
self on the sofa, however, that the intirm-
tiles Of his age showed themselves most
conspicuous. His false leg troubled him,
and L thought he showed disposition to
hide 1t. for after seating himself very care
fully he threw it out directly be-
fore him and covered it with the
left. He sat upright, nor did he
lean back or change his posi-
ton the whole hour that we were with
him. Santa Anna is slim built. about five
feet ten in height, and in his younger days
must have been a handsome man-as he is
at present fine-looking old gentleman.
Heis talkative and sOcial-lOves to recount
his own exploits, and seems to live at
present altogether in the past. He knows
that the future holds nothing for him, con-
sequently he takes very little interest in the
passing events of the day. He did not
even know the name of the President of
the United States, and asked several little
questions about our affairs that almost
any schOOl-bOy would be capable of an
swering. After some general inquiries
| about his health the effect of the recent
rains on his disease (he is troubled with
| tar rIl Al.
summer, something was said that led him
| offon the very track we had been hoping for,
viz: himself and his own exploits. AS he
found himself drifting off thirty, forty and
even fifty years into the past his old form
Strengthened up. his eyes shone like those
| Of a boy, and he seemed to be living it all
over again. In describing the events of
half a century ago we were astonished to
note the accuracy with which lac gave the
| minutest particulars. Every date and in
cident seemed to be as fresh in his memo
ry as though it were an event of the day
| before.
He gave us an account of the early re-
publican movement in Mexico; spoke Of
his part in the war with Spain, when the
ignorant people were crying cut for re-
public without having any idea what the
| word meant. Il did not know what a re.
public was myself" he said, but the
more tried to reason with the people the
louder they cried Viva la Republica" SO
we all went off in search of one''
He gave an account Of the overthrow of
Iturbide ana his unhappy death, and told
| some little incidents of personal inter
views which he himself had had with the
unfortunate young Emperor. He spoke of
Vera Cruz, and described some horrible
scenes which he had witnessed there when
the terrible vomito was raging and the
streets and plazas were filled with dead
men. was in hopes that he would say
something Of Texas or tie Mexican
war; but the old diplomat steered
clear of such doubtful contributors to his
fame and only alluded casually to the
United States He spoke Of the time