New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-16
General Santa Anna,

General Santa Anna.
General Antonio Lopez De Santa Anna
! tho oldest survivor OF the great pOlItica
events IN Mexico during the early part G
the present century, died at Vera Cruz o
the twentieth of last month. He was tn
connecting link between the viceroy despOt
J ism of the Spaniards and that of the En-
paror Iturbide. and tho !ndeDendent move
meDt inaugurated by d. BsnltO Juarez
Santa Anna was born in Jalapa, Fetruac,
81, 1898, and had consequently attained n
seventy ninth year at tine tune of his dea tb
During the early part Of his career he dit
nothing of ar extraordinary character. II
entered the Spanish army at the age o
fourteen and became violent partisan
| against Mexican independence, which Qua
dalupe Victoria was endeavoring to esta5
lish
After contributing to the success of the
Spanish troops and being rewarded by 6
commission of lieutenant colonel, he found
that the restoration Of peace would bring
him no opportunity OF personal advance
ment, and tor this reason abandoned the
cause he had sustained, ,ining Iturbide in
the plot to overthrow the Spanish despot
ism. After 1turbide's triumph be was the
first to revolt by proclaiming Liberty and
q federal union" This movement was
aided by the Spanish party, out of spiri.
of revenge against Itcrbide tor his eslab.
l e,
suited in the downfall Of the Emperor
THIS. however. Gid not result in the ad-
vancement of Santa Anna, who was still
an obscure soldier, ana he was obliged to
make way for General Victoria. But he
soon rebelled again, this time on pretense
Of opposing the election of Pedraza in 1923.
This was the second revolution produced
by Santa Anna, and the second in the his
| tory OF Mexican Independence. 1t ended in
the wanton sacking of the capital and the
elevation to the Presidency of General
| Guerrero, who was afterward succeeded BIZ
| Bustamente, Santa Anna being still too
! young to administer the government.
At this period General Bravo attempted
| to produce q revolution in conjunction with
Santa Anna, who advanced with his troops
| to effect a junction. but he met with such
poor success and The cause was so unpopu-
lar that he broke faith with General Bravo,
and tell IN with the wishes of his troops re-
serving himself for another time. About
this time the Spaniards invaded the country
and were defeated By Generals Feran and
Santa Anna at Tampico where they surren-
dered. This raised Santa Anna high in pub
lie esteem, but his vaultng ambition would
not allow him to be content His aim was
to sit in the presidential chair and to &C.
complish this end he again revoltcd, 1eclar-
Jag in favor OF General Pedraza. whose cleo.
ton he had prevented in 1923.
At this time he was an ultra liber alist.
He ,ined the Masonic Order and the party
ct the 1Orkinos, and or their aid was
finally elevated to the supreme power IN
March, 1888. During his presidency he
was favOrite with tbs army, but was IN.
popular with the people. who regarded his
course as aiming al an imperial crown.
From this time forward Mexico was IN a
state OF decadence and rapidly advancing
toward her ruin. Under Bustamentes gov
eminent the country was in a prosperous
neutrality-suspicious. were collected, order
prevailed, commerce thrived. the public
debt was paid and the nations credit i'm
proved. After Santa Annals accession to
power all these things were changed, and
little that was good or usefu! renamed.
During the early part of Santa Annals
administration several instructions broke
out, the last and most formidable of which
was crushed on May II. 1885, when the in
surgents were totally defeated and the re-
publican party received a fatal blow A
complete administrative reorganization was
now effected, by which all the Govern ors of
the several States became dependent OF
the central power. Being of an avaricious
disposition, Santa Anna began to look with
cOvetous eyes on the immense wealth of
the Church, and formed a plan for confis
eating its property to the uses of the gov
eminent He feared the result of direct
",
fore took an indirect course. Under some
frivolous pretense he retired temporarily
from the presidency, and Gomez Farias, az
VICE PRESIDENT assumed thu reins of gov
eminent. He at once proceed ID to put into
effect Santa Anna's plaus for the contisca.
tIon OF the property of the Church, but the
movement became so unpopular. and met
with such herce opposition, that Santa
Anna agitated a revolution against his own
no
unlon-the very principle he had pro-
claimed IN his revolt against Iturbide. The |
States OF Guanajuatc, Traentecas, Jalisco |
ana some OF the most pOpu lOus and wealthy |
States OF theiMexican union were invaded,
levied upon and destroyed in such man. |
ner that they have never been able to re-
cover their former positions in the union.
santa Anna then proclaimed the system of |
AT this period a revolutionary feeling
winch had long existed in Texas found vent |
ana oroke out IN open instruction. Santa |
anna TOOK the field IN person early in 1886.
and the middle Of February he reached the
Rlo Grande at the head of any army mum
0erlng 5000 men. On March 6 he stormed
me Alamo at San Antonio, after several
days SIEGE and massacred it's defenders
His own loss in this engagement was verv
heavy. After the massacre at Goliad. which
was zone Dy his express orders, he marched
toward Gonzales. On April 81 his army
Vas totally routed by the Texans under
Houston, and on the next day he was taken
prisoner His functions as President were
It once suspended by the Mexican govern
nent. In 1887 he was liberated and re-
urned to his native country by way of the
y nlted States, but was coolly received, and
n the presidential election of that year he |
received only two out of the sixty.nine
Electoral votes, after which he retired To his
private estate at Jalapa. During the same
ear he took part in the defense of Vera
Iruz against the French. and there received
N injury which rendered the amputation
u one OF his legs necessary. This restored
I'm to public confidence, and in the
ong contention that ensued between the
entra!lsts and federaists he was prom
nent leader OF the former. Through the
protection OF General Valencia he was an.
oled to return to absolute power. BEING
lrtuaiiy dictator from October 10, 1871. to
une 4. 1874, under the title of provisional
resident, During this term Of Office he
ave another constitution to Mexico tho !
nlrd he had framed and put into effect
10 was again made constitutional Presi.
emf under the instrument of ,Juna 10
o45, from June to September 90 IS44
men ne was deposed by a new revolution
no taken prisoner near Tlacolula. On Ian,
airy ID, 1913, he was banished for fen
ears, and took up his residence in Cuha
the following year, however. he was re- {
allied, appointed generalissimo. and made c
rOvlsional President Immediately after
9 advanced northward at the head Of t
',O0o men, and on February % lS4J at.
lckod the Amarioou o.,.,.-. - D.. |