The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-10-18
GENERAL LOPEZ DE SANTA ANNA,
DICTATOR, PRESIDENT OF MEXICO.
After Living a Stormy and Brutal Life,
His End Was Peaceful and Quiet.

Few characters of whom there is any
authentic record, have passed through
greater vicissitudes than did Santa
Anna. During his reign from 1879 to
1855 his life reads like romance.
Exiled no less than four times by the
country, he returned each time but to
increase his power. In viewing his
character we should remember that 1t
was moulded in country whose people
had passed two centuries in bondage.
He had seen his fore fathers butchered,
robbed, and held in slavery since the
advent of Cortez, in the sixteenth CEN
tury. The blood of Mexico commingled
with the worst of Spain's treacherous
bandits. Many of the vices of his day
were considered virtues, by the SEMI
civilized people of Mexico, especially
those of duplicity and cruelty in war
fare. What nation of uncivilized peo-
nile has ever endured the treatment, that
r Mexico has received from Spain, and
not borne traces of it, in their actions
- The inhumanity shown by Santa Anna
to Texas prisoners, captured in terri
tory acknowledged to be part OF his
country, at the Alamo, and Gollad,
J shows that the lesson was taught him by
others. The encroachment by Amerl-
cans in Texas, California, and new
Mexico was viewed by the Mexlcans
with alarm. The liberty which they
had but recently gained from one
. foreign power, was threatened by
y another. In 1885, Santa Anna leading
y, =, semi-civilized army against his re-
bellious subjects, as his fore-fathers
= had led the simple natives against the
~ we'll disciplined Spaniards, he encoun-
~ tered his first opposition at San Antonio.
~ With an army numbering 5000 men ne
&c demanded the surrender of Col. Bowie
- and his command of one hundred and
=: sixty-fye Texans. The demand was
on refused, and history records the In
~ human butchery Of this noble band OF
- men for their refusal His next Oppo
- sition was at Goliad, which was de
no Tended by Col. Fannin and his com
mand of 500 Texans. After shor
&c resistance the Texans surrendered
Two days later they were marched ou
10 and shot down like dogs. Here Sant'
Ino Anna used that duplicity characteristic
80 of the Spanish blood. Under promise
of being allowed to lay down their arm
ity, aho le'lio ~ ono a ao~s aftorw.rd
.a~ thew were shot. Marching onward
s Santa Anna encountered Gen. HoustO
:. at San JacintO. No artifice could no
,o.. be used, as the Texans were fully a.
ouainted with his methods. 1t we
49, an unequal fight; twenty-five hundre
49, Mexicans. against six hundred Texan
but the result clearly demonstrated tt
superiority of the civilized soldier ov'
49, the savage. or the un-civilized. SAM
,-as Anna. who was taken prisoner, suffert
.;on loss of 300 killed, and between s.
and 600 wounded, while Gen. Houston
ona loss was but six killed, and sew
49, wounded. In the State Capitol bull
tha ing at Austin, Texas, is large palntlf
,,;u representing Santa Anna being broug
1870 into the presence of Gen. Houston, W
VOW is lying upon a cot, having been dis
rooJ bled by gun-shot wound in the TO
,,,n and with look upon his face in viii
10 of Santa Anna could see no hope. Ho'
mill ton lls1eheo " 'ilo "oAAo-' "'i0'
CONTINUED on second page.)