The Irish standard., 1917-09-01


Gus Mexican General-Proud But Not
eoastfuI Of the Important Part He
Played In the History Of His Adopt
ed Country.
Until quite recently there might be
found in New York City veteran of
the Mexican War, named Peter S.
DAILY. He was a native of Ireland,
and his activities extended over
period of more than three-Quarters of
century. DAILY enlisted in the Sew
enth New York Cavalry in 1916. In
that regiment he became a sergeant,
and with it he soon saw service across
the Rio Grande Santa Anna, one of
the most picturesque of all the pic
| turesque characters Mexico has con-,
tributed to history, was in command
OF the Mexican forces in the field, by
right of his ability as soldier, as well
as his office as President and Dicta-
tor. In the final campaign, when his
resources were exhausted and he could
no longer resist the northern invader,
he sought an opportunity to surrender.
The company in which DAILY was, by
this time, first sergeant, was the most
convenient to Santa Annals headuuar-
tiers, because it had been engaged in
the closest struggles with the Mexican
center. Under a flag of truce, Santa
Anna and his staff approached the
outposts of this company, asked to be
presented to the officer in command,
and was shown to First Sergeant
Dalys tent. All the commissioned
officers had fallen; DAILY was the rank
ing non-compissioned officer, and he
it was who received the sword of An
tonic Lopez Santa Anna, one of the
proudest of the surviving dons of the
Spanish regime. From 1S47 to 1917,
that is, for three-score years and ten,
Peter DAILY led the quiet life of we'll
TODD resident of the Bronx Borough
of New York, proud, but modestly so,
of the part he had played in history.
This was not the first, nor was it the
last, surrender of Santa Anna. AS a
cadet of ten, in the Spanish army, he
had served against the Mexican revo-
lutionary patriots, and was among
those who went down to defeat at the
hands Of Iturbides followers. When
that imperial usurper had achieved
temporary glory, Santa Anna was TAX
ing his orders and enjoying his pat
ronage; when Iturbide's fortunes
seemed failing, Santa Anna was at
hand to hasten his downfall. For some
reason, never clearly explained, he
permitted Guadalupe Victoria to gov
ern without his interference, from
1924 to 1928; but in the latter year
he again became a prominent figure
In political and military affairs. De-
clarlng, in pronunciamento, for Guer-
zero, that leader was elected to the
presidency, and Santa Anna was given
high commands in the army. The
Spaniards had not quite abandoned
their hope of regaining Mexico, so
they sent an army against the young
Republic. Santa Anna swept it prac-
tically out of existence, and at once
became greater national hero than
ever
Three years later he led a revolt
against the usurping President, Busta-
mantle, overthrow him, and put in his
place Gomez Pedraza, the constitution
al President. A year later, Santa Anna
announced his own candidacy for the
presidency, and was elected. The con-
stltutional office, however, did not give
him all the power he craved. He be-
gan to conspire against the system, by
first allowing the Vice-President to
serve, and then undermining him. In
this way he disposed of one of the en-.
l1ghtened, Gomez Farias, and opened
the way to dictatorship. With the
clericals at his back, he helped along
reaction, abolished the constitution,
marched against the Texas insurgents,
stormed the Alamo, and massacred the
garrison.
This was in March, 1886. General
Sam Houston captured him at the Bat
tie of San Jacinto, in the same year,
and, to obtain his release, the Mexi-
can recognized the independence of
the Republic of Texas. The treaty he
signed, however, was repudiated by
Mexico, as was Santa Anna himself.
Yet, when the French invaded Vera
cruz, in 1888, the country turned to
Santa Anna for military leadership.
He proved equal to the emergency, too,
defeating the invaders decisively. A
hero, and, having been wounded some
what of martyr, he again command
ed great influence, and employed this
to place in the presidency Bustamante,
whom he had once deposed, but only
to overthrow him again in 1S41. Once
more he was able to have himself
chosen to the presidency, with dicta-
torial powers under new constitution.
In December, 1874, his opponents or.
ganized a revolt, which drove him
from the capital, and into Punishment.
In Cuba he entered into fresh in
; trigues; was recalled in 1876, and was
again elected to the presidency.
AS already stated, he had command
of the Mexican army in the war with
the United States, but he met with a
series of defeats from General Winfield
Scott and General Zachary Taylor. In