DICTATORSHIP COMMANDS THE ARMY. 



363 



congress will now soon convene, and while I shall be engaged in 

 the conflict in armed defence of her independence, the nation will 

 place such safeguards around her liberties as may best suit herself. 



If I should permit myself for a single moment, to take the reins 

 of government, the sincerity of my promises would be rendered 

 questionable, and no confidence could be placed in them. 



I am resolved that they shall not be falsified, for in their redemp- 

 tion I behold the general good, as well as my honor as a Mexican 

 and a soldier. I cannot abandon this position. The existing 

 government has pursued a course with which the nation has shown 

 itself content, and I have no desire to subvert it by taking its place. 

 I feel abundant pleasure in remaining where I am, and flatter my- 

 self that the nation will applaud my choice. I shall joyfully accept 

 such tasks as she shall continue to impose upon me ; and while she 

 is engaged in promoting the objects of civilization, I will brave 

 every danger in supporting its benefits, even at the cost of my 

 existence. 



Will your excellency have the goodness to tender to the supreme 

 government my sincere thanks for their kindness ? I will person 

 ally repeat them to-morrow, for which purpose I propose to call at 

 the palace. I shall there embrace my friends, and hastily pressing 

 them to my heart, bid them a tender farewell, and set out to the 

 scene of war, to lend my aid to serve my country, or to perish 

 among its ruins. 



I beg to repeat to your excellency assurances of my continued 



and especial esteem. at o a 



1 Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. 



On the 15th of September, Santa Anna arrived at the capital, 

 amid rejoicings more enthusiastic than had ever been witnessed 

 before. The people seemed to behold in him their saviour, and 

 were almost frantic with joy. The testimonies of attachment to 

 his person were unbounded, and the next day the most vigorous 

 measures, so far as declarations go, were adopted by the provision- 

 al government. 



A levy of thirty thousand men to recruit the army was ordered. 

 Requisitions were forthwith transmitted to all the principal places 

 in the republic, for their respective quotas of men. Puebla, and 

 the whole of the towns within a circuit of fifty or sixty leagues of 

 the metropolis, are stated to have complied with the requisition for 

 troops, with the greatest alacrity. To facilitate the arming and 

 equipping of this large body, the government ordered that duties 

 on all munitions of war shall cease to be levied, until further notice. 



