MEXICAN DESIRE TO DESTROY SANTA ANNA. 



407 



his electioneering gasconade, for General Herrera — a man who had 

 been notoriously the advocate of peace, both before and since the 

 rupture, — addressed the clergy and the people, craving their aid 

 by prayer, money, fire and sword, to exterminate the invaders ! 

 All classes were, thus, placed in a false and uncandid position. 



This is a sad picture of political hypocricy based upon the mis- 

 named popular will of a country which had for twenty years been 

 demoralized by the very chieftain who was about to reap the direful 

 harvest he had sown in the hearts of his people. Every man. every 

 party, acknowledged, privately, the impolicy of continued hostili- 

 ties, yet all men and all parties were resolved that Santa Anna 

 should not make the peace whilst an American army remained in 

 the country to sustain it, or an American government dispensed mil- 

 lions to pay for the ceded territory. Distrusting his honesty and 

 patriotism, they believed that the money would only be squandered 

 among his parasites, or used for the prolonged corruption and dis- 

 organization of their country. » With gold and an army they believed 

 him omnipotent ; but, stripped of these elements of power in Mexi- 

 co, the great magician dwindled into a haggard and harmless witch. 



Combinations arose readily and bravely against the man whose 

 sway was irresistible as long as he dealt with his countrymen alone 

 or preserved a loyal army and dependant church, whose strength and 

 wealth were mutual supports. The sky was dark and lowering 

 around him, and he must have acknowledged secretly, that the po- 

 litical parties of his country, if not his countrymen universally, were 

 more anxious to destroy him than the Americans. The army of the 

 invaders, they hoped, might perform a task in this drama, which the 

 Mexicans themselves could not achieve; and there are multitudes 

 who would have been glad to see its end become tragic by the death 

 of one whom they feared in prosperity, and despised in adversity. 



