Pictures of life in Mexico/Volume 1/Chapter 20
CHAPTER XX.
ANECDOTES OF GENERAL SANTA ANNA.
The qualities which aided Santa Anna in attaining the dignity of President of the Mexican Republic, and not only maintaining but increasing his power (being elected in 1833, he originated a new political organisation in 1843), and preserving popularity during a turbulent period of thirteen years, afford a subject for interesting speculation.
As the Mexicans, notwithstanding their irritability and braggadocio, have never made good soldiers, the military abilities of Santa Anna were conspicuous, and appear to have first drawn public attention to himself. Great decision of character, courage and energy in action, together with unfailing perseverance, and an unscrupulousness amounting to total want of principle, which admitted of no obstacles, seem to have been his chief characteristics. In the difficulties and dilemmas in which he was continually placed while in power, he hesitated not to employ the basest treachery and artifice, as well as the utmost intimidation and cruelty, to gain his ends and preserve his ascendancy. No dependence could be placed upon his promises, no faith could be put in his treaties; arguments were unavailing to deter him from his purposes, and no mercy could be expected by his vanquished enemies. Yet the duration of his popularity proves him to have been a man eminently adapted to the country and the period; nor is it likely that a governor of milder temperament would have been able to restrain the violence of factions and insurrections with a tithe of his success.
Santa Anna's capabilities as a general were often severely tested, and the result inspired his partisans and the nation at large with the utmost confidence in his skill and bravery. Almost immediately after his election, in 1833, a rebellion was originated by disaffected members of the church and army, at Guanajuato, but after some skirmishing and the summary execution of ringleaders, it was quelled with little loss of time. In the insurrection headed by Mexia a few years afterwards, though his opponent commanded a large army, Santa Anna defeated him with great loss, took him prisoner, and ordered him to be shot instantly.
During the presidency of Bustamente, when a civil war was raging, and the city of Mexico itself was bombarded, Santa Anna took the lead, the insurgents placed their whole dependence upon him, victory followed his standard, and the war ended with his re-elevation to the presidential chair. And in the war with the United States in 1846, it was far more on account of the weakness of the Mexican soldiery,—especially of the cavalry—compared with the horses and men of the United States, than of any deficiencies of generalship, that the contest terminated in favour of the Americans.
The energetic measures to which he had recourse to suppress the depredations of innumerable hordes of ladrones and smugglers, were characteristic of his energy and determination. These wretches had, before his presidency, carried on their nefarious proceedings with the utmost daring and with perfect impunity, insomuch that it was impossible either to travel or transmit goods with safety. Santa Anna, however, vigorously put in force the existing laws against them, and created others; they were hunted from district to district, great numbers were taken prisoners, and some were garotted—strangled in the Mexican fashion—from week to week, till the various bands were, for a time, either broken up or intimidated.
An anecdote related to me by a distinguished relative of the merchant mentioned in it, may serve as an instance of the treachery and dissimulation of Santa Anna.
In one of the last years of Santa Anna's power, an English merchant and traveller, about to quit Mexico, having some very valuable goods in his possession, and being-aware of the unsettled state of the country, desired a private audience of the President, in order to solicit his advice and protection. An interview was granted, and the merchant had, as he thought, the good fortune to communicate his position and wishes to the president in confidence—no one being present but Santa Anna and his secretary. The president received him most graciously, and condescended to caution him emphatically against making his journey known, or communicating to any one the secret of his wealth; further advising him to secure his treasure in secret boxes, and proposing to provide him, as an English merchant whom he highly respected, with an escort of his own trusty soldiers.
The escort was duly provided, and the English merchant soon began his journey. He had not proceeded far, however, before his guards fled, at sight of a band of heavily armed men with blackened faces, who seized upon his goods, quickly discovering the secret boxes and slides, despoiled him of all his treasure, and decamped. The plundered merchant complained to the President of the treatment he had received, and many protestations of indignation and sympathy were made in reply; nevertheless, he had shortly ample reason to believe that the whole affair had been covertly planned by President Santa Anna himself: that the robbery had been executed under his private orders, and that the proceeds had been devoted to the enrichment of the President's treasury.
Although, since the war with the United States, Santa Anna has been disgraced and banished,—the people of Mexico becoming at length wearied of his rule, and disgusted with his unscrupulous character,—a political faction in the capital remained, until very recently, faithfully devoted to his interests, and hopeful of his return to power.
The following anecdotes belong to the time when, in spite of the outbreaks he had to quell, and the financial embarrassments with which he had to grapple, he devoted some portion of his time to the cultivation of the arts of peace, and, among other institutions, visited and fostered the Academy of Fine Arts.
A remarkably tall and fine-looking Indian, from a distant province, had made his way to the city; and, after loitering for a time about the streets in great destitution, had enlisted into the army,—where his superior appearance and steady habits were the means of his promotion through several ranks, until at length he was placed in the select body-guard of the General. It happened that a vagabond brother had borne this Indian company on his journey from his native place, the relatives intending, on their arrival in the city, to share the good or ill fortune either might encounter, with the other. The different dispositions of the brothers, however, quickly shewed themselves in their new sphere; the elder striving, though for some time ineffectually, to improve his position, and the other finding his level almost immediately among the vilest and most dissipated of the poor population—which proceeding very soon caused a division between them. For some time they had lost sight of one another; but the younger at length became aware of the advancement in the fortunes of the other—soon calling upon him in the utmost distress, and finding relief—and though his habits were unreformed, and his circumstances were in the same deplorable state, he continued to present himself before his elder brother from time to time, and to levy an incessant tax upon him.
This worthless scapegrace would particularly visit the soldier in the morning before duty called him abroad; in the evening when his avocations for the day were performed; and even at the fonda which he used to frequent for his meals. His regards would become pointed and affectionate also on pay-days, holidays, and gala occasions, when stray small coins were apt to jingle, and there were, figuratively speaking, more crumbs than usual falling from his brother's table. He even hung himself upon him at the most unseasonable times; would accost him when on special duty, and follow him into places where a vagabond Indian had not the smallest right to appear. On one unlucky occasion, therefore, he beheld the soldier enter a large public building with several of his companions; and he followed him forthwith. The building they had entered was the Academy of Fine Arts; and the soldiers were in immediate attendance upon General Santa Anna himself. Utterly unaware of the nature of the building, and only having noticed his brother in the crowd, the Indian cautiously approached the entrance; and finding no one to oppose his progress—for the officials of the place were fully occupied in receiving the General in an inner apartment—he marched boldly through the portal, as a matter of course.
I must here observe that many Indians in remote districts in Mexico have, to this day, a great respect for the ancient Aztec religion; and for the gods they were in the habit of worshipping-before the arrival of the Spaniards. Notwithstanding the prevailing Catholic creed of the county a preference still prevails in such regions for their former superstitions, and the priestly missionaries have much to do to eradicate the inclination. The vagrant Indian who had just entered the building of the academy, was subject to these influences in a very high degree.
So soon as he had arrived unperceived within one of the apartments devoted to sculpture, therefore, and cast his eyes upon the statues round the walls, the ruined figures of his ancient gods presented themselves to his imagination. He stood for a time speechless and entranced: the scene was so unexpectedly striking to his fancy, that his breathing seemed suspended, and he tottered on the floor. He knew not what to think, as he beheld such images stored within a handsome apartment in the capital, after this fashion. He was inclined to fall down and worship them, when an idea entered his mind that they were kept there in mockery and degradation. He thought he had made the discovery that they were held in durance vile, for the purpose of casting ridicule upon them and upon his people! His Indian indignation arose at the fancied insult; his eyes rolled, his lip trembled, and his fingers quivered. Perceiving a white figure, in the direction of his left hand, adorned with a bull's head upon its shoulders, and a paper inscription on its breast; and another figure, half man half horse, with another paper on its breast—his wrath became so ungovernable, that he seized a footstool standing in the apartment, and began laying about him right and left most zealously, to put an end to the desecration. Already were the figures of the centaur and taurus dashed into fragments, and marks of his vengeance imprinted on the rest; when a group of soldiers and attendants, alarmed by the noise, rushed into the room, closely followed by a dark, restless-looking gentleman with a wooden leg, an upright figure, and fierce eyes.
The last comer was General Santa Anna; and before his attendants had time to recover from their shock of horror, he had himself advanced in a towering passion to the wretched Indian, thrown him down upon the floor, and held him there with his own hands till the soldiers had bound him fast. Then his voice was heard loudly commanding them to march the delinquent to the Accordada without delay.
I could never ascertain what became of the unfortunate rascal subsequently: some were of opinion that he had been shot by the instant orders of Santa Anna; while others expressed their conviction that he was only banished to a distant mine; it is evident; however, that he was never heard of in the city of Mexico afterwards.
But a few months succeeding the abovenamed occurrence; there was to be a grand inspection of the Academy by the President and his staff. The place was to be arranged in the best order for the occasion; the pictures and statues were to be cleaned, the apartments decorated and the recent works of the few pupils and their masters were to be fully exhibited.
Great exertions were made; therefore; to array the institution in its best guise for the event. Every room was thrown into confusion; and statues, which had formerly been regarded with the utmost reverence; were huddled closely together in dark corners for the time being. Paint, water, and the juice of the ammolé; or Mexican soap-plant, became the order of the day; and as the time set apart for the intended honour approached, the building was in such exquisite order and bloom, that the hearts of the directors rejoiced within them; and they thought they could perceive the dawning glimmer of a bright day in store for their favourite arts and beloved institution.
No soul exulted with more sincere delight on the occasion than did that of poor little Nicolo de Neñares—one of the humbler assistants and custodians of the place. He had toiled early and late in carrying out the necessary improvements; and so earnest was his habit of mind, that to the very last day he had discovered something new to be done, and had done it accordingly.
When the important morning arrived, the little Nicolo was at the Academy, and in the room especially under his charge, at an unusually early hour; and still was he dusting the favoured articles, and re-arranging them. Alas! he had just placed a particular statue in what he considered the correct light, and was turning away in exultation at the effect of his labours, when the sleeve of his jaceti unfortunately caught the extended arm of a plaster female figure: it fell immediately, face downwards, the Grecian nose was broken off, and rolled upon the floor.
This was a dire event for poor Nicolo! The figure being a prominent one, and well known to the frequenters of the establishment, concealment was quite out of the question; and what to do on the emergency the little man did not know: it was a warm morning, and as he cogitated on the subject, in an agony of apprehension, the perspiration stood in beads upon his forehead. Presently a bright thought entered his head; and, with an exclamation of relief, he proceeded to act upon it: in his heat and earnestness he stripped off his jaceti and sash, placed them hurriedly in a recess at the other end of the apartment, and rushed to a packet of fine plaster kept in a private drawer: he mixed a small quantity of the powder with water and other ingredients, and with its aid commenced an attempt to "re-set" the nose to its proper countenance, without more ado.
He could not adjust the wilful feature to his liking, however, for a considerable time: the plaster was at first too dry, and set fast too quickly; then he made it too liquid, and it would not adhere. At last, when he had succeeded in making it secure, he discovered that it was placed a little on one side, and he had to take it off again. Time sped quickly on while the little official was at work; but so intensely was he absorbed in the affair that he did not perceive it: there he stood polishing and scraping at the nose, dressed only in his white under linen and pantaloons; and still the time passed on. At length he thought the reparation appeared satisfactory, and was just wiping away the last indications of the plaster with a napkin, when he was startled by the sound of several voices close behind him in the apartment.
To his astonishment and dismay, he saw that he was overlooked by the President himself, and a select body of guards and officials—all dressed in their richest state uniforms, and standing at but a short distance behind. All eyes were turned upon him; and as Santa Anna made some remark in a low tone to an attendant at his right hand, poor Nicolo observed a perceptible dark shade upon his countenance. He gazed first at the splendid uniforms of the President and his staff, and the elaborate attire of the other officials; then down upon his own prominent pantaloons and exposed under-linen—and almost sank into the earth with confusion. He felt, indeed, that he "had not on the wedding garment!"
The unfortunate Nicolo de Neñares bowed his head with a comical expression of bewildered astonishment—for he had not power to speak—and slunk to the side of the room as soon as possible. He felt himself the object to which all eyes were directed, and the consciousness was so overwhelming that it deprived him of the power of thought; and he remained in his paucity of costume, utterly helpless, and all but swooning with emotion. At length, an attendant at the other end of the room charitably threw his jaceti and sash towards him, which had the effect of rousing him to dress himself with the utmost despatch, and beat a hasty and undignified retreat from the scene.
Unlucky as this circumstance appeared at the time for the poor official, it was yet the means of his advancement in a higher degree than he had ever dreamed of. The attention of Santa Anna was drawn towards him; and after the first singular impression of the scene had worn away, he was disposed to regard the affair in a humorous light. He inquired as to the character and abilities of Señor Nicolo de Neñares; and on learning that he was both active, clever, and intelligent, he elevated him to the dignity of his private secretary.