Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1876 — A Visit to Santa Anna. [ARTICLE]

A Visit to Santa Anna.

A correspondent of the Cincinnati Enauirer writes from the City of Mexico. Having, with other Americans, expressed a desire to call upon Geu. Santa Anna, the Hon. Mr. Foster, our Minister here, kindly arranged an interview for us at eleven o’clock yesterday morning. At the hour appointed an interpreter was sent to join our party, and.,we proceeded but a single block from our hotel to find the residence of the General. He lives in a third-rate house of two stories, with courts of not more than twenty feet square, the pavements out of repair, the whole telling the story of poverty. He was seated upon a much-worn sofa, attended by a smart-appearing Mexican of middle age, and rose, with some difficulty, in receiving us. He complained considerably of his wooden leg, and also of blindness. He is an old man of eighty years, very decrepit, yet in full command of his faculties ; has a good lijead and face, not unlike the pictures of Humboldt inold age, with broad temples and an abrupt square nose, and, at one time, good eyes. He had little to say, but appeared pleased at our visit; and, as we told him of the four or five general officers of the Mexican war still living, he listened with interest, but showed no special recognition until the name of Pillow was mentioned, whom he remembered perfectly. Upon complimenting him as the greatest historical character of Mexico now living, and that on my return more interest would be manifested concerning him than any matter of my entire visit, his eyes brightened, and in gracefully acknowledging the compliment he remarked that he had never permitted an opportunity to escape of expressing his sincere thanks for the great kindness shown him in the United States during the entire period of his sojourn there. We then took our departure, and not without many reflections upon the instability of human greatness. Over the sofa where Santa Anna sat was the picture of a beautiful woman in her fullness of youth and loveliness. This was his wife when both led the fortunes of Mexico. As we passed out the court our attention was called to the figure of a woman of fifty in the window opposite, in a plain dress, and devoid of any interesting tribute. This was she whose picture had so interested us, Mrs. Gen. Santa Anna. ~—• ~