Antonio López de Santa Anna Letter Signed. ...

Description

Santa Anna Sends Notice that de la Garza's Rebellion Has Failed

Antonio López de Santa Anna Letter Signed. One page, 8.5" x 11.5", Veracruz, Mexico; November 2, 1822.

A letter addressed to José Manuel Herrera, Prime Minister of State regarding Brigadier Felipe de la Garza's henchmen and the pacification of Nuevo Santander following de la Garza's failed rebellion.

The letter reads, "In reply to Your Excellency's order of last October 19 in which you inform me of the complete subjugation of all the henchmen of Brigadier Felipe de la Garza, thereby putting an end to the plan for a Republic Government in Nuevo Santander, I have such pleasing news in this Province, and I so inform Your Excellency in reply. May God protect Your Excellency." Signed, "Ant.o Lopez de Santa Anna." Addressed to Herrera with marginalia at the left that reads, "The Commander of Veracruz Province replies to the information regarding the pacification of Nuevo Santander, putting an end to the idea of a Republican Government." Housed in a custom quarter blue leather and cloth folding box.

Santa Anna expresses his pleasure at the successful termination of Felipe de la Garza's failed rebellion in Nuevo Santander, present-day Tamaulipas, Mexico. De la Garza had served in the royalist army during the War of Mexican Independence until its outcome became clear and he switched sides. Upon the war's conclusion, he was named Governor of Nuevo Santander and became one of the most important men in the region. In July 1822, Agustín de Iturbide was crowned emperor in the face of considerable opposition from other Mexican politicians. Within a month, Iturbide learned of a supposed conspiracy against him and imprisoned nineteen congressional deputies, who promptly named de la Garza a co-conspirator. In response, Iturbide sent a small military force to apprehend de la Garza and de la Garza stated he would oppose the incursion with force. In September 1822, de la Garza issued a statement condemning Iturbide, demanding the release of the nineteen prisoners, and calling for Iturbide to honor the constitution. Iturbide's supporters called de la Garza a republican, referenced in Santa Anna's letter here, for his statements. De la Garza found no support from neighboring regional governments and soon negotiated his surrender to Iturbide.

In this letter, Santa Anna comments on the successful removal of de la Garza and his supporters from government positions in Nuevo Santander. Ironically, only a month after the Commander of Veracruz sent this letter, he, too, turned against Iturbide and called for a republic with his Plan of Casa Mata.

Condition: Creased along folds with light toning and staining. Minor closed tears at both left and right margins. There is an ink stain along the left margin, not affecting text.

References: TSHA Handbook of Texas; Luis Alberto de la Garza, "La transición del imperio a la república o la participación indiscriminada (1821 - 1823)," Estudios de historia moderna y contemporánea de México Number 11, 1988.

More Information: A Mexican army officer and statesman, Antonio López de Santa Anna Pérez de Lebrón served at the center of the political maelstrom that dominated Mexican governance throughout the 1830s to the 1850s. Santa Anna first rose to prominence as a captain in the Spanish army when he chose to support Agustín de Iturbide in the War for Mexican Independence. He became a national hero in 1829 at the Battle of Tampico where he fought against Spanish attempts to reconquer Mexico. Riding a wave of popularity, Santa Anna was first elected president in 1833 and remained in power until 1836, when he was captured by General Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto, ending both the War for Texas Independence and Santa Anna's first reign. In 1841, Santa Anna had recovered enough of his reputation to successfully stage a coup and establish his first dictatorship until 1845 when he was driven into exile. Perpetually undeterred, he returned to Mexico in 1853 at the behest of conservative Centralists. His second dictatorship, and third period of rule, lasted only two years and was characterized by his decision to sell the Mesilla Valley to the United States in the Gadsden Purchase. The letter featured here depicts Santa Anna at the beginning of his political journey and at the brink of his betrayal of Iturbide to form a Republican government.