195
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE L.HIAU
of General Alvares Toledo, who were occupying Texas; but not by any glorious acts as a soldier, but by the most corrupt conduct and by the most subtle immorality. Gambling was his favorite passion and in order to satisfy it, he did not fail to practice deceit, tricks nor theft. One day at Bexar he found himself without money on account of gambling. Loving his vice more than he abhorred crime or feared public hatred, he forged the signature of the General, placed an order for the delivery to himself of the sum of $500 from the military treas- ury; the treasurer paid it and the money was gone in a few moments. When the theft was discovered they arrested him, and also the other petty official named Saldaila whom he deceived, sending him to get the money, and charges were made against them. Saldana was vin- dicated, and Santa Anna was to be taken from Bexar to :Monterrey as a prisoner. The women by their pleadings, appeased the anger of Arredondo and the case was allowed to rest, the criminal being left without vindication and without punishment. This impunity encour- aged the immorality of young Santa Anna, and some time after he repeated his achievments forging the signature of the old, respectable Don Antonio Quintero ·for a check of $6000.- The crime being dis- covered he was shut up in prison and without doubt this time he would have paid, the penalty for his crime, if [it had not been for] the great kindness of Quintero who went so far as to take great pains to prevent the trial taking place, which he secured with much hard work, in spite of his animosity towards Arredondo. Returned to his liberty, which was effected by the generosity of the very one whom he had offended, his re- ward was to go from Monterrey to a near-by town in company with an- other petty official, who today plays a great part in this republic, dealing in documents of Santa Anna's fabrication [ ?] . These two were going together with commissions to look for substitutes for the Battalion of regulars of Vera Cruz. As those people did not like to change the plow for the gun they entered into transactions with Don Antonio who sold, (as a great favor,) to the poor ranchmen exemptions from service, receiving from some ten dollars, others twelve or fifteen accord- ing to their means. These. and other acts were so scandalous that finally Genl Arredondo had to take firm steps against Farfulla (a nick- name by which Santa Anna was known at that time), and against two other brother officers. All three were sent to the Castle of Ulua. The charges brought against Santa Anna for forgery and theft were in the archives of the General Commander of the interior States of the East until Don Felipe de la Garza as general commander by agreement with his worthy friend, Santa Anna, destroyed them, and this is the reason why Santa Anna did not proceed against him at the time of the expedition of Barradas. No. 2415. CONDITION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. LAMAR [Fragment. Translation from the Spanish] [Richmond ? Texas, 184- ?l With more than ordinary pleasure I extend to you felicitations, and congratulate you on the present condition of our State. Its popula- tion and resources are increasing daily. Health, wealth and peace shed
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