al election of 1844.

When the project of annexation was first discussed in 1843 in the
gazettes of the day, and before any decided action by the president or
secretary of state, General Almonte, who was then Mexican envoy at
Washington, protested earnestly against the act, and even threatened, by
express order of his government, that on sanction being given to the
incorporation of Texas into the United States, he would consider his
mission as ended, seeing that the Mexican government was resolved to
declare war as soon as it received information of such a deed.[55]

But Mr. Tyler, disregarding the irascible temper of the minister and his
government, despatched pacific and soothing instructions to our charge
at Mexico, intimating a desire to act justly towards that republic, and
to settle all questions growing out of the treaty as well as of boundary
on the most liberal terms.[56]

The Mexican government, however, would listen to no proposals of
accommodation. The Texan question, as we have seen, was always one of
great annoyance to the Mexican authorities; for although they
acknowledged, in effect, that their dominion was really lost over Texas,
yet their national pride and public feeling forced them to project, if
they did not attempt, its reconquest.[57] Besides this, darkness was
gathering around the fate of Santa Anna, who dared not undertake
negotiations upon a subject so unpopular.

When a new congress assembled in Mexico in January, 1844, it was
disposed to aid the executive in his scheme of reconquest. Four millions
of dollars were therefore granted him; but when he claimed ten millions
for the same purpose, whilst it was notorious that the first grant had
not yet been collected, the members of congress absolutely refused to
sustain Santa Anna's measures for the recovery of the lost territory.
This refusal was not grounded upon any aversion of the Mexicans from
reconquest, but solely because they believed the money would be extorted
from the people only to be plundered by the president and his myrmidons.
The politicians and country had alike, lost confidence in him; and Santa
Anna, observing the rising storm, obtained permission from congress to
retire to his estate of Manga de Clavo near the sea coast at Vera Cruz,
whilst his friend Don Valentin Canalizo took his place in the capital as
president _ad interim_.

Santa Anna hardly reached his estate when a fatal blow was struck
against his administration fr