Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez de

Primera Secretaria de Estado. Departamento del Interior. "El Exmo. Sr. Presidente de los Estados-Unidos Mexicano se ha Servido Dirigirme el Decreto que Sigue ..." Mexico City: 26 November 1833, printed broadside on a bifolium (11 5/8 x 8 1/8 in.; 295 x 205 mm), being a decree to secularize the missions of the two Californias. Tan half-morocco folding-case, gilt-stamped title on spine.
With:
Printed document with manuscript accomplishment, signed ("Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna"), 1 page (12 x 8 3/8 in.; 305 x 212 mm) on letterhead with olive branch and dates 1840-1841 for Santa Anna as Division General and Provisional President of the Mexican Republic, Mexico City, 23 February 1842, being the promotion of Agustin V. Zamorano to the rank of Colonel of the Army, countersigned by Jose Maria Tomas, with embossed stamp validating the document for 1842-1843, and papered seal, confirmed on verso with signatures of Juan Jose de Andrade and Francisco Romero; formerly folded, a few stains. Blue cloth folding-case, gilt-stamped title label on spine.
With:
Printed document with manuscript accomplishment signed ("A.L. de Sta. Anna"), 1 page (19 x 11 1/2 in.; 482 x 292 mm) on letterhead of the Mexican Republic, Staten Island, New York, 5 April 1867, being the appointment of Edward Gottlieb as interpreter and private secretary at a salary of $200 per month, papered seal; mounted on tissue, formerly folded with small fold tears. Green half-morocco folding-case, gilt-stamped title on spine.

Secularization of the missions, the promotion of Agustin Vicente Zamorano to the rank of Colonel, and life in exile.

Three documents from very different periods in the life of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (1794–1876), best known among Americans as the commander of Mexican forces that took back the Alamo (1836),  who led a turbulent 40-year career in the service of his country. In this 1833 decree, the government was authorized "to adopt all measures to insure the colonization, and make effective the secularization of the missions of Alta and Baja California," using for that purpose the assets of the Pious Fund of those territories. This decree had the effect of nationalizing the Pious Fund, which was formally recognized in 1842.

Zamorano (1798–1842) was provisional governor of Alta California, and the first printer in the state of California. The promotion, issued during Santa Anna's second presidential administration, recognizes Zamorano for his contributions "in aid of national independence and the integrity of the territory of the Republic, and maintaining security of the government from 1825."

In the final document we see Santa Anna in exile, living in Staten Island, New York, but still styling himself "Division General of the Mexican Armies" and "General in Chief of the Liberator Army of the Mexican Republic." While in Staten Island, he tried to raise money for an army to take back Mexico, and pursued a scheme to import chicle to replace rubber in tires [his assistant Thomas Adams went on to found the chewing gum industry with "Chiclets"].