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Rh man, while the war department had, fortunately for the impulsive Tornel, passed shortly before to General Reyes.

Santa Anna began to find the situation somewhat uncomfortable, and to long again for the freer atmosphere of his estates. The death of his wife gave him the necessary excuse. Such it evidently appeared to him, for five weeks later he outraged public sentiment by the ceremonious espousal of a young lady. Not that people were surprised. His character was too well known, with his undignified indulgence in dissipations of all kinds, from Lotharian intrigues and free association with low and doubtful persons in the common cock-pit, to the most imposing and extravagant entertainments, with glittering guards of honor sustained by means drawn from sources not only suspected but known to be dishonest, from the funds extorted by forced contributions and loans, from infringement of industrial protection, from gifts of favor-seekers, from bribes and fraudulent contracts. It may readily be supposed that the subordinate officials did not fail to profit by the example, and the result was the most wide-spread corruption in all