The transition period of California : from a province of Mexico in 1846 to a state of the American union in 1850

Front matter

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Preface

(personal.)

The writer's home was in Monterey in 1849. It was then the capital of the territory and the headquarters of the United States army. The governor and his staff resided there, and there were the offices of the civil government.

The officers and their employees constituted the larger part of the English-speaking portion of the population, and among them the very important questions concerning a civil government to take the place of military rule, which was now at an end, were constantly discussed. Although my vocation as a clergyman left me little time to look into these things, I became very much interested in them, and in all that pertained to the history of this new country to which I had come. I took every opportunity to gather information from those who had been long residents here, and carefully preserved such historical papers and documents as fell into my hands. All the events that led up to the calhng of the convention which formed the state constitution in September, 1849, were familiar to me, and being connected with that body as chaplain, all its proceedings were familiar also. I never had time, however, in a busy life that followed, to make any use of the historical materials that had accumulated by the way, till w^ithin a few years past. Then, in looking over events in the past perspective, vi Preface.

it seemed clear to me that the transition of CaUfornia from its connection with Mexico to become one of the United States of America, especially at the time at which this took place, and under the unprecedented circumstances which surrounded it, and in view of the amazing consequences that followed, made it an event that ought to be considered by itself.

Hence this monograph, which the writer hopes may prove to be a valuable contribution to the history of this state, which has just completed its first halfcentury.

Chapter I. Page

TheChangeof Flag — Antecedent History — Earlj- Explorers — Period of Silence — Founding of the Missions — Boston begins Trade — California a Mexican Province — Frequent Local Revolutions— Explorations — Captain Cook and John Ledyard — France — England — Russia — United States 1

Chapter II

Thomas O. Larkin — Gives Information to Washington — Is Appointed United States Consul — His Description of the Country — Fremont's Exploring Expedition, 1844 — Mormons Look toward California — The MacNamara Colonization Scheme — Wide Interest in California at Home and Abroad 9

Chapter III

Approach of the Mexican War — Notification of the Navy on the Pacific — Secretary Bancroft's Dispatch of June 24, 1845— The Opening of the War on the Rio Grande in 1846— News Reaches Commodore Sloat at Mazatlan — His Uncertainty — Sails to Monterey— Hears of Fr(5mont and the Bear Flag — Is Perplexed, but Raises the United States Flag, July 7, 1846 20

Chapter IV

The Government's Plan for the Conquest of California— Dispatch to Commodore Sloat, of the Navy, June 3, 1846 — Orders given to General Kearny, of the Army, same date — Kearny, with the "Army of the West," Reaches Santa F(5 — Proceeds with Three Hundred Dragoons to California — On October 6th, Meets Kit Carson on his way to Washington with News of Conquest of California Accomplished — Turns back Two Hundred of his Dragoons — Advances with One Hundred — Suffers at San Pasqual — Reaches San Diego, December 12, 1846 28

Chapter V

"The Government Plan" Interfered with — History of the Interference—Colonel Fremont and his Surveying Party, 1846 — Is Ordered to Leave — Goes North to Oregon Line— Lieutenant Gillespie, from Washington, Reaches Him — Fremont and Party vii yiii Cordents.

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Keturn to Sacramento Valley — Settlers Gather at his Camp — Vallejo and Others Captured at Sonoma and Imprisoned at Sutter's Fort — The Bear Flag- The Bear Flag Battalion on the American Fork — News of Commodore Sloat at Monterey and Raising of the Flag — Fremont and Battalion reach Monterey

— Commodore Sloat leaves, and Commodore Stockton takes Command 35

CHx\PTER VI.

Stockton and Fremont Undertake the Conquest of California— They Take Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Los Angeles, and Report Conquest Accomplished — Stockton Assumes the Title of Governor, and Sends a Dispatch to Washington by Kit Carson, who meets General Kearny and his Dragoons Coming to California — Believing the Conquest Accomplished, he Sends back Two Hundred Dragoons and Comes on with One Hundred — But, in California, "Conquest" not Permanent — Southern Portion in Arms — General Kearny, on Reaching California, Finds it so — The San PasqualAffair — He Finds Commodore Stockton and his Marines Preparing to Retake Los Angeles, December 12, 1846 48

Chapter VII

Kearny and Stockton — Conflict of Authority — March to Los Angeles from the South — Coming down of Fremont from the North — Los Angeles Taken — The " Couenga Capitulation" — Commodore Stockton Appoints Colonel FrtJmont Governor and Retires to his Ship — General Kearny Assumes the Office of Governor under his Orders from Washington — Fremont Refuses to Recognize his Authority — Commodore Shubrick Arrives, February, 1847 — Relieves Commodore Stockton — The Government set up by Stockton and FriJmont Ignored — Shubrick takes Command at Sea and Kearny on Land — The "Government Plan " is Restored 56

Chapter VIII

General Kearny's Reinforcements Coming in — The Lexington — "Stevenson's Regiment " — The Mormon Battalion, etc. — Civil Government — Rev. Walter Colton's Alcaldeship — General Kearny Leaves, May 31, 1847, and Col. R. B. Mason takes his Place

— He had to Assist Him, Lieut. W. T. Sherman and Lieut. H. W. Halleck — San Francisco has Fifty Houses, 1847 — Dissatisfaction with " Alcalde Government " — January 24, 1848, Gold Discovery!

— Business Revolutionized — Governor Mason Perplexed — He Visits the Mines with Lieutenant Sherman in the Early Fall 61

Contents. ix

CHAPTEE IX.

PAGE

News Comes of Treaty of Peace with Mexico — Proclaimed August 7, 1848— Territorial Government Expected from Congress — Prevented by the Slavery Discussion — Governor Mason Worried — Really no Law, and very little Force at Hand — Secretary Buchanan's Advice — General Disappointment in California — People Preparing to Frame a Government for Themselves — Conventions Held — February 23, 1849, the California, the First Steamship, Pacific Mail Line, Arrived at Monterey — General Bennett Riley Arrived in April and Relieved Governor Mason — Congress Adjourned and Failed to Organize a Territorial Government. 76

Chapter X

Convention Called by Governor Riley to Form a State Constitution, Junes, 1849 — Election of Delegates, August 1st — T. Butler King Arrived, Confidential Agent from President Taylor — The Convention Met in " Colton Hall," Monterey, September 1, 1849 — Analysis of its Membership 86

Chapter XI

The Convention begins Business — " Bill of Rights " Introduced— Monday, September 10th, the Article Prohibiting Slavery Adopted by Unanimous Vote — September 12th, the Committee on Boundary of the State Proposing to Include what is now Nevada — Dr. Gwin's Proposition to Extend to the Boundary of New Mexico — Halleck's Amendment — Mr. Gwin's Ambition to become United States Senator — An All-Day Debate, September 24th — Late in the Evening, Mr. Gwin's Boundary Adopted in Committee of the Whole 95

Chapter XII

The Vote on the Boundary Question Unsatisfactory — Became more so, as it was Discussed in Private — The Question of Admission to the Union the main one — Mr. Sherwood's Speech — Mr. Botts's Speech — Mr. Halleck's Speech — Another Close Vote for Larger Boundary — Scene of Confusion Followed — Adjourned — Reconsideration Carried — Mr. Lippitt's Speech — Mr. Gilbert's Speech — Final Vote adopting Sierra Boundary, 32 to 7 104

Chapter XIII

Completion of the Work of the Convention — Adoption of the Preamble—Preparation of an Address to the People — Members, in

ContenU

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a Body, Call on Governor Riley — Adjournment — Constitution Adopted by Vote of the People, and State Officers Chosen, on November 13, 1849 — Legislature Met in San Jose, December 20, 1849 — Governor Riley turns over Authority to the State — Fri^mont and Gwin Chosen United States Senators — With Wright and Gilbert, Representatives, they Leave for Washington — The Legislature Proceeds with its Work 123

Chapter XIV

Congressional Delegation at Washington — Sharp Division of Sentiment as to their Admission — President Taylor Advises the Admission of California, December 4, 1849 — Draft of Constitution Submitted, February 13, 1850 — An Elaborate Memorial Issued and widely Published by the Delegation — The Admission of the State made an "Administration Measure " — Not Unitedly Agreed to by the Party Leaders — Mr. Clay's " Omnibus Bill" Introduced, Coupling many other things with " Admission " — The Opening of an All-Summer Debate— Mr. Calhoun's last Speech read for him, March 4, 1850 127

Chapter XV

Mr. Webster Discusses "California" in his "7th of March Speech," without Referring to the President's Plan of Admission, or to Mr. Clay's — He Avould Admit California — The Question of Slavery there not an Open Question, because the Law of Nature, Physical Geography, Forbids it — Mr. Seward Addresses the Senate two days later — " Let California come in. California already a state, and can never be less. She asks to be a state of this Union. The ansAver must be, Noav, or never. No ' compromises ' in a case like this " 143

Chapter XVI

The Case fairly Presented by these Representative Statesmen — Supreme Importance of the Issue — Debate continues all Summer — President Taylor Dies, July 9, 1850 — Vice-President Fillmore takes his Place — The Question of the " Balance of Power " in the United States Senate — The Senate came to a Vote on California, August 13, 1850— Bill to Admit Passed — Minority "Protest" was Refused a Record on the Journal of the Senate — Bill came up in the House, September 7th — It was Delayed by Dilatory Motions — It Avas finally Passed on Saturday, the 7th, and Signed by the President on Monday, the 9th of September, 1850 154

BOOKS AND AUTHORITIES

EXAMINED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS WORK

Hittell's History of California.

Bancroft's History of California.

Annals of San Francisco.

General Sutter's Diary. (Manuscript.) Fremont's Memoirs.

Colton's Three Years in California.

Dwinelle's Argument Touching Spanish Titles. Sparks's American Biography.

Consul Laskin's Manuscript Papers.

Koyce's California.

Correspondence : Sacramento Union.

Tuthill's History of California. 'CuTTs's Conquest of California.

McWhorter's Historical Paper.

Record of the Court-Martial Trial, 1847. Davis's Sixty Years in California.

Shinn's Mining Camps.

General Sherman's Memoirs.

Constitutional Convention Records, 1849. General Bidwell, in Century Magazine, December, 1890. Governor Burnett's Memoir.

Life and Worlcs of Henry Clay.

Life and Works of Calhoun.

J. F. Rhodes's History of the United States. Daniel Webster's Speeches.

Seward's Speeches.

Congressional Globe.

Schouler's History of the United Slates.

xii Books and Authorities Examined.

Bryant's What I Saiv in California.

Hall's History of San Jose.

Notes of conversations with earty residents of California, relative to the period of history under review. Among them were : Gen. M. G. Vallejo, born in California in 1808 ; Hon. David Spence, who came here from Scotland, I think, in 1822 ; Consul Thomas 0. Larkin, coming in 1832 ; General John Bidvtell, in 1841; Captain Henry L. Ford, of the ^' Bear Flag" company, who came in 1842 ; Capt. H. W. Halleck, who arrived early in 1847; Col. R. B. Mason, who came in February, 1847; and General Bennett Riley, who arrived in April, 1849.

THE TRANSITION PERIOD OF CALIFORNIA.

Chapter I

The Change of Flag — Antecedent History — Early Explorers — Period of Silence — Founding of the Missions — Boston begins Trade- California a Mexican Province — Frequent Local Revolutions — Explorations — Captain Cook and John Ledyard — France — England — Russia — United States.

The day that saw the Mexican flag come down in California and the flag of the United States go up, marks one of the most important changes in the history of the American continent.

The full result, however, was not reached till a little over four years later, when California was admitted as a state to the American Union.

These four intervening years constitute a period of such peculiar and critical interest that it invites and will reward a special study.

In approaching this study we observe that California is hut a part of that one third of our North American continent that pours its waters into the Pacific Ocean, and furnishes sea-coast and harbors all along its more than fifteen hundred miles of coast-line. And what is remarkable is, that this vast domain was for so many centuries unused and comparatively unoccupied by civilized man.

It seems to have been held in reserve for some great purpose.

Meanwhile other ocean shores were densely peopled, and were made alive with the pursuits of commerce, trade, and navigation.

But here all was silence.

Now and then, explorers sailed along our coast as far north as they dared, and one of them, in 1542, gave the name "Mendocino" to our cape, which it retains to this day, and another, in 1579, by a visit ashore, attached his own name to the bay which we know as Sir Francis Drake's Bay. In those days the Manila ships — those roomy, slow-sailing galleons, filled with precious freight and specie — approached near enough to our coast to see the land, but glided leisurely down the horizon toward Mexico and the Central American ports.

On land, from the ocean shore eastward, over plains, through valleys, across rivers, through forests, and over mountains, clear to the Rockies, roamed only wild beasts and wild men.^

Not until the sixteenth century closed and the seventeenth began, did the Spanish explorers find two or three of our harbors and publish a description of them.

And then, strange to say, there followed a full century and a half of silence, during which neither land nor ocean was used!

At last, well on in the latter half of the eighteenth century, a little movement appears.

Spain wanted ports on this coast at which her Manila ships could repair and find supplies.

At the same time, a renewed missionary zeal induced the Franciscans to undertake a mission for the con-

1 " In this region (1845) the condition of the Indian is nearly akin to that of the lower animals. Here they are really wild men."— Frewioni's Memoirs, vol. 1, p. 4:38.

version of the natives of Alta California, and the preparation for the enterprise was committed to Galvez at La Paz. The general plan and methods of undertakings like this had been familiar in Spain for more than two hundred years.^

A couple of ships were fitted out with missionary emigrants and soldiers to come to the port of San Diego.

At the same time, an expedition was prepared to come up the peninsula of Lower California by land.

The parties all reached San Diego in July, 1769, and at once founded the first mission.

Their object was the Christianization of the native inhabitants, and to prepare them for civilized life.

Exploration of the country between the ocean shore and the Coast Range of mountains immediately followed, and within a few years missions like that in San Diego were planted at convenient distances northward, all the way to San Francisco Bay.

Many thousands of Indians were gathered into them, and the effort to train them for citizenship and a Christian life was made perseveringly during the period of about two generations. But it was not a success.

To be sure, great obstacles were encountered in connection with secular governments, but the principal difficulty was that a character qualifying the native inhabitants for citizenship was not developed.

1 " It was the policy of Spain, adopted as early as the year 1551 by the Emperor Charles V., and never departed from by his successors, that the Indians should be compelled to live together in villages, this being considered the only possible condition of their becoming civilized. . . .

"The missions were not intended to be permanent, but to be merged into parishes and dioceses with bishops."— Dw-me^Ze's Argument, pp. 13-17.

Meanwhile, along with this experiment of the missions, there came a slight colonization from Spain, of a few people of more than average intelhgence and ability.

They obtained grants of land, and by the aid of the labor of the natives developed the great ranchos so famous in early CaHfornia history.

A little later, a few Europeans and some Americans found their way into the country, and, marrying native wives, made themselves homes here and there in the country, where they could secure grants of land.

But for many years it could not be said that the country was inhabited. Its harbors were rarely visited. Its lands were uncultivated.

Its scattered ranchos were always in fear of incursions from the wild Indians, who dwelt in the San Joaquin Valley and in the foothills of the Sierras.

They were in the habit of sweeping down upon them in force, and driving off their herds and bands of horses.

As years went by, a few hunters and trappers found their way over the mountains from the east and the north, and remained in the valley of the Sacramento.

Somewhat early in the present century, Boston merchants opened a trade on this coast, sending every variety of goods that might be wanted here, and receiving in payment hides and tallow, the only product of the country.

The ships could afford to pay largely at the custom-house in Monterey for the privilege of doing this business, for they sold goods at an enormous profit, and the customs officials could afford to forget the law, in order to fill the treasury, from which alone the government derived its support and its officers received their salaries.

No money went from here to the central government in Mexico, nor did any come from that source to California for the benefit of this department.

Indeed, it was left very much to itself, now and then receiving governors from Mexico, and sending them away when they became tired of them.

Revolutions were frequent, carried on by the officials, and supported by the loose and reckless class that had nothing to lose, but the people of substance seldom took any interest in them.

They built themselves thick-walled adobe houses, with solid doors and barred windows, and if a political storm arose, they shut themselves in and waited till it was over.

It cannot be said that any proper or adequate use was made of this country as a whole during these years, or indeed as long as it remained a department of Mexico. At the same time, it was attracting a good deal of attention from the leading nations.

Its geography, its climate and resources, became matters of scientific inquiry by them all, while at the same time its unsettled political relations were by no means overlooked.

Captain Cook, the distinguished English explorer, looked in upon this coast in his third voyage in 1776, and his report concerning it awakened an interest even beyond his own country.^

1 The name of our American traveler, John Ledyard, is, singularlyenough, connected with this voyage, and with results of the greatest

France took note of it, and sent La Perouse ten years later, in 1775, and he reported on the coast from Mount St. Elias, in the north, down to Monterey.

The English were not satisfied with what they had learned, but in 1792 sent Vancouver, who had been midshipman under Captain Cook in his visit here, with orders to survey the coast from 30° northward .

The Russians from Alaska came down to obtain supplies in 1806, and planted, temporarily, a colony by which what was needed might be produced from year to year.

France was not satisfied with what she had learned through La Perouse, but in 1840 sent Duflot de Mofras, a learned and cultivated gentleman, to make a scientific exploration and report.

consequence afterward. Ledyard was a Connecticut-born boy who was sent to Dartmouth College in the days of President Wheelock. He was quick to learn, but restive under restraint. He craved adventure. Going into the woods near the Connecticut River, he cut down a tree and made of it a canoe in which he sailed down the river to Hartford, and soon shipped as a sailor on a voyage to England. He arrived in London just as Captain Cook was to sail on his third and last voyage. He got introduced to Captain Cook, and was made corporal of marines. In the course of that voyage he visited this coast, and became more or less acquainted with California. This was in the year 1776. In his subsequent wanderings he was in Paris in 1785, and became known to Thomas Jefferson, then United States minister there, by whom he was received with great kindness.

Mr. Jefferson listened to his description of this Northwest coast, and perceived at once the advantages bearing on the commerce and political interests of the United States. Sixteen years later, Mr. Jefferson became Presidei^t of the United States, and one of the first things he did was to secure the sending of the Lewis and Clark exploring expedition overland to the Pacific.

They went up the Missouri River, starting in 1803, and crossed to a branch of the Columbia, and thence down that river to its entrance to the ocean, and returned the same way, and were gone two years and four months.

Ever since the publication of their journal, the country has taken a deep interest in the destiny of this Pacific region.— Sparfcs's American Biography, 2d series, vol. 14.

Furnished with a passport from Mexico, he spent two or three years in fulfilling his commission.

His report was published in Paris in 1844, and was a most complete account of this then unknown country/

The United States sent the Wilkes exploring expedition to this coast in 1841, and a survey was made of the Bay of San Francisco and of the Sacramento River, and also of the Columbia River, in Oregon, and in 1843 Mr. Fremont extended his transcontinental survey from the east to this point on the Columbia, to which Wilkes had carried his from the west.

These surveys and explorations made in the first half of the present century by the leading nations indicate the growing interest that was felt in California. And the pubUcation of their reports increased that interest in a very high degree.

They revealed to the world a comparatively unoccupied territory of the greatest value.

Its vast plains and valleys, hundreds of miles in extent, fertile and well watered , awaited cultivation.

Over all was a climate so genial and healthful the year round, that no other could be compared with it.

Its bays and harbors, found along a coast-line of nearly a thousand miles in extent, — one or two of them the finest in the world, — were but rarely visited.

1 De Mofras, an attache of the French legation at Mexico, was detached from that service in 1840, by Marshal Soult, at that time president of the privy council of Louis Philippe, for the purpose of making a thorough reconnaissance of California and Oregon.

This work he accomplished in the most faithful manner, reporting in two volumes, in 1846, to the King.

It is a work of the highest authority, and was doubtless prepared as a handbook for the acquisition of California by the French. — DiuineZie's Argument, p. 15.

The people dwelling here, say, about 1840 numbered only a few thousands, in a country capable of supporting millions/

California's political connection was with Mexico, but it was a remote province of that government, separated from the rest of that country by a long sea- voyage on the one side, and by an almost impassable desert on the other. The people of California were hardly more than Mexican in name, and not at all in interest, sympathy, or patriotic feeling.

They were all the time dissatisfied with the Mexican government, and recognized with little regret the probability of their coming, ere long, under the flag of some other nation.

No wonder that the other nations, having explored the country, and seeing this condition of things, stood ready, each one of them, to seize the first safe opportunity to take possession of it.

The United States was especially watchful of events relating to California.

The government, through its successive administrations, entertained the opinion expressed by Mr. Jefferson, " that this whole Western region, separated from the United States by no barrier of nature, ought to be eventually embraced in its territory."

Indeed, it became a settled purpose of the government that it should not come into the possession of any European nation.

1 " The population at that time was estimated at seven thousand of Spanish blood, ten thousand domesticated Indians, seven hundred Americans, one hundred English, Scotch, and Irish, and one hundred Germans, French, and Italians." — ITi^eZJ, vol. 2, p. 275.

Chapter II

Thomas O. Larkin — Gives Information to Washington — Is Appointed United States Consul — His Description of the Country — Fremont's Exploring Expedition, 1844 — Mormons Look toward California — The MacNamara Colonization Scheme — Wide Interest in California at Home and Abroad.

At the same time, every means was used to keep up an intimate acquaintance with Cahfornia affairs, especially with its political condition, and the disposition of its more influential citizens toward other nations in case of a change of flag.

This was done more particularly through Thomas 0. Larkin, who came to California from Boston in 1832, and lived in Monterey, conducting there an extensive business.

Mr. Larkin was an unusually alert and observing man, and took a particular interest in keeping himself thoroughly acquainted with the political situation.

He communicated information concerning these matters to the authorities at Washington.

In 1844 Mr. Larkin was appointed United States consul for California.

He took particular pains to get accurate information concerning the political preferences of the leading Californians and communicated it to his government.

Theref re, when, later, the prospect of a change seemed to be near, this information proved to be of very great value.

He was intrusted with the very delicate business of presenting to influential men of the country the advantages that California would derive from becoming a territory of the United States.^

It is interesting now, after all the great changes that have taken place, to review his representation of California as he then made it to the government at Washington.

"First as to its boundary." He says "that the territory extends eastward to the Rocky Mountains, although but a narrow strip is inhabited along the shore of the Pacific. As to the land adjoining the sea-coast, it is principally under private ownership, as is also that around the Bay of San Francisco, but in the great valley of the Sacramento very little is taken up, and in the valley of the San Joaquin, none at all.

1 I have before me a manuscript copy oi part of Mr. Larkin's correspondence, giving information concerning California affairs as they were in 1844-45.

The papers were given to me by Mr. Larkin himself in Monterey in 1849.

They contain a description of the country, an account of its political state, and notes relative to the political leanings of some of its prominent citizens.

Of those living in San Diego, he mentions Jos6 Antonio Aguirre, Henry D. Fitch, and John Warner.

In Los Angeles — Abel Stearns, Juan Bandini, Pio Pico, Jos6 Carrillo, Manuel Requeue, Henry Dalton, Luis Vigne.

In Santa Bdrhara^— Jos6 de la Guerra, Carlos Castro, Joaquin Ortego.

In Mission San Luis — Mariano Bonillo, William Dana, Isaac Sparks, Luis T. Burton.

In Monterey — Pablo de la Guerra,William E. P. Hartnell, Manuel Diaz, Jos6 Abrigo, Estdben Monras, Salvador Monras, Jos6 Amisti, Antonio Oslo, Francisco Pacheco, Juan Auzar, Joaquin Gomez, Manuel I. Castro, Francisco Rico, James Watson, Jos6 Castro, Juan B. Alvarado, David Spence, Jos6 Juan Pico, Charles Walters, Jos6 BolcoS, Raphael Juan Jos6.

In San Jos6 — Antonio Sunol, Charles W. Flugge, Carlos Castro, John Marsh, William Fisher.

In Yerba Buena— William A. Leidesdorff, William Richardson, Francisco Guerrero, Timothy Murphy, Antonio Juan Jos^, Joaquin Victor, Alvino Castro, Mariano G. Vallejo, Salvador Vallejo, Jacob P. Leese, Victor Prudon, Eliab Grimes, John Bidwell, John A. Sutter, Stephen Smith, Henry Melius, W. D. M. Howard.

"Farms in these valleys, and indeed in the coast region, cannot be safely cultivated, because of their exposure to Indian raids, and there is no mihtary force in the country able to prevent them.

"Of the foreigners in California, three fourths are Americans, and of the remaining fourth, one half is English, many of whom are expecting to come under the government of the United States, and all of them would prefer this, rather than that things would remain as they are.

" A majority of the immigrants are from the Western states, consisting of farmers, mechanics, and general laborers, together with some young men from New England and the middle states, who leave home to seek their fortunes in a foreign country.!

" Politically, California is at present ruled by two men, — Pio Pico, the governor, who resides in Los Angeles, at the south, and Castro, the military chief, who resides in Monterey, in the north. In the latter place is the custom-house, the only money resource of the country, and the governor and the general cannot agree as to the division of the funds. Hence they are at enmity, and are all the time suspicious of each other.

"If Mexico should send a military force with authority to supersede them, and they could be agreed, they could bring into the field from eight hundred to a thousand men, who would continue under arms a month, whether paid or not.