Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present, Part 9

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 996

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Micheltorena and his cholo army remained in Los Angeles about eight months. The Angeleños had all the capital they cared for. They were perfectly willing to have the governor and his army take up their residence in Monterey. The cholos had devoured the country like an army of chapules (locusts) and were willing to move on. Monterey would no doubt have gladly trans- ferred what right she had to the capital if at the same time she could have transferred to her old rival, Los Angeles, Micheltorena's cholos. Their pilfering was largely enforced by their necessities. They received little or no pay, and they often had to steal or starve. The leading native Cali- fornians still entertained their old dislike to "Mexican dictators" and the retinue of 300 chicken thieves that accompanied the last dictator intensified their hatred.

Micheltorena, while not a model governor, had many good qualities and was generally liked by the better class of foreign residents. He made an earnest effort to establish a system of public education in the territory. Schools were established in all the principal towns, and terri- torial aid from the public funds to the amount of $500 each was given them. The school at Los Angeles had over one hundred pupils in attend- ance. His worst fault was a disposition to med- dle in local affairs. He was unreliable and not careful to keep his agreements. He might have succeeded in giving California a stable govern- ment had it not been for the antipathy to his cholo soldiers and the old feud between the "hijos del pais" and the Mexican dictators.

These two proved his undoing. The native sous under Alvarado and Castro rose in rebellion.

* Bancroft History of California Vol. IV.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

In November, 1844,a revolution was inaugurated at Santa Clara. The governor marched with an army of 150 men against the rebel forces numbering about 200. They met at a place called the Laguna de Alvires. A treaty was signed in which Micheltorena agreed to ship his cholos back to Mexico.

This treaty the governor deliberately broke. He then intrigued with Captain John A. Sutter of New Helvetia and Isaac Graham to obtain as- sistance to crush the rebels. On the gtli of Jan- tiary, 1845, Micheltorena and Sutter formed a junction of their forces at Salinas-their united commands numbering about 5co men. They marched against the rebels to crush them. But the rebels did not wait to be crushed. Alvarado and Castro, with about go men, started for Los Angeles, and those left behind scattered to their homes. Alvarado and his men reached Los Angeles on the night of the 20th of January, 1845. The garrison stationed at the curate's house was surprised and captured. One man was killed and several wounded. Lieut. Medina, of Micheltorena's army, was the commander of the pueblo troops. Alvarado's army encamped on the plaza and he and Castro set to work to revolutionize the old pueblo. The leading An- geleños had no great love for Juan Bautista, and did not readily fall into his schemes. They had not forgotten their enforced detention in Vallejo's Bastile during the Civil war. An extroardinary session of the ayuntamiento was called January 21. Alvarado and Castro were present and made eloquent appeals. The records say, "The Ayun- tamiento listened, and after a short interval of silence and meditation decided to notify the senior member of the Departmental Assembly of Don Alvarado and Castro's wishes.

They were more successful with the Pico Brothers. Pio Pico was senior vocal, and in case Micheltorena was deposed, he, by virtue of his office, would become governor. Through the in- finence of the Picos the revolution gained ground. The most potent influence in spreading the revolt was the fear of Micheltorena's cholos. Should the town be captured by them it certainly would be looted. The departmental assembly was called together. A peace commission was sent to meet Micheltorena, who was leisurely march- ing southward, and intercede with him to give up his proposed invasion of the south. He re- fused. Then the assembly pronounced him a traitor, deposed him by vote and appointed Pio Pico governor. Recruiting went on rapidly. Hundreds of saddle horses were contributed, "old rusty guns were repaired, hacked swords sharp- ened, rude lances manufactured" and cartridges made for the old iron cannon, that now stand

guard at the courthouse. Some fifty foreigners of the south joined Alvarado's army; not that they had much interest in the revolution, but to protect their property against the rapacious in- vaders-the cholos, and Sutter's Indians, * who were as much dreaded as the cholos. On the 19th of February, Micheltorena reached the Encinos, and the Angelenian army marched out through Cahuenga Pass to meet him. On the 20th the two armies met on the southern edge of the San Fernando Valley, about 15 miles from Los Angeles. Each army numbered about 400 men. Micheltorena had three pieces of artillery, and Castro two. They opened on each other at long range and seem to have fought the battle throughout at very long range. A mustang or a mule-authorities differ-was killed.

Wilson, Workman and Mckinley, of Castro's army, decided to induce the Americans on the other side, many of whom were their personal friends, to abandon Micheltorena. Passing up a ravine they succeeded in attracting the attention of some of them by means of a white flag. Gantt, Hensley and Bidwell joined them in the ravine. The situation was discussed and the Americans of Micheltorena's army agreed to desert him if Pico would protect them in their land grants. Wilson, in his account of the battle,i says : "I knew, and so did Pico, that these land questions were the point with those young Americans. Before I started on my jour- ney or embassy, Pico was sent for; on his arrival among us I, in a few words, explained to him what the party had advanced." "Gentlemen,"

said he, "are any of you citizens of Mexico?" They answered "No." "Then your title deeds given you by Micheltorena are not worth the paper they are written on, and he knew it well when he gave them to you; but if you will aban- don his cause I will give you my word of honor as a gentleman and Don Benito Wilson and Don Juan Workman to carry out what I promise- that I will protect each one of you in the land that you now hold, and when you become citi- zens of Mexico I will issue you the proper titles." They said that was all they asked, and promised not to fire a gun against us. They also asked not to be required to fight on our side, which was agreed to.

"Micheltorena discovered (how I do not know) that his Americans had abandoned him. About an hour afterwards he raised his camp and flanked us by going further into the valley towards San Fernando, then marching as though he intended to come around the bend

* Sutter had under his command a company of Indians had drilled these in the use of firearms. The employing of these savages by Micheltorena was bitterly resented by the Californians. + Pub. Historical Society of Southern California, Vol. 3.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

of the river to the city. The Californians and we foreigners at once broke up our camp and came back through the Cahuenga Pass, marched through the gap into the Feliz ranch, on the Los Angeles River, till we came into close proximity to Micheltorena's camp. It was now night, as it was dark when we broke up our camp. Here we waited for daylight, and some of our men commenced maneuvering for a fight with the enemy. A few cannon shots were fired, when a white flag was discovered flying from Michel- torena's front. The whole matter then went into the hands of negotiators appointed by both par- ties and the terms of surrender were agreed upon, one of which was that Micheltorena and his obnoxious officers and men were to march back up the river to the Cahuenga Pass, then down to the plain to the west of Los Angeles, the most direct line to San Pedro, and embark at that point on a vessel then anchored there to carry them back to Mexico." Sntter was taken prisoner, and his Indians, after being corralled for a time, were sent back to the Sacramento.

The roar of the battle of Cahuenga or "The Alamo," as it is sometimes called, could be dis- tinctly heard in Los Angeles, and the people remaining in the city were greatly alarmed. William Heath Davis, in his "Sixty Years in California," thus describes the alarm in the town : "Directly to the north of the town was a high hill" (now known as Mt. Lookout). "As soon as firing was heard all the people remaining in the town-men, women and children-ran to the top of this hill. As the wind was blow- ing from the north the firing was distinctly heard, five leagues away, on the battlefield throughout the day. 'All business places in town were closed. The scene on the hill was a remarkable one-women and children, with crosses in their hands, kneeling and praying to the saints for the safety of their fathers, brothers, sons, husbands, lovers, cousins-that they might not be killed in the battle; indifferent to their personal appearance, tears streaming from their eyes, and their hair blown about by the wind, which had increased to quite a breeze. Don Abel Stearns, myself and others tried to calm and pacify them, assuring them that there was probably no danger; somewhat against our con- victions, it is true, judging from what we heard of the firing and from our knowledge of Michel- torena's disciplined force, his battery, and the riflemen he had with him. During the day the scene on the hill continued. The night that fol- lowed was a gloomy one, caused by the lamenta- tions of the women and children."

his soldiers were shipped to Mexico, claims that the general "had ordered his command not to injure the Californians in the force opposed to him, but to fire over their heads, as he had no desire to kill thenı."

Another Mexican-born governor had been de- posed and deported-gone to join his fellows -Victoria, Chico and Gutierrez. In accordance with the treaty of Cahuenga and by virtue of his rank as senior member of the Departmental Assembly, Pio Pico became governor. The hijos del pais were once more in the ascendency. José Castro was made comandante general. Alva- rado was given charge of the custom house at Monterey, and José Antonio Carrillo was ap- pointed commander of the military district of the southı. Los Angeles was made the capital, although the archives and the treasury remained in Monterey. The revolution apparently had been a success. In the proceedings of the Los Angeles ayuntamiento, March 1, 1845, appears this record: "The agreements entered into at Cahuenga between General Emanuel Micheltorena and Lieut .- Col. José Castro were then read and as they contain a happy termination of affairs in favor of the government this. Illustrious Body listened with satisfaction and so answered the communication."

The people joined with the ayuntamiento in expressing their "satisfaction" that a "happy termination" had been reached of the political disturbances that had distracted the country. But the end was not yet. Pico did his best to conciliate the conflicting elements, but the old sectional jealousies that had divided the people of the territory would crop out. José Antonio Carrillo, the Machiaveli of the south, hated Castro and Alvarado and was jealous of Pico's good fortune. He was the superior of any of them in ability, but made himself unpopular by his intrigues and his sarcastic speech. When Castro and Alvarado came south to raise the standard of revolt they tried to win him over. He did assist them. He was willing enough to plot against Micheltorena, but after the over- throw of the Mexican he was equally ready to plot against Pico and Castro. In the summer of 1845 he was implicated in a plot to depose Pico, who, by the way, was his brother-in-law. Pico placed him and two of his fellow conspirators, Serbulo and Hilario Varela, under arrest. Car- rillo and Hilario Varela were shipped to Mazatlan to be tried for their misdeed. Serbulo Varela made his escape from prison and the two exiles returned early in 1846 unpunished and ready for new plots.

Davis, who was supercargo on the Don Pico was appointed "Gobernador Propietario," Quixote, the vessel on which Micheltorena and or Constitutional Governor of California, Sep-

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

tember 3, 1845, by President Herrera. The Supreme Government of Mexico never seemed to take offense or harbor resentment against the Californians for deposing and sending home a governor. As the officials of the Supreme Government usually obtained office by revolution, they no doubt had a fellow feeling for the revolt- ing Californians. When Micheltorena returned to Mexico he was coldly received and a commis- sioner was sent to Pico with dispatches virtually approving all that had been done.

Castro, too, gave Pico a great deal of uneasi- ness. He ignored the governor and managed the military affairs of the territory to suit himself. His headquarters were at Monterey and doubtless he had the sympathy if not the encouragement of the people of the north in his course. But the cause of the greatest uneasiness was the increasing immigration from the United States. A stream of immigrants from the western states, increasing each year, poured down the Sierra Nevadas and spread over the rich valleys of California. The Californians recognized that through the advent of these "foreign adven- turers," as they were called, the "manifest

destiny" of California was to be absorbed by the United States. Alvarado had appealed to Mexico for men and arms and had been answered by the arrival of Micheltorena and his cholos. Pico appealed and for a time the Californians were cheered by the prospect of aid. In the summer of 1845 a force of 600 veteran soldiers, under command of Colonel Iniestra, reached Acapulco, where ships were lying to take them to California, but a revolution broke out in Mexico and the troops destined for the defense of California were used to overthrow President Herrera and to seat Paredes. California was left to work out her own destiny unaided or drift with the tide-and she drifted.

In the early months of 1846 there was a rapid succession of important events in her history, each in passing bearing her near and nearer to a manifest destiny-the downfall of Mexican domi- nation in California. These will be presented fully in the chapter on the Acquisition of Cali- fornia by the United States. But before taking up these we will turn aside to review life in Los Angeles in the olden time under Spanish and Mexican rule.

CHAPTER XII.

PUEBLO GOVERNMENT-MUY ILUSTRE AYUNTAMIENTO.

OW was the municipality or corporation of Los Angeles governed under Spanish and Mexican rule? Very few of its present in- habitants, I presume, have examined into its governmental systems before it came into the possession of the United States; and yet its early government is a very important question in our civil affairs, for the original titles to the waters of the river that supply our city, to the lots that some of us own and to the acres that we till, date away back to the days when King Carlos III. swayed the destinies of the mighty Spanish em- pire, or to that later time when the cactus-perched eagle of the Mexican flag spread its wings over California. There is a vague impression in the minds of many, derived, perhaps, from Dana's "Two Years Before the Mast," and kindred works; or from the tales and reminiscences of

pioneers who came here after the discovery of gold that the pueblo had very little government in the olden days; that it was largely given over to anarchy and revolution; that life was unsafe in it and murder a common occurrence. Such impressions are as false as they are unjust. There were but comparatively few capital crimes committed in California under Spanish domination or under Mexican rule.

The era of crime in California began with the discovery of gold. There were no Joaquin Mur- retas or Tiburces Vasquezes before the "days of gold," the days of " '49." It is true, there were a number of revolutions during the Mexican ré- gime, and California had a surplus of governors at times, but these revolutions were for the most part bloodless affairs. In the half a dozen or more political uprisings occurring in the fifteen

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

years preceding the American conquest and re- sulting in fonr so-called battles, there were in ali but three men killed and five or six wounded.

While there were political disturbances in the territory and several governors were deposed by force and shipped back to Mexico from whence they came, the municipal governments were well administered. I doubt whether the municipality of Los Angeles has ever been governed better or more economically under American rule than it was during the years that the Most Illustrious Ayuntamiento controlled the civil affairs of the town.

Los Angeles had an ayuntamiento, under Span- ish rule, organized in the first years of hier exist- ence, but it had very little power. The ayunta- miento, or municipal council, at first consisted of an alcalde (mayor) and two regidores (council- men). Over them was a quasi-military officer, called a comisionado, a sort of petty dictator or military despot, who, when occasion required, or his inclination moved him, embodied within him- self all three departments of government-judi- ciary, legislative and executive. After Mexico became a republic the office of comisionado was abolished. The membership of the Most Illus- trious Ayuntamiento of Los Angeles was gradual- ly increased, until, at the height of its power in the '30s, it consisted of a first alcalde, a second alcalde, six regidores (councilmen), a secretary and a sindico, or syndic, as the pueblo archives have it. The sindico seems to have been a gen- eral utility man. He acted as city attorney, tax and license collector and treasurer. The alcalde was president of the council, and acted as judge of the first instance and as mayor. The second alcalde took the place of the first when that officer was ill or absent; or, as sometimes happened, when he was a political prisoner in durance vile. The regidores were numbered from one to six and took rank according to number. The secre- tary was an important officer; he kept the records and was the only paid member except the sindico, who received a commission on liis collections.

At the beginning of the year 1840 the ayunta- mientos in California were abolished by a decree of the Mexican congress, none of the towns hav- ing the population required by the decree. In January, 1844, the ayuntamiento of Los Angeles was re-established. During the abolition of the municipal council the town was governed by a prefect and justices of the peace, and the special laws, or ordinances, were enacted by the depart- mental assembly. Much valuable local history was lost by the discontinuance of the ayuntami- ento from 1840 to 1844. The records of the ayuntamiento are rich in historical material.

The jurisdiction of the ayuntamiento of Los

Angeles, after the secularization of the missions, extended from the southern limits of San Juan Capistrano to and including San Fernando on the north and eastward to the San Bernardino Mountains, extending over an area now com- prised in four counties and covering a territory as large as the state of Massachusetts. Its au- thority was as extensive as its jurisdiction. It granted town lots and recommended to the gov- ernor grants of lands from the public domain. In addition to passing ordinances for the govern- ment of the pueblo, its members sometimes acted as executive officers to enforce them. It con- tained within itself the powers of a board of health, a board of education, a police commission and a street department. During the Civil war between Northern and Southern California in 1837-38, it raised and equipped an army and assumed the right to govern the southiein half of the territory. The members served without pay, but if a member was absent from a meeting with- ont a good excuse he was fined $3. The sessions were conducted with great dignity and decorum. The members were required to attend their pub- lic functions "attired in black apparel so as to add solemnity to the meetings."

The ayuntamiento was spoken of as "Most Illustrious," in the same sense that we speak of the Honorable City Council, but it was a much more dignified body than our city council. Tak- ing the oath of office was a solemn and impressive affair. The junior regidor and the secretary introduced the member to be sworn. "When," the rules say, "lie shall kneel before a crucifix placed on a table or dais, with his right hand ou the Holy Bible, then all the members of the ayuntamiento shall rise and remain standing with bowed heads while the secretary reads the form of oath prescribed by law, and on the member saying, 'I swear to do,' etc., the president will answer, 'If thou so doest God will reward thee; if thou dost not, may He call thee to account.' "

As there was no pay in the office, and its duties were numerous and onerous, there was not a large crop of aspirants for councilmen in those days, and the office usually sought the man. It might be added, that when it caught the right man it was loath to let go of him.

The tribulations that befell Francisco Pantoja well illustrate the difficulty of resigning in the days when office sought the man; not the man the office. Pantoja was elected fourth regidor of the ayuntamiento of 1837. In those days wild horses were very numerous; when the pasture in the foothills was exhausted they came down into the valley's and ate up the feed needed for the cattle. On this account, and because most of these wild horses were worthless, the rancheros

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

slaughtered them. A large and strong corral was built, with wings extending out on the right and left from the main entrance. When the corral was completed a day was set for a wild horse drive. The bands were rounded up and driven into the corral. The pick of the caballa- das were lassoed and taken out to be broken to the saddle and the refuse of the bands killed. The Vejars had obtained permission from the ayuntamiento to build a corral between the Cer- ritos and the Salinas for the purpose of corraling wild horses for slaughter; and Tomas Talamantes made a similar request to build a corral on the Sierra San Pedro. Permission was granted, the corrals were built, and a time was appointed for a wild horse rodeo.

Pantoja, being something of a sport, petitioned his fellow regidores for a twenty days' leave of absence to join in the wild horse chase. After considerable debate leave was granted him. A wild horse chase was wild sport and dangerous, too. Somebody was sure to get hurt, and Pan- toja, in this one, was one of the unfortunates. When his twenty days' leave of absence was up Pantoja did not return to his duties of regidor, but, instead, sent his resignation on the plea of illness. The president of the ayuntamiento re- fused to accept his resignation and appointed a committee to hold an investigation on his physical condition. There were no physicians in Los An- geles then, so the committee took along Santiago McKinley, a canny Scotch merchant, who was re- puted to have some knowledge of surgery. The committee and the improvised surgeon held au ante-mortem inquest on what remained of Pan- toja. The committee reported to the council that he was a physical wreck; that he could not mount a horse, nor ride one when mounted. A native Californian who had reached such a state of physical dilapidation that he could not mount a horse might well be excused from official duties. But there was danger of establishing a precedent. The ayuntamiento heard the report, pondered over it, and then sent it and the resignation to the governor. He took them under advisement, and, after a long delay, accepted the resignation. In the meantime Pantoja's term had expired by limitation and he had recovered from his fall.

Notwithstanding the great dignity and formali- ty of the old-time regidores, they were not like some of our modern councilmen- above seeking advice of their constituents; nor did they assumne superior airs as some of our parvenu statesmen do. There was, in their legislative system, an upper house, or court of last appeal, and that was the people themselves. When there was a dead- lock in their council; or when some question of great importance to the community came before

them and they were divided as to what was best to do; or when some crafty politician was attempting to sway their decision so as to obtain personal gain at the expense of the community, then the alarma publica, or the "public alarm," was sounded by the beating of the long roll on the drum, and the citizens were summoned to the hall of sessions, and anyone hearing the alarm and not heeding it was fined $3. When the citizens were convened the president of the ayuntamiento, speaking in a loud voice, stated the question and the people were given "public speech." Everyone had an opportunity to make a speech. Rivers of elo- quence flowed, and, when all who wished to speak had had their say, the question was decided by a show of hands. The majority ruled, and all went home happy to think the country was safe and they had helped save it.

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Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present, Part 9

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 996

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 996