History of California, Volume IV, Part 42

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 820

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9 Aug. 6, 1844, M. to V. Sends Castañares to remain at Sonoma until fur- ther orders, to be treated according to his rank, but not allowed to leave the place. The good of the national service demands it. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 73. Aug. 17th, Prudon to V. Castañares ill at Yerba Buena. Fears the climate of Sonoma (!), and will probably be allowed to go back. Id., xii. 86. Sept. 5th, M. authorizes V. to permit the return. Id., xii. 90.

10 Larkin, writing on Sept. 16th, describes the affair, and says: 'The peo- ple of this town were in great alarm, expecting a sack of the town by the soldiers; the affair was however hushed up.' Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 10. Later, in an account intended to justify Micheltorena after the revolu- tion, Larkin wrote: 'I know of no trouble or alarms caused by the circum- stance, in Monterey.' He says the affair was all over by 8 A. M. Capt. Abella was living at Larkin's house at the time. Id., Doc., MS., iii. 271. Aug. 17th, Prudon says that Monterey looks like a town taken by assault, only officers and soldiers to be seen. All families have retired to their ran- chos. A new division of the batallon has arrived from Angeles. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 86. Serrano, Apuntes, MS., 87-90, and Gomez, Lo Que Sabe, MS., 332-8, give some details of the night's occurrences.

11 García, Apuntes sobre Micheltorena, MS., 1-5, was one of the men, and

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MICHELTORENA'S RULE-POLITICAL AFFAIRS.

the current reports of war between Mexico and the United States, to be noticed presently. There was little fear of the Americans; but an apprehension that the Mexicans might make the threatened invasion a pretext for plundering the town.

It was in May that the Mexican minister of war informed Micheltorena that positive news had been received of a treaty having been signed for the an- nexation of Texas to the United States;12 that it only required confirmation by the senate; and that such confirmation would probably result in war. The general was therefore to prepare for the defence of California by seeing to it that weapons were kept in good condition, that the troops were well organized and disciplined, that the militia was ready to be called into active service, and that the government was in- formed promptly of any aid that might be required- though no hostilities were to be committed against such American men-of-war as might visit the coast pending the receipt of more positive orders or some act of aggression on the part of those vessels.13

This order was received early in July, and was at once published by Micheltorena, who announced that in consequence of it he had resolved to establish his headquarters at San Juan Bautista, and "to defend the department, whose independence, religion, and in- tegrity the patria intrusts now more than ever to her sons, and to me the duty of showing them the path to glory and honor in case of war." At the same time he ordered the immediate enrolment of all citi- zens between the ages of fifteen and sixty years, in-

gives the only narrative of the reenforcement that I have seen. He says 43 of the 50 men had been deserters; and there were 7 women in the company. They marched from Angeles under Comandante Valdés.

12 The treaty was signed by the Texan commissioners and by John C. Calhoun, secretary of state, April 12, 1844, but was rejected by the senate June 8th.

13 May 11, 1844, min. of war to com. gen. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 35; Dept. St. Pap., Mont., MS., iii. 131. June (May ?) 11th, min. of hac. or- ders that the militia be put on a war footing. Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., i. 80.

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PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.

cluding naturalized foreigners, to be formed into nine companies of militia, which were to be drilled every Sunday, and to hold themselves in readiness to be called into active service as defensores de la patria. Some days later a series of formal regulations for the militia was issued; and it appears that the organiza- tion of defenders was effected to some extent, on pa- per at least, in northern California; but in the south we hear nothing of the matter until the end of the year, when, as we shall see, it came up in another con- nection.14

14 July 6, 1844. Micheltorena, Medidas de Defensa contra los Estados Uni- dos, MS .; Estudillo, Doc., MS., ii. 77; Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 35; S. José, Arch., MS., iv. 43-50. Companies were to be formed at S. Diego, Angelcs, Sta Bárbara, S. Luis Obispo, Monterey, S. Juan Bautista, S. José, S. F., and Sonoma-all of cavalry. The colonels aud lieut-colonels were to be those already holding those commissions; the captains were to be named by the govt; and lower officers were to be chosen by the companies. All officers, in- válidos, and public employés chosen by the people were exempted from the enrolment; and merchants were only required to serve in defence of their places of residence-armed and supported at their own cost. Full regula- tions for details of organization, discipline, uniform, etc., which need not be given here even en résumé, were issued in print on July 16th. Micheltorena, Reglamento de la Milicia Auxiliar de Defensores de la Patria y Departamento de Californias. In Earliest Print .; Vallejo, Doc., MS., xi. 51; Taylor's Specimens of Press, 623; Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., i. 467.

July 8th, officers named by Micheltorena for the defensores: Ist regiment, col., J. B. Alvarado, lieut-col., J. M. Castañares; adjutants, Marquez and Correa; captains, Ist squadron, S. Diego co., Andrés Pico, Correa as in- structor; Sta Bárbara co., Raimundo Carrillo, Flores as instructor; 2d squad- rou, S. Luis Obispo co., J. M. Villa, Marquez as instructor; Monterey co., A. M. Osio, Estrada as instructor. 2d regiment, col., M. G. Vallejo; lieut- col., José Castro; adjutants, A. Somoza and Ant. Pico; captains, Ist squad- ron, S. Juan co., Fran. Pacheco, Vargas as instructor; S. José co., A. M. Pico, Somoza as instructor; S. Francisco co., F. Sanchez, Ant. Pico as in- structor; Sonoma co., Salvador Vallejo, Rodriguez as instructor. 1st squad- ron of Angeles, Pio Pico, comandante; J. M. Ramirez, adjutant and instructor; Ist company, capt., M. Dominguez; 2d co., capt., J. M. Palomares. 2d squadron of Angeles, J. A. Carrillo, comandante; N. Helvetia co., J. A. Sutter, captain. Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., x. 44-6. July 19th, at Sonoma 59 men enrolled, including 12 foreigners. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 55. July 21st, 53 citizens and 22 unnaturalized foreigners at S. Francisco. Id., xxxiv. 42. July 26th, Micheltorena to Vallejo, intrusting to him the organization of the companies from S. Francisco northward, Castro to attend to those at S. José and S. Juan. Only one person should be taken from a family. Id., xii. 61; Dept. Rec., MS., xiii. 89. Aug. 4th, Capt. Osio and his company of 32 men at Monterey choose subordinate officers. Aug. 20th, list of the S. Francisco company, 48 men besides capt. and lieut. Soberanes, Doc., MS., 308.

In January the min. of war proposed the organization of all the presidial companies of the Californias and the batallon into a regiment, to have be- sides its regular officers a comandante de escadron to serve as commandant in Baja California. Mexico, Mcm. Guerra, 1844, annex. 23-4. List of unat-

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MICHELTORENA'S RULE-POLITICAL AFFAIRS.

Besides taking steps to organize the militia, Michel- torena moved all the serviceable cannon with muni- tions from Monterey to San Juan, where he proposed to make a final stand against the invaders should they make their appearance on the coast. The capital presented the appearance of a military camp for a week or more, the soldiers holding possession, always in readiness to retreat; while many of the citizens had retired with movable effects to the interior, fear- ing, as I have said before, not so much the coming of the Americans as the excesses of the cholos, who were likely on the approach of an enemy to sack the town. So Consul Larkin wrote to his government, declaring that the property of Americans was safer than that of natives, and expressing the opinion that Micheltorena, in case of war, could depend only on his 250 Mexican troops to follow him, the 150 Califor- nian soldiers and the 1,000 citizens available as militia not being disposed to fight for a government in which they took very little interest.15 To provide pecuniary means for the country's defence, the junta departamen- tal was convoked in August, and authorized a sale of the mission estates;16 but before anything was done in this direction news came that the war-cloud had passed over, and California resumed its peaceful atti- tude; though the cannon and other war-stores were not immediately brought back from San Juan.17

tached and retired officers, etc., in Cal .: J. B. Alvarado, col. auxiliary mili- tia; José Castro, lieut-col. Cal. squadron; M. G. Vallejo, lieut-col. permanent cav .; Pedro Narvaez, lieut of navy; V. Prudon, capt. permanent infantry; José Ramirez, lieut cavalry; Narciso Fabregat, lieut Mazatlan militia; José cle la Guerra y Noriega, ret. capt. of cavalry; Sant. Argüello, ret. capt. cav .; José Estrada, ret. lieut cav .; Dámaso Rodriguez, ret. alf. cav .; Aniceto Zava- leta, Isidoro Soto, José Peña, Manuel Verdugo, and Sebastian Rodriguez, soldiers retired with rank of lieutenants; Manuel Rodriguez, invál. corporal; Eleuterio Villa, invál. soldier; Luisa Argüello de Zamorano, widow with pension of $60 per month. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., Ixxxvi. 3-4.

15 Aug. 18, 1844, L. to sec. state. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 8. Va- llejo to Micheltorena, Nov. 18th, declared that it had not been the fear of invasion by foreigners that had caused the citizens to leave Monterey. Bear Flag, Pap., MS., 3.

16 Aug. 15th, 20th, 24th, sessions of the junta. Leg. Rec., MS., iv. 18, 20; Earliest Printing; Olvera, Doc., MS., 7-9; Dept. Rec., MS., xiii. 91-2. More about the sessions a little later.

17 I find no announcement by the gov. that the danger had ceased; but

409

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

In connection with the military preparation just noted, I may take up the topic of Indian affairs, re- specting which, however, there is almost nothing to be said in 1844. With a view to prevent the incur- sions of Indian horse-thieves, who were a constant ter- ror to the rancheros in central California, a scheme was devised in the spring of this year, not only to send out an expedition against the foe, but to establish a kind of frontier presidio somewhere in the Tulares, where a detachment of soldiers could be stationed perma- nently for service against the Indians. In May the plan was announced by Micheltorena, and certain vaguely recorded preparations were made; but all we know of the result is that in the middle of November Castro was in the San Joaquin Valley engaged in this service, when recalled by the outbreak of revolt, as will be seen in a later chapter.18

There was an extra session of the junta, or asam- blea, on February 10th, convoked for the purpose of choosing a quinterna for governor. The names chosen to be submitted to the supreme government as candi- dates were, in the following order: Micheltorena, Al- varado, Tellez, Osio, and Jimeno; and the result was announced by the governor in a bando of the 13th.19

Larkin writes on Sept. 16th, that, as Texas has not been annexed, warlike preparations have been postponed. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 10.

18 May 31st (13th?), gov.'s order for a destacamento on the S. Joaquin. Con- tributions to be solicited and all to be ready at Sta Clara by June 10th. Estu- dillo, Doc., MS., ii. 75-6. May 13th, saddles, etc., to be borrowed from citi- zens. Sta Cruz, Arch., MS., 81. May 14th, gov. to alcaldes of S. José and S. Juan: José Castro to command the force in the Tulares. Padres to furnish Indians. Dept. Rec., MS., xiii. 81-2. June 14th, P. Mercado refers to same matter. S. José, Arch., MS., iv. 6. Mention also in Castro, Relacion, MS., 89-91; Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 413; Serrano, in Pioneer Sketches, MS., p. 38. Weber's treaty with the S. Joaquin tribes. S. Joaquin Co. Hist., 16. Aug. 24th, Sutter speaks of services rendered by the Moquelemos by return- ing stolen horses. S. José, Arch., MS., iv. 7. Oct. Ist, an expedition alluded to, in which one 'vecino' lost his life. There is to be another sally. Sta Cruz, Arch., MS., 98. Oct., Indians defeated by govt troops. Pabellon Nacional, Nov. 26, 1844. Jan., a ranchería attacked by 23 citizens, and the chief, José del Cármen, killed. Dept. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 29-30. Feb., savages and Cahuillas fighting near S. Bernardino. Id., Angeles, viii. 6-7.

19 Feb. 13, 1844, M.'s proclamation. Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., x. 46; Id., S. José, vi. 3; S. Diego, Arch., MS., 302; Micheltorena's Administration, 21.

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MICHELTORENA'S RULE-POLITICAL AFFAIRS.

It appears, however, that the meeting was not quite legal, being composed of northern members and sub- stitutes only. The four southern vocales either were not summoned at all, or were notified too late; or at any rate were not present to insist on the proper pro- portion of abajeños in the list of candidates; and they were much offended at the wrong done them, protest- ing both to the governor and to the national govern- ment, with results of which nothing is known.20 The southerners, having a majority, were desirous that the junta should be convened in regular session, and com- plained, evidently with much reason, that the arribe- ños were intriguing to prevent a meeting.

Again the assembly was convoked by orders of June 19th and August 13th, and met in special ses- sions on August 15th, 20th, 24th, and 26th, Estrada, a northern member, and Guerra from the south, being absent. Narciso Botello was made temporary, and J. M. Covarrubias permanent, secretary in place of Zenon Fernandez, deceased. The southern vocales took the oath of office, the others having done so at the former session. The business before the junta was the raising of funds with which to protect the country from foreign invasion. Micheltorena made an opening speech on the subject; and Pico responded by pledging the junta to use its best efforts in so just a cause. As related more fully elsewhere, the action finally taken was to authorize the sale or renting of mission estates. An attempt was made to bring up various other matters of minor importance; but they were decided to be out of order at special sessions;

20 A letter to Castañares in Mexico declared the election an escándalo de gran tamaño; stating that the order of convocation was issued on Feb. 4th, so that the southern members could not possibly arrive by the 10th. Casta- ñares, Col. Doc., 17. Jnne Sth, Pio Pico, the Ist vocal, to min. of the int., enclosing the protest of himself, Figueroa, and Botello, to the gov. on April Sth. It isa long document, in which they demand that the assembly be again convened and its past acts be declared null. The snp. govt is called upon to protect the rights of the people. Bandini, Doc., MS., 55. Pico's report of Apr. Sth is also given in print in Micheltorena, Expediente no. 1.

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CHANGE OF CAPITAL.

and with one exception, no action was taken on any of them.21

The exception to which I have alluded was the old question of Monterey versus Los Angeles on a change of capital. Since the beginning of the year the An- gelinos had resumed the old agitation of the subject; Juan Bandini having written an exposition, in which he showed that the southern city deserved some re- ward for her old-time constancy to Mexico; and the ayuntamientos of the rival towns having taken new steps in the matter.22 It was on this account that the northerners had intrigued to prevent a regular session so long as their opponents were in a majority. But Pio Pico brought the matter up in the session of August 24th, and a lively discussion ensued. Pico and Botello insisted on southern rights, and Figueroa agreed with them, though he did not think the sub- ject could be legally disposed of in a session called for special purposes. Spence favored the claims of Monterey; while Munras, leaning in the same direc- tion, proposed to select some third town for capital or to leave the whole question to be settled in Mex- ico. Micheltorena himself as president argued at first strongly against moving the capital away from the town where the custom-house was located, also opposing any action whatever at a special session; but he finally proposed as a compromise that further definite action should be suspended until a decision

21 Records of the sessions, in Leg. Rec., MS., iv. 17-27; Olvera, Doc., MS., 7-12. The records of the opening session of Aug. 15th and the closing one of Aug. 26th were issued in print by Micheltorena in bandos of Aug. 28th and Sept. 3d respectively. Earliest Printing; Sta Cruz, Arch., MS., 3-4; Dept. St. Pap., S. José, MS., vi. 6; Micheltorena's Administration, 24-6; S. Diego, Arch., MS., 309.

22 Jan. 16, 1844, alcalde of Angeles to Micheltorena, sending Bandini's exposition. The gov. promises to represent the matter. Dept. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 28. March 13th, Alcalde Serrano announces that on the 9th the ayunt. of Monterey agreed to petition for a repeal of the decree making Angeles the capital. Monterey, Arch., MS., xi. 16-17. June 4th, Angeles ayunt. complains that the govt sec. is wrong in writing 'muy ilustre ayun- tamiento de csta capital de Monterey.' Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Pref. y Juzg., MS., iii. 11-12. July 29th, Judge Requena forwards to assembly the law of May 23, 1835, and asks that it be enforced, making Angeles the capital. Leg. Rec., MS., iv. 17.

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MICHELTORENA'S RULE-POLITICAL AFFAIRS.

could be obtained from Mexico respecting the right of the assembly to act in the matter, and that in the mean time the sessions should be held in some other place than either Monterey or Angeles, suggesting Santa Inés as a convenient point. The three south- erners would not accept any compromise, and at last voted solid in favor of Los Angeles; but the two northern members with Micheltorena voted for the compromise, the latter also decided the tie by his casting vote; and the next session was thus to be convoked at Santa Inés. No session ever was held there, however, and nothing more was ever heard of the project. The compromise was a most inexplica- ble concession on the part of the arribeños, especially if the president had the right here exercised of cast- ing a double vote.23

Let us turn to the national capital and follow the deputy Manuel Castañares in his efforts in behalf of California. He was a much more diligent represent- ative than had been his predecessor, Andrés Castillero; though perhaps the real does not quite equal the ap- parent difference, because the efforts of Don Manuel were recorded in print, while those of Don Andrés were not-even if there were any to be recorded, which is doubtful. Before the end of 1844 Casta- ñares received some complaints from his constituents respecting Mexican neglect, coupled with implications that the neglect was due to the deputy's own inatten- tion to his duties. As the best means of proving that such charges were unjust, Don Manuel resolved to print his communications and speeches. Letters cer- tifying his zeal were obtained from such high digni- taries as Tornel, Reyes, Cortina, Trigueros, and Bo- canegra; and this correspondence, with the documents mentioned, was published in pamphlet form in 1845. I proceed to glance at the contents of the pamphlet

23 Record of the discussion in Bandini, Doc., MS., 156; Olvera, Doc., MS., 11; Leg. Rec., MS., iv. 20-2.

413

CASTANARES IN CONGRESS.

in chronologic order as a record of what was being done for California in Mexico.24

Having left California in December, Castañares directed his first official communication to the minis- ter of relations on March 2d. It promised a detailed report to be presented a little later; contained a warn- ing of impending danger from foreign aggression and internal troubles; recommended the sending of a force of 700 or 800 veteran soldiers, properly equipped and provided for, to protect the department; and insisted on the prompt payment, sin excusa ni pretesto alguno, of the $8,000 per month assigned for the support of the troops already there.25

In the extra session of March 30th, the diputado presented an able argument on the topic of missions and the pious fund, in opposition to the reports of cer- tain committees. He declared California to be "a rough diamond, requiring only application to the lapi- dary's wheel to adorn the aureola of Anáhuac with a jewel of the most beautiful splendor"! Missionary work must be a prominent element in the polishing process; and the fund must be devoted in good faith to California, in accordance with the wishes of the

24 Castañares, Coleccion de Documentos Relativos al Departamento de Cali- ¿fornias, Publicados por el Ciudadano Manuel Castañares, Diputado al Con- greso General por aquel Departamento. Mexico, 1845, Svo, 70 p. The latest communication in the collection bears date of July 17, 1845, but though pub- lished in 1845 and containing information about events of the first part of that year, I choose to notice this book as belonging to 1844. The letters of Mexican officials all speak of Castañares in flattering terms. Tornel says: 'El celo de V. por el bien, felicidad, y adelanto de las Californias que digna- mente representa, es imponderable, segun me consta en el largo tiempo que desempefié el ministerio de guerra, y en el cual dia por dia concurria V. con- migo, esforzando la justicia de que aquel precioso departamento no fuese abandonado á su suerte ... jamas ha abandonado su noble propósito y en cl congreso, en el gabinete, en la opinion pública, y en todos los medios imagina- bles, ha llenado perfectamente sus deberes.' The others, all men with whom Castañares had come constantly in contact in his efforts in the different de- partments, wrote in terms no less positive and favorable.

2} 'Porcion de intereses encontrados; un refinado provincialismo aumen- tado por el racional sentimiento del abandono con que se ha visto á aquel departamento, y algunas faltas graves cometidas por individuos de los que componen la espedicion militar que marchó á las órdenes del Exmo Sr Gen. D. Manuel Micheltorena, son suficientes elementos, entre otros, para temer el trastorno de su tranquilidad interior.' Castañares to min. of rel., Mar. 2d, 1844, in Id., Col. Doc., 10. He insists that if troops are sent, provision must be made for their support, as the country cannot and will not support them.

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MICHELTORENA'S RULE-POLITICAL AFFAIRS.

founders-yet not exactly as it had been applied be- fore. For, as Castañares maintained most ingeniously and eloquently, under the old mission system the Ind- ians had neither become christianized nor civilized, but had rather been enslaved, retaining their idolatry, but losing their native freedom and wild dignity; and therefore the fund of course had not been used accord- ing to the wishes of its generous founders. Those wishes must not be interpreted too literally; for the catechism was not the only means of conversion and civilization, a still more effective one being "the inti- mate contact of the barbarian with the man of culture, of the idolater with the Christian." There was no better way to elevate the Indians than to encourage the development of prosperity and culture among the gente de razon. Therefore, and this was the objec- tive point of all Don Manuel's reasoning, the admin- istration of the pious fund should not be intrusted exclusively to the bishop, but should be controlled to some extent by the departmental government. It is needless to add that Castañares' eloquence in this direction, did not practically enrich the Californian treasury.26

In June we have three communications from the congressman in print, from which it appears that he complained of not having been heard in a cabinet meeting as promised; that he sought and obtained an interview with President Santa Anna; announced the arrival of the California schooner, with Captain Flores as a commissioner in quest of succor, complaining that the vessel had been sent back with mere de- spatches instead of the material aid so urgently needed; laid before the government some private letters from his constituents, including an account .of the outrage by the cholos on Pierre Atillan; and finally declared that the Californians would surely revolt if not re- lieved.27 In August an announcement that the Cali-

26 Castañares' speech of March 30th in congress. Id., Col. Doc., 11-15.

27 'By what I have said, your Excellency will see that the condition of the

415

CALIFORNIA IN MEXICO.

fornia schooner had returned to Acapulco; a new warning of impending invasion by the United States; and a new appeal for the money that had been prom- ised, and the men and arms and munitions that were required for defence. The reply of August 16th was that the government would attend to California as soon as it could free itself from the more urgent Texan question.

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History of California, Volume IV, Part 42

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 820

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 820