History of California, Volume XXII, Part 6

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816

USA > California > History of California, Volume XXII > Part 6

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

POLITICAL AND MILITARY.

terey officers approve the new plan, and recognize the new president, but they protested against the acts of the late administration; and as one of these acts had been the confirmation of Pico as governor, it was feared that this was the objective point of the whole movement. Respecting the reception of this act of the junta by Pico and the assembly early in June, I shall have something to say later.22

After having performed its supposed duties toward the nation, the junta of Monterey turned its attention to affairs at home, and the decision reached on April 11th was as follows: 1st, that Castro's presence was indispensable in the northern towns, which must be fortified and defended; 2d, that Pico should be invited to come to Monterey and take part in the salvation of the department; 3d, that if, as was improbable, Pico should not accept the invitation, the general might act as seemed best, and establish his headquarters at Santa Clara; 4th, that this arrangement should last until the coming of the orders and resources solicited from Mexico through Cas- tillero.23 The governor's reply to this act was a violent protest against it, as "an assumption of patriot- ism for the purpose of paralyzing the administration and disturbing the peace." He also expressed great displeasure at the part taken by the prefect in this scandalous subversion of order and law.24 He con- tinued his protests in a private letter to Vallejo,

22 May 7th, action of Monterey ayunt. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 201-2. May 7th, Gen. Castro to prefect. Castro, Dor., MS., ii. 81, 84. May Sth, action of custom-house officers. Dor. Ilist. Cal., MS., iii. 204. May 8th, 9th, prefect to Gen. Castro. Id., iii. 203, 205; May 9th, prefect to juez of S. José. S. José, Arch., Loose Pap., MS., 58. May 12th, 13th, prefect vs general. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 209; Castro, Doc., MS., ii. 94. May 13th, Gen. Castro to Pico, urging him to accept the plan. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 52-3. May 16th, 17th, juez of S. José to prefect. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 219, 225. Sce also Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., v. 130-2; Castro, Rel., MS., 175-6.

23 April 11th, acta of junta de militares in Monterey. Dept. St. Pap., 'MS., vii. 50-1. Signed by Castro, Vallejo, Alvarado, Prudon, Carrillo, and Manuel Castro.

24 April 30th, Pico to the Castros. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 190. He begs Gen. C. to desist from his project, and to unite with him in the country's defence.

VALLEJO AND PICO-GUERRA'S MISSION.

insisting that the junta had merely called upon the people to join Castro in a struggle against the legitimate authorities, and had ignored not only the governor, but the assembly, and even the whole south. He regretted deeply that so true a patriot as Vallejo should have been induced to take part in a measure so ruinous to his country; and he even carried his flattery so far as to say that the junta ought to have made Vallejo general in the place of Castro, and to hint at rewards for the colonel's favor in the final distribution of mission property. 25 Vallejo's reply was to point out in a long and friendly letter the groundless nature of Pico's suspicions. He maintained that the danger of foreign invasion in the north was real and imminent; that the junta had acted in good faith and with no partisan views whatever; that neither the council of officers nor Castro in this instance had in any respect exceeded their legitimate powers; and that it would be an absurdity to require a comandante general to consult a governor two hundred leagues away in a case of emergency. Vallejo made it very clear, in language forcible but friendly, that Pico at this stage of the quarrel had allowed his prejudice to get the better of his reason, and had assumed a position utterly untenable.26

At the end of April, apparently before receiving Pico's protests, Castro addressed to the governor a letter in support of the measures decided upon, urging that only by working in accord was there any hope of averting calamity, and that the time had now come when all personal and local differences should be put aside. Pablo de la Guerra was sent as commissioner to Los Angeles to explain the situation,27 and to obtain at the least an interview between the two chiefs at San Luis Obispo.28 Guerra was introduced, and Cas-

23 May 2d, P. to V. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxiv. 196; xii. 204.

26 June Ist, V. to P., in Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 219.

27 April 27th, 28th, C. to P. Doc. IFist. Cal., MS., iv. 1178-80; Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 53.

28 May 10th, Ilth, letters from both Jose and Manuel Castro to Pico, urg-

POLITICAL AND MILITARY.

tro's communication was read, to the assembly at the session of May 11th; but the only result-when Guerra had explained his business, and Juan Bandini had made a speech bitterly denunciatory of Castro's acts in general, and of his present assurance in venturing to instruct the governor and assembly on the true condition of the department-was that Pico was granted permission, should he deem the matter of sufficient importance, to leave the capital .??

It was probably the holding of a junta at Monterey, as just recorded, that prompted the southern politi- cians to organize a somewhat similar meeting of their own. Early in March, Juan Bandini had proposed a 'consejo general de pueblos unidos de la Alta Califor- nia;' but the scheme, after some discussion in April, had not met with much favor, and had been, perhaps, practically abandoned. It was revived, however, on the arrival of Pablo de la Guerra, and, as the latter claimed, at his instigation, in accordance with the ideas of Castro and his friends in the north; but it seems certain, from preceding and subsequent circumstances, that such could not have been the origin of the plan.31 Everything points to it as a phase of the quarrel be- tween governor and general, designed as a southern measure to counterbalance the junta of Monterey.

ing him to eonsent to a conference at San Luis, to lay aside personal resent- ments, and not to add the danger of civil war to that of foreign invasion. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 206; Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Pref. y Juzg., MS., ii. 86-8. May 25th, alcalde of S. José to prefect, on military preparations. People here have as yet taken no part with Gen. Castro. He seems to hint that there is some concealed plan in connection with the preparations. Dor. Ilist. Cal., MS., iii. 233.

29 May 11th. Leg. Rec., MS., iv. 337-41. It was at the same session that Castro's treatment of Francisco de la Guerra was reported, a fact that did not put the abajenos in a very friendly mood.

30 March 21, April 22d, 29th. Leg. Rec., MS., iv. 317-18; Dept. St. Pap .. MS., viii. 96, 99-104, 122-5.

31 Pablo de la Guerra, in an original blotter letter without date-but prob- ably written in his own defence in later years-says that he suggested to Cas- tro the idea of independence, which was favored also by Vallejo and Alvarado; and he was sent south to advance the scheme, and succeeded in obtaining the call for a consejo-but on his return found that C'astro had changed his mind. Doc, Hist. C'al., MS., iv. 1299-1300. As Guerra's mission to Angeles is other- wise clearly accounted for, and his cool reception by the assembly recorded, I cannot place much reliance on this version of the matter.

THE PROPOSED CONSEJO GENERAL.

On May 13th the assembly took up and approved the committee report of April 22d, on Bandini's prop- osition of March 2d; and on the same day it was published in a bando by Pico. In a preamble the condition and prospects of California were presented in the darkest colors; and two important questions were suggested respecting emergencies likely to arise: Ist, what are the means of defence if a foreign inva- sion precedes the coming of aid from Mexico? and 2d, should troops come from Mexico without provision for their support, what would be the consequences to Cal- ifornians? The decree provided that a consejo general, composed of eighteen delegates to be elected on May 30th-four each from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Monterey; two each from San Diego and San José; and one each from Sonoma and San Francisco- together with the six vocales of the assembly as speak- ing and voting members, and with such ecclesiastical and military representatives, not exceeding five each, as the respective authorities might deem proper to ad- mit-should meet at Santa Barbara June 15th, under the presidency of the governor-twelve elected dele- gates to constitute a quorum-with the object of "de- termining all that may be deemed best to avoid the fatal events impending at home and abroad." 32

Elections were held as ordered in the north, though most of the delegates chosen declined to serve, either on account of one or another disability, or because they did not approve the objects of the council.33 Doubtless elections were also held in the south,

32 Consejo General de Pueblos Unidos de California, Bando de 13 de Mayo, 1846, MS. Details of the 10 articles, on elcctions aud petty matters of or- ganization and routine, etc., are omitted as of no importance. May 13th, Pico to both José and Manuel Castro, urging the importance of the proposed consejo. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 2-3; Castro, Doe., MIS., ii. 89-90.

33 The delegates chosen were, for Monterey, Manuel Castro, Rafael Gon- zalez, Francisco Rico, and Rafael Sanchez; for S. José, Antonio Suñol and Jesus Vallejo; for Yerba Buena, Benito Diaz; and for Sonoma, Victor Prudon. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 229, 238-47; Castro, Doc., MS., ii. 73, 100; Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 210, 216; xxxiv. 197, 201; Fernandez, Doc., MS., 13. Rico, Vallejo, Suñol, and Prudon declined-the latter declaring it would be treason to accept; while Gonzalez and Sanchez referred the matter to Gen. Castro, which was equivalent to declining.

POLITICAL AND MILITARY.

though I find no records. The missionary prelate was invited to name the ecclesiastical delegates, but de- clined for want of padres, and because he questioned the propriety of their taking part in politics.34 Castro refused to appoint the military delegates, or to have anything whatever to do with a project which he de- nounced, in terms even more violent than those ap- plied by Pico to the action of the Monterey junta, as ruinous, treasonable, illegal, preposterous, and 'liber- tycidal'! He protested, in the name of God, the coun- try, and his armed force, against the holding of the consejo and all aets that might emanate from such a body. He besought the governor to retrace his steps while there was yet time, announced his purpose to defend the country at all hazards, and finally declared the department in a state of siege and under martial law.33 He did not condescend to give any definite reasons for his opposition; but in reality he opposed the consejo mainly because he and his friends could not control it, the south having a majority of the elec- tive delegates, besides the members of the assembly, who were all abajenos. Vallejo in a letter to Pico based his opposition openly on that ground, declaring the whole scheme a very transparent trick against the north, and pointing out the injustice of giving San Diego two delegates, while San Rafael, Sonoma, and New Helvetia combined were to have but one. 36

: Arch. Arzob., MS., v. pt ii. 68-9. P. Duran was applied to, but he was ill, and P. Gonzalez replied instead.

33 May 28th, Castro's protest. Original iu Soberanes, Doc., MS., 316-20. June 8th, more to same effect. Bandini, Doc., MS., 73; Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 21-4. 'I see with astonishment the libel aborted in the govt house at Augeles on May 13th, under the title of decree. Never could the insaue hydra of discord have ejected a more destructive flame than that of this abominable paper. Are its authors Mexicaus?'

36 June Ist, V. to P. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 219. Osio, Hist. Cal., MS., 456, thinks Castillero's influence prevented the meeting, that officer fearing that it might result in a reconciliation between Castro and Pico. Vallejo, Hist. C'al., MS., v. 92-3, is of opinion that had the juuta been held Pico would have tried through its agency to raise troops and funds for an attack on Castro. May 30th, Manuel Castro urges José Castro to appoint military delegates to the junta, aud to have an interview with Pico. Soberanes, Doc., MIS., 322-5. May 30th, 31st, Gonzalez and Sanchez, delegates elect, ask advice of Castro, and express suspicion as to the purpose of the junta. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 211, 214.

NORTH VERSUS SOUTH.

The purposes of Pico and his friends in convoking the council of Santa Bárbara were doubtless some- what vague, the only definite phase of the matter be- ing a determination that whatever was done for the salvation of the country must be done under southern control. It was believed, however, that an influence would be brought to bear in favor of independence from Mexico; and it was also suspected that certain men would go so far as to urge an English or French protectorate. This suspicion, not altogether without foundation, will be noticed more fully in the next chapter. Whatever may have been its object, the con- sejo never met, the decree of May 13th having been suspended by the assembly the 3d of June.37 No defi- nite reason was assigned for this action; but at the same session was announced the declaration of the Monterey junta in favor of Paredes;38 and a commu- nication from Castro was also read, in which he an- nounced the imminence of an attack by Fremont, and urged the governor to come north. Moreover, the re- fusal of the northerners to take part in the consejo rendered it impossible to obtain a quorum according to the terms of the call.

Pico and his advisers regarded the acts of the Mon- terey junta in favor of Paredes and against Herrera, in connection with the refusal of the arribeños to assist in the consejo, as virtually a declaration of war against the south, and especially against the civil au- thorities; and they gave little or no credence to the rumors of impending invasion by Fremont, regarding

37 Leg. Rec., MS., iv. 352-3; Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 20. Doc. in Pico, Acont., MS., 83-4; Coronel, Doc., MS., 243-5. The southern delegates were ordered not to go to Sta Bárbara.

38 June 12th, Abel Stearns writes to Larkin: 'The asamblea by act have deferred the junta that wasto take place at Sta B. on the 15th. The cause of this was the act passed by the said-to-be junta de guerra held at Monterey, in which they declare the decrees and acts of the govt of Sr Herrera relative to Cal. to be null; thus indirectly declaring against the gov. of this dept, and other acts or decrees of the general govt favorable to the civil list, which prob- ably does not very well coincide with the interest of the military gentlemen your way.' Larkin's Doc., MS., iv. 131.

POLITICAL AND MILITARY.

them, and also the efforts to secure the governor's presence in the north, as mere pretexts on the part of Castro, whose plan was to depose Pico by the aid of the force raised ostensibly to resist Frémont. These fears, greatly exaggerated if not altogether without foundation, were doubtless real on the part of the abajeño chiefs. They at once resolved to assume the offensive instead of awaiting an attack, using both force and stratagem. Pico was to adopt Castro's own devices; to raise a military force with which ostensi- bly to resist foreign invasion; to march northward in pretended compliance with the general's invitation ; but eventually to forcibly remove that officer from the command. In the session of June 3d, besides deferring the meeting of the Santa Barbara council, the assem- bly authorized the governor to take such steps as might be necessary to "save the country." This in open session; but in secret session that body passed a decree formally suspending General Castro until pub- lic tranquillity should be restored.30

In pursuance of the scheme just noted, Pico took steps to raise funds by methods elosely resembling forced loans. He called on Sonoran and New Mexi- can visitors to unite with Californians in support of so holy a cause, and wrote to Juan Bandini, soliciting his presence and cooperation at Angeles. The 16th of June he left the capital with a military force. Three days later he was at San Buenaventura with eighty men, expecting to be joined by thirty more at Santa Barbara, where he arrived on or before June 21st, and where two days later he was destined to re- eeive some startling news from Sonoma. Pico's let- ters of these times describe himself and his men as enthusiastic and confident of success. They are filled with denunciations of Castro's treachery and lack of patriotism, and announce as certain Castro's intention

39 This action is not recorded in the Leg. Rec., as now extant; but is men- tioned in an original letter of Pico to Bandini on the same day, June 3d, Bundini, Doc., MS., 72; and it is indirectly confirmed, as will be seen, in subsequent records.

PICO MARCHES NORTH.

to invade the south at the head of an army, urging upon citizens and legislators the necessity of active measures, military and political, for sectional, depart- mental, and national defence.40

Pico had left the capital in charge of the ayuntami- ento, the duties of which body were not very arduous

40 May 26th, Pico to Bandini, urging his presence as member of the as- semby. He declares that Garfias, Eguren, and other officers in the south were summoned north, not, as pretended, to serve against Frémont, but to sign the acta of the junta. Bandini, Doc., MS., 71. May 30th, sub-prefect of Sta B. refuses to recognize Capt. Cota's fuero militar, in spite of Castro's orders. Cota, Doc., MS., 19-20. May 30th, assembly (or ayunt. ? ) decrees that traders in the capital shall furnish 83,000 within 5 days. Dept. St. Pap., MS., viii. 135. Gov. wants a loan from Figueroa, Temple, and Vignes. Id .. vii. 25. No date, assembly not being in session, the sub-prefect with Pres. Figueroa takes measures for protection of the capital, in view of Castro's communications. /d., viii. 141. June 3d, Pico calls upon Sonorans to aid against Americans. Id., viii. 135. June 3d, Pico to Bandini. Will start on the 12th; hopes to meet him before that date. Bandini, Doc., MS., 72. June 3d, Wilson to Bandini. All recognize him (B.) as the only man who can save the country from a foreign yoke. Id., SI. . June 12th, comandante prin- cipal at Angeles to Capt. Andrés Pico, transmitting gov.'s official note of same date. Dept in danger from quasi invasion by U. S. Asks that all army officers be placed at his disposal, to command the troops about to march to the north. Pico, Doc., MS., 97-100. June 12th, Pico to Ist judge of S. Luis Obispo. Will start at once for the north to restore order and defend the country. Asks for cooperation of all good citizens. S. Luis Obispo, Arch., MS., 12. June 13th, Comandante Eguren to Capt. Andrés Pico. Orders him to proceed to Mont. under the gov.'s orders. Pico, Doc., MS., ii. SI. June 13th, Eguren to Pico, announcing his orders to Andrés. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 58. June 13th, Wilson, from Jurupa, to gov. Sends 10 New Mexicans, all he can find. Id., Ben. Pref. y Juzg., ii. 46. June 16th, Pico sold city lands for $200 to raise money for his expedition. Los Angeles, Ayunt. Rec., MS., 16. June 16th, Anast. Carrillo advises Pico not to go north. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 119. June 16th, Pico to start to-day. Id., Angeles, xi. 175; Los Angeles, Arch., MS., v. 349. June 16th, ayunt. regrets his departure. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Pref. y Juzg., MS., iv. 54. June 19th, Pico from S. Buenaventura to Bandini. Has just received a despatch from Castro, whose conduct he pronounces as 'insulting, profane, and outrageous.' He must be denounced and punished. Come to Angeles at once to aid in the good work, and bring Arguello with you. Bandini, Doc., MS., 76. June 19th, Pico to the assembly, transmitting Castro's despatch of June Sth-his protest against the consejo, and threat to declare the dept in a state of siege and under mar- tial law-protesting and urging the assembly to protest against such arbitrary and outrageous proceedings, to which he proposes to put a stop immediately. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 23-6, with Castro's despatch. Id., vii. 21-4. June 21st, Pico's sec. to sub-prefect. The gov. doubts not Castro's seditious in- tentions, nor that he is now on his march to invade Angeles; but will crush the hydra. Id., vii. 27. Some general accounts and remarks on the contro- versy between Pico and Castro, adding nothing to the contemporary corresp. Nearly all agree that down to the last each was resolved to overthrow the other. Castro, Rel., MS., 173-5, 181-4; Alvarado, Ilist. Cal., MS., v. 129, 150-6; Pico, Ilist. Cal., MS., 139-48; Botello. Anales, MS., 134-S; Coronel, Cosas, MIS., 122; Bidwell's Cal. 1841-8, MS., 147-9; Tuthill's Hist. Cal., 151. HIST. CAL., VOL. V. 4

POLITICAL AND MILITARY.

for the first few days;" but on June 20th there came a report through Juan Gallardo that Castro was com- ing to attack the town within three days at furthest; and formidable preparations for defence were at once made-on paper. The alarm was abated next day, when it was learned that Castro was at least much farther away than had been reported;42 but it was re- newed with all its terrors on the 22d, when Pico's letter was received, with Castro's protest and declara- tion of martial law, and a report, brought by an Eng- lish vessel, that Castro had been in Monterey on the 14th with seventy men, but had disappeared the next morning, presumably on his way to Angeles. The sub-prefect, Abel Stearns, at the invitation of Presi- dent Figueroa of the assembly, convoked a junta of the citizens, native and foreign, at his house; and a committee of that junta proceeded to prepare a series of resolutions strongly condemnatory of Castro's arbi- trary attempts "to erect an absolute dictatorship to the prejudice of all guaranties," expressive of a pref- erence "to perish under the ruins of the patria rather than let it become the sport of evil-disposed persons;" and, what was more to the point, declaratory of their purpose to resist by force Castro's entry into the city.43 The resolutions were approved by about eighty citizens, of whom twenty-five were foreigners; and the methods of defence were left to the ayuntamiento. This body on the 23d issued regulations organizing the citizens into three companies, one of artillery under Miguel Pryor, another of riflemen under Benito

4) June 16th, session of the ayunt. A list of respectable citizens to be formed, and other measures to be adopted for the preservation of order. Los Angeles, Arch., MS., v. 349-50.

42 Los Angeles, Arch., MS., v. 353; Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 4-6; Id., Ben. Pref. y Jung., ii. 161.

13 June 22d, Stearns to foreigners. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 6. Report of the committee, consisting of Requena, Figueroa, Botello, Temple, and Work- man, with a long list of signers, in Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 62-5; Id., Ben. Pref. y Juzg., ii. 163-5; Los Angeles, Arch., MS., iii. 31-6. Stearns to Pico, with the resolutions. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Pref. y Juzg., MS., ii. 162-3. Id. to ayunt. Los Angeles, Arch., MS .. iii. 16-17; Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., xi. 175-8.

ANGELES WILL RESIST INVASION.

Wilson, and a third of cavalry under Jorge Palomares. Next day Julian Workman was chosen comandante principal of all the forces.44

Juan Bandini, despite his illness, came up to the capital from San Diego to join his voice to the current denunciations of Castro, as "a man who under pretence of saving California seeks to tyrannically subdue and trample on her."45 He also seems to have devoted his energies to the preparation of an elaborate address to the people, intended to be published by the assen- bly at the proper time as a defence of its action in de- posing Castro. This document-never issued so far as I know, but the original blotter of which in Don Juan's handwriting exists in my collection-was a long, fierce, and declamatory denunciation of all that the general had done. It was filled with the most bitter abuse of Castro in respect not only of his public acts, but of his private character. The conclusion reached was that the assembly could no longer recognize the authority of so vicious and ignorant and incapable and tyrannical a monster, trusting that all patriotic citizens would approve that determination. The violence of this effusion was as absurd as that of Castro's protest against the consejo-which is saying a good deal.46

Of Castro's operations in June little can be defi- nitely known, beyond the fact that he was at Santa Clara and San Juan, visiting also Monterey and So- noma, engaged in not very successful efforts to raise men for the alleged purpose of resisting foreign inva- sion, and greatly annoyed by Pico's refusal to coöper-

"June 23d-24th, regulations by ayunt., and Workman's election. 50 men are also to be sent to reënforce Pico. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 7-8; Lov Angeles, Arch., MS., v. 354. June 26th, S. Diego sends approval of the action against Castro. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 85, with a similar approval from the sub-prefect of Sta B., dated June 27th.

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History of California, Volume XXII, Part 6

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885-1890 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 816

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816