History of California, Volume XXII, Part 7

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

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45 June 23d, B. to Pico. Bandini, Doc., MS., 80.

46 No date. Bandini, Doc., MS., 58. In Id., 101, is an undated decree of the assembly, ignoring Castro's authority, and authorizing the use of force against him and his men if they would not lay down their arms. This may be the decree already referred to, or it may be a supplementary one proposed by Bandini.

POLITICAL AND MILITARY.

ate with him. The records are meagre, and do not show either the number or organization of the forces under his command; neither do they throw much light on his real plans. In his despatch of June 8th, after an absurdly violent protest against the proposed con- sejo, the general proceeded to urge upon the governor the importance of coming north to aid in the work of defence, and concluded as follows: "I have notified you over and over again of the risk which the coun- try runs, and of the necessity of taking steps for its defence; but, with regret that I cannot count on your cooperation for that sacred object, and as the integ- rity of this part of the republic is exclusively intrusted to me, I shall be absolutely compelled to declare the department in a state of siege, and the martial law in full force-a legal resource employed in such circum- stances by all the peoples of the universe."47 All this was reasonable enough on its face, and afforded no cause for the ridiculous ravings of Pico and Bandini ; yet these gentlemen believed that Castro was devot- ing his whole attention, with the aid of Alvarado and others, to plots against the civil government, regard- ing his preparations against foreign aggression as a mere pretence. It is difficult to determine what were Castro's plans at this time. He was not a man in whose favor much could be said at any stage of his career, or in whose good faith much reliance could be placed. If in the latest phases of the controversy he showed to better advantage than his rival, it was due more to circumstances and to Pico's folly than to any merit of his own. It is certain that he hated Pico, and would not have scrupled to use force against him. Had Pico come north in response to his invitation, Castro would probably have arrested and deposed, if he could not control him. Yet it would have been difficult to obtain men for a successful attack on the governor or the capital, and I do not think the gen- eral thought of such an expedition in June, if he had

47 June 8th, C. to P. from Sta Clara. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 24.

STARTLING NEWS.

before. Moreover, his fears of foreign invasion were by no means a pretence at this time, after Frémont's operations in March, and his return from Oregon at the end of May.49

I have thus brought the political annals of 1846, that is, the controversy of Pico versus Castro, down to the dates on which the capture of Sonoma by the Americans was made known to the different factions: to the citizens of Angeles on June 24th, when they were valiantly arming to resist an attack from a foe hundreds of miles away, with no intention so far as can be known of coming nearer; to Pico at Santa Bárbara on June 23d, when he was nearly ready to march northward with his army against the general; and to Castro at Santa Clara on June 15th, when he was preparing to resist whatever foes might present themselves, native or foreign. The effect of the star- tling news on the actions of the hostile chieftains must be told in later chapters.

48 There were suspicions of some hidden purpose on Castro's part, even in the north, as appears from Dolores Pacheco's communications to the prefect, in Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 251-2. Com. Carrillo writes of pasquinades posted at Sta Clara against Castro and other leaders. S. José, Arch., Loose Pap., MS., 4. June 8th, Castro sends some miltary orders to Angeles, and asks Pico's cooperation. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 57-8.

CHAPTER III. FOREIGN RELATIONS-UNITED STATES AND ENGLAND.

JANUARY-JUNE, 1846.

LARKIN AS U. S. CONFIDENTIAL AGENT-HIS INSTRUCTIONS-CORRESPOND- ENCE-FEARS OF INVASION-TREATMENT OF FOREIGNERS-FREMONT'S OPERATIONS IN MARCH-LARKIN'S EFFORTS AND HOPES-MONTEREY JUNTA-IMAGINARY SPEECHES FOR ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND THE U. S .- STEARNS, LEESE, AND WARNER-SUTTER'S POLICY-CONSEJO GENERAL AT SANTA BARBARA, AND ITS BEARING ON FOREIGN SCHEMES -VIEWS OF STEARNS AND LARKIN-PICO'S INTRIGUES-EXAGGERATIONS ON ENOLISH INTERFERENCE-TESTIMONY OF GILLESPIE AND MINOR-POSITION OF FORBES AND SPENCE-STEARNS AS SUB-AGENT OF THE U. S .- CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN JUNE-GENERAL CONCLUSIONS.

YET once again have I to go over the early months of 1846 before describing the revolt which in June served as a prelude to the downfall of Mexican rule. It will be my purpose in this chapter, largely by extracts from correspondence of the time, to show what was done and said, what was feared and hoped, in California respecting an anticipated change of flag; and I shall also notice as an important phase of the same general subject the feeling and policy of native citizens and authorities toward foreign residents and immigrants.

Thomas O. Larkin was a very prominent man in connection with the matters to which I have just re- ferred, being constantly engaged in active efforts to secure California for the United States and to defeat the schemes, real or imaginary, of European nations supposed to be intriguing for the same prize. In October 1845 Larkin had been appointed a confi- ( 54 )

LARKIN AS CONFIDENTIAL AGENT.

dential agent of his government for the critical period believed to be approaching. His instructions, prefaced by a definite statement of the administration's policy, were, in brief, to report fully and often on the country, its resources and condition, the character and influ- ence and political disposition of its leading citizens, and on the general progress of events; to warn the people against the evils of European interference, which would be disastrous to their true interests, and would not be permitted by the United States; to impress upon the Californians the advantages of lib- erty as enjoyed under the stars and stripes, assuring them that, could they but assert and maintain their independence from Mexico, they would be welcomed as a sister republic or as a component part of the great union; and finally, to do all this with such pru- dence and skill as not to awaken suspicion or the jealousy of the men who represented other powers.1 Whatever view may be taken of President Polk's general policy respecting California, it must be ad- mitted that this peculiar appointment conferred upon a foreign consul, when regarded from the highest standpoint of international honor, reflected no credit upon the government at Washington; and it is not surprising that the act has never been made known to the public.

Larkin did not receive or know of his appointment until April; but he acted much as he would have done had he received it earlier. On the 1st of January he transferred his mercantile business to Talbot H. Green;2 and thereafter devoted much of his time to

1 Buchanan's Instructions of the Secretary of State to Thomas O. Larkin as Confidential Agent of the United States Government, Oct. 17, 1845. Original MS. 'In addition to your consular functions, the president has thought proper to appoint you a confidential agent in Cal .; and you may consider the present despatch as your authority for acting in this character. The confi- dence which he reposes in your patriotism and discretion is evinced by con- ferring upon you this delicate and important trust. You will take care not to awaken the jealousy of the French and English agents there by assuming any other than your consular character.' Larkin's compensation was to be $6 per day; and Gillespie was to cooperate with him. See quotations from this document in chap. xxv. of vol. iv., and chap. i. of this vol.

2Jan. 1, 1846, contract between L. and G. The latter was to take charge

FOREIGN RELATIONS-U. S. AND ENGLAND.

his consular duties, and in a quiet way to the work of conciliating Californian sentiment and of watching the other consuls, there existing naturally no definite record of his earliest efforts in this direction. Nor were there any important developments or even rumors connected with foreign relations in January and February; though I may notice a warning sent to the supreme government by Prefect Castro respect- ing the dangerous increase of immigration; some complaints of local authorities about the freedom with which some of last year's immigrants moved about the country under passes from Sutter; a few vague items that may relate to intrigues for English inter- vention; and a letter of a prominent Californian, in which he alludes to Hastings' book, and says: "The idea of those gentlemen is that God made the world and them also; therefore, what there is in the world belongs to them as sons of God"!3

of store, warehouses, etc., and $10,000 worth of goods; and to conduct the business for three years, receiving one third of the profits. Larkin's Doc., MS., iv. 1.

3Jan. 24th, Sub-prefect Guerrero to prefect. Has tried to get the book- in which the Californians are said to be abused-but has not succeeded, though offering $20. Castro, Doc., MS., i. 311. In Feb., however, he got a copy and sent it to Castro. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 95. Jan. 2d, G. to Lar- kin, asking him to cause his countrymen who have entered illegally to retire, if he has jurisdiction in such matters. Larkin's Doc., MS., iv. 5. Jan. 8th, Gov. Pico calls upon the prefect for a report on the immigrants of the past year. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 21. Jan. 22d, Guerrero to prefect. What shall he do with the strangers coming from the Sacramento? Thirty arrived yesterday. Can Sutter issue passports? Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 77. More arrivals. Castro, Doc., MS., ii. 12. Jan. 29th, 30th, prefect to sup. govt, and to gov. Speaks of the 200 armed foreigners who had entered illegally, and of the much larger number expected this year; has no doubt the intention is to take possession of the country, the intrusion being probably instigated by the U. S .; speaks of the general's permission to the immigrants to remain through the winter; sends some statistics and names; and urges the necessity of protective measures. Dor. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 90, 121; Dept. St. Pap .. MS., vi. 105-6. Feb. 18th, Pico in reply agrees with the prefect's views, and recommends a strict watch. Understands that Castro's promise was only conditional, and will 'order ' that officer to cooperate. It is important to sat- isfy the national govt. that we are doing all we can. Castro, Doc., MS., ii. 15. Feb. 15th, Francisco Arce writes to Vallejo that the continual irruption of foreign adventurers will end, if no check can be put to the abuse, in the country falling into the hands of those audacious people who, not content with the generous hospitality extended to them, 'advance more and more in their design to destroy our political system and deprive us of our native country.' Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 184. In Guerrero's letters of Jan .- Feb. to Manuel Castro, he alludes in a somewhat mysterious way to Consul Forbes in connection with the departure of Pico's comisionado, Covarrubias, for Mex-

FEARS OF ENCROACHMENT.

The Californian authorities were naturally alarmed at the presence of so many armed Americans in the north at a time when war was regarded as imminent ; and they felt impelled as Mexican officials to exhibit more alarm than they really felt. Moreover, the gov- ernor and prefect were disposed to criticise the per- mission accorded to the immigrants of 1845, simply because it was Castro that granted it. But it is no- ticeable that no practical steps were taken, and no real disposition was shown, either to oppress foreign residents, or even to enforce the going of the new- comers who had promised to depart in the spring if required to do so. In the records of these two months we have nothing but the old hackneyed official expres- sions of the evils likely to arise from the increase of American immigration; and in the following months no change in this respect was observable.4

ico, seeming to indicate, though there is nothing clear, an understanding with Forbes respecting a scheme of some importance in connection with Co- varrubias' mission. Castro, Doc., MS., i. 262, 313; ii. 12. This may possibly have a bearing on the traditionary English schemes of this year, in connection with Pio Pico's statement, Ilist. Cal., MS., 136-7, that Covarrubias was in- structed to apply to the commander of some English vessel for protection if he could get no aid from Mexico. Pico claims also that he made many efforts to secure a conference with Castro, with a view to declare the country's inde- pendence, a step that was prevented by the general's jealous fears:

4 March 2, 1846, Pico to the assembly. Complains that through the 'tol- erance or dissimulation' of certain parties-that is, Castro and the military authorities-Mexican orders and his own instructions to prevent the illegal entry of overland immigrants have not been carried out. Olvera, Doc., MS., 13-14. March 4th, Justice Bolcof of Sta Cruz laments the injury done by foreign lumbermen, who refuse to pay taxes. April 5th, Justice Pacheco at S. José complains at great length of the foreigners who, just because they have married and obtained naturalization, put themselves on a level with and even above the natives. See the Sainsevain mill affair in the local annals of S. José. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 158. Complaint that the true faith has been insulted by Sutter and Forbes. Dept. St. Pap., MS., viii. 127. April 17th, Sub-prefect Guerrero again wants to know what to do with the foreign- ers who swarm at Yerba Buena. Their number is continually increased by deserters, who do not mind the penalty of public works, eating more than they earn. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 176. April 17th, order to sub-prefects, etc., that foreigners not naturalized cannot hold lands, no matter how ac- quired, that alcaldes must enforce this, and make the foreigners understand it, and also that they are liable to be expelled from the country whenever the govt may see fit to require it. Id., iii. 175. Same sent to Larkin by sub-pre- fect on April 30th. Larkin's Doc., MS., iv. 109. Same to Leidesdorff April 30tlı. Sawyer's Doc., MS., 36-7. This is the nearest approximation to the order, mentioned by many Bear Flag men, expelling all Americans from the country, and causing them to rise in self-defence! May 23th, Vallejo to Cas- tro. Learns that in July 2,000 American families will arrive. Something

FOREIGN RELATIONS-U. S. AND ENGLAND.

Frémont's operations in March, as detailed in a former chapter, had no other effect than to stir up ill feeling between the Californians andAmericans; the former being surprised and offended by so grievous an outrage coming from an officer of a government in whose paternal solicitude for their welfare and earnest desire for their favor they were being urged by Larkin and others to trust; while the latter, in certain sections, by distorted and false versions of the affair, were made to believe, or obtained a pretext for asserting, that Castro and his men were determined to drive Ameri- cans from the country. This was a serious obstacle to Larkin's plans. He could but disapprove Fremont's policy, yet as consul, not knowing under what instruc- tions that officer was acting, he afforded him all pos- sible aid, and prepared for possible contingencies by sending down the coast for a man-of-war; but after Frémont had been brought to his senses by reflection and the consul's advice and Castro's military prepara- tions, Larkin did not yet despair of success and hast- ened to assure his government that there was no real hostility on the part of the Californians, who were in their turn asked to believe that all had been an error. which should cause no interruption of friendly feelings. To the secretary of state he wrote that Castro's acts against Frémont had been intended chiefly for effect in Mexico, and that for the same purpose a commis- sioner was to be sent with the unfounded reports that Frémont's men were joining the Indians for an attack on the farms, that the settlers were about to take possession of a northern town, and that Hastings was laying out a town for the Mormons at New Helvetia. Yet notwithstanding the excitement growing out of the Fremont affair, "the undersigned believes that the flag, if respectfully planted, will receive the good- will of much of the wealth and respectability of the

should be done to prevent it. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 57. June 11th, Diaz to Castro. Belden has arrived and reports no new arrivals of estrangeros at the Sacramento. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 133.

MEETING AT MONTEREY.

country. Those who live by office and by the absence of law, and some few others, would faintly struggle against a change. Many natives and foreigners of wealth are already calculating on the apparent coming change."5

The action of the military junta at Monterey in April has been fully noticed. Its avowed purpose was to devise means of defence against foreign aggres- sion; and there is nothing in the contemporary records of its acts and discussions to indicate any ulterior mo- tive or sentiment of disloyalty to Mexico on the part of its members. There is a tradition, however, some- what widely published, that the junta took into con- sideration, not only a scheme of independence from Mexico, but also of a foreign protectorate or annex- ation, the failure of the scheme being due chiefly to the inability of members to agree whether California should be intrusted to the protection of the United States, England, or France.

Lieutenant Revere, who arrived at Monterey while the junta was in session, was "favored by an intelli- gent member" with what purported to be the sub- stance of two speeches delivered by Pio Pico and M. G. Vallejo, the former in favor of annexation to France or England, and the latter an eloquent plea in behalf of the United States. Revere published these speeches in his book in 1849, with the explanation that "the arguments of Vallejo failed to carry conviction to the majority, but the stand taken by him caused a sudden sine die adjournment of the junta, without arriving at any definite conclusion upon the weighty matter concerning which they had met to deliberate." Va-

5 April 3d, 18th, L. to sec. state. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 49-51. To the U. S. min. in Mexico he expressed his confidence that there was no danger of invasion by Americans. Id., i. 71. Yet L. had just received a let- ter from Hastings, in which that gentleman predicted great things for Cal. from the immense immigration; and announced that a business firm-really under a confidential arrangement with the govt, made for reasons that L. will readily understand-was to despatch two ships each year, bringing immigrants free of charge! Larkin's Doc., MS., iv. 55.

FOREIGN RELATIONS-U. S. AND ENGLAND.

llejo, after writing to Pio Pico a letter embodying his views, left Monterey for Sonoma to await the issue. Revere's account, founded on information obtained, not at the time-when he knew nothing "except the notorious facts that two parties existed, and that Gen- eral Vallejo was supposed to be the leader of the American party, while Castro was at the head of the European movement"-but subsequently, and doubt- less after the conquest, has been repeated by Lancey and others, with the additional information that the junta met at San Juan! Of course, as the reader knows, Pico took no part in the meeting, being at Los Angeles at the time; nor is Revere's explanation- that J. A. C'arrillo "reflected the views of Pico, offi- ciated as his especial mouth-piece," and might even have made the speech attributed to Don Pio-calcu- lated to throw much light on the subject, as Carrillo was politically a bitter foe of the governor.6

Colonel Vallejo was perhaps the source of Revere's information, and at any rate, he has become chief sponsor for the events as described in later years. In 1866, John W. Dwinelle, after a consultation with Vallejo, reproduced the speeches, which he stated to have been put in writing at the time of delivery by Larkin.7 Finally, Vallejo himself, in his manuscript

6 Revere's Tour, 24-32; Lancey's Cruise, 51-4; Marin Co. Hist., 62-5; Mendocino Co. Hist., 62-8. Revere adds that in a private conversation Castro asked a few weeks later ' whether the govt of the U. S. would give him a brigadier general's commission in case he decided to pronounce for the estab- lishment of their authority.' 'He spoke apparently in jest, but I could per- ceive that the promise of such an appointment would have had its effect.' C. E. Pickett, in Shuck's Repres. Men, 229-30, gives a very muddled account of this junta in connection with that convoked at Sta Bárbara.

7 Dwinelle's Address, 1866, p. 21-7. He describes the meeting as an infor- mal one, held at the house of C'astro at Monterey; does not name Pico as author of the first speech, since he is 'now a loyal citizen of Cal .; ' and he speaks of the action of this meeting as having made useless the holding of that at Sta Bár- bara, though as a matter of fact the latter was not called until May, long after the former was held. Iu a memorandum for Dwinelle's use, Vallejo, Doc .. MS., xxxiv. 197, says Pico's speech was made at Los Angeles; and names consuls Larkin and Gasquet as having been present at the Monterey meeting. Swasey, who was at Monterey at the time, says, Cal. '45-6, MS., 8-9, and in conversation, that such a meeting was held, at which Vallejo prevented the suc- cess of a plan to put the country under English protection; but he does not claim to have known anything of the matter beyond a current report of the time.

VALLEJO'S SPEECH.

history, gives a detailed account of the whole matter, which is more or less fully confirmed by Alvarado.8 His version is that Castro convoked the junta osten- sibly to devise means of defence, but really to gain the support of leading citizens against Pico, whom he proposed to overthrow in favor of some man who would take part in his own schemes for a French pro- tectorate. Vallejo was summoned to attend the junta, and was joined on his way dy Sanchez and Alvires at Santa Clara. The meeting was held on the 27th of March, at the house of Larkin, and was presided by Castro, who in an opening speech, that accredited by Revere to Pico, made an argument in favor of annex- ation to France.9 Castro's proposition caused some surprise, as he had been supposed to favor absolute in- dependence. David Spence then urged the advantages of England as a strong nation, which, though protes- tant, afforded equal protection to her catholic citizens. Rafael Gonzalez made a speech in favor of "Califor- nia, libre, soberana, y independiente"! and was fol- lowed by Prudon and Sanchez in behalf of the United States, by Pablo de la Guerra 10 and Juan Alvires for independence, by Hartnell for England, and by Cambuston for France. Finally, Vallejo made his famous speech in favor of annexation to the United States;11 and Prudon immediately called for a vote on Vallejo's proposition. Castro objected, with satirical allusion to the "gentlemen of the frontier" who were present only by condescension of the south and centre, representing the wealth and intelligence of the coun-

8 Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., v. 61-92; Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., v. 133-46. 9 The speech is given in full. Vallejo tells us that to Castro's final clause, 'I propose annexation to France,' Hartnell, the official reporter (?), an English- man, added: 'or England,' etc .- words really spoken by Spence, though Cas- tro favored France decidedly, on account of her religion, as he said.

10 Except by this author Guerra is supposed with much reason to have been a partisan of England. Alvarado says that he should have favored indepen- dence.

11 The speech in substance as given by Revere. Vallejo says that many delegates were present from the sonth, all in favor of England except Bandini and A. M. Pico, who favored the U. S. Bandini certainly was not there, and probably no southern delegate was even invited to come.

FOREIGN RELATIONS-U. S. AND ENGLAND.

try, and insisted that a vote must be taken on his own proposition. Prudon replied, but the feeling of the assembly was manifestly against him, and Vallejo barely succeeded in having a vote postponed until after a recess. During this recess, realizing that his party was outnumbered by the opposition, which would doubtless unite in favor of England, Vallejo and his friends decided to quit Monterey and to re- turn to their homes, which they did, leaving the junta without a quorum, and thus defeating temporarily all schemes of European intervention 112

A desire to be strictly accurate, the leading mo- tive of all my historical researches, compels me to state that I believe all that has been said of this meet- ing, including the eloquent speeches so literally quoted, to be purely imaginary. No such meeting was ever held, and no such speeches were ever made. My be- lief in this respect is founded on the absence of any contemporary corroborative evidence, under circum- stances which would certainly have produced allusions to such extraordinary schemes and discussions; espe- cially on the silence of Larkin, who assuredly would have known and written about a matter so particu- larly interesting and important to himself; and on the many inherent discrepancies and errors that have been pointed out in the testimony extant. There is no reason to doubt that Vallejo was disposed in 1846 to favor annexation to the United States, or that others looked with more favor on European nations for protection; and it is not unlikely that some of the leaders may have expressed their preferences to one another and guardedly to foreigners; but in thus re- eording a formal meeting, with deliberate discussion of propositions to deliver their country to a foreign power,

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History of California, Volume XXII, Part 7

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