[p. 54] Chapter VI The Free State of Alta California, p, 53
The Mexican governor having been expelled, the diputacion, which was composed of hijos del pais, was called together and a plan for the independence of California was formulated. This plan declared that "California is erected into a free and sovereign state, establishing a congress which shall pass all special laws of the country, also assume the other necessary supreme powers." The diputacion issued a declaration of independence, which arraigned the mother country, Mexico, for sins of commission and omission; and Castro promulgated a pronunciamento ending with a "Viva for El Estado Libre y Soberano de Alta California." (The Free and Sovereign State of Alta California.) Amid the vivas and the pronunciamentos, with the beating of drums and the roar of cannnon, the state of Alta California was launched on the political sea. The revoluntioists soon found that it was easy enough to declare the state free; but quite another matter to make it free.
For years there had been a growing jealousy between northern and southern California. Los Angeles, through the efforts of José Antonio Carrillo had, by the decree of the Mexican congess in May, 1835, been raised to the dignity of a city and made capital of the territory. In the movement [p. 55] to make California a free and independent state, the Angelenos recognized an attempt to deprive their city of its honor. Although as bitterly opposed to Mexican governors and as actively engaged in formenting revolution against them as the people of Monterey, they chose at this time to profess loyalty to the mother country. They opposed the Monterey plan of government and formulated one of their own, in which they declared that California was not free and that they would obey the laws of the Supreme government only.
Alvarado had been made governor by the diputacion and Castro comandante general of the army of the Free State. They determined to suppress the recalcitrant sureños (southerners). They collected an army of eighty natives, obtained the assistance of Graham with his American riflemen and marched southward. The ayuntamiento of Los Angeles had organized an army of 270, partly neophytes, which was stattioned at the Mission San Fernando. Before the northern troops reached the mission, commissioners from Los Angeles met them and a treaty of peace was patched up. Alvarado with his troops arrived in Los Angeles January 23rd, 1837, and was received with expressions of friendship. An extraordinary meeting of the ayuntamiento was called; Pio Pico expressed the great pleasure it gave him to see a "hijo del pais" in office and Antonio Osio, one of the most belligerent of the southerners, declared that, "sooner than again submit to a Mexican governor, or dictator, he would flee to the forest and be devoured by wild beasts." Alvarado made a conciliatory speech and an agreement was entered into to support the "Monterey plan," with Alvarado as governor pro tempore, until the Supreme government should decide the question. Quiet reigned in the south for a few months. Then San Diego formulated a plan of government and the standard of revolt was again raised. The San Diego "plan" restored California to allegiance to the Supreme government and the officials at San Diego and Los Angeles took the oath to obey the constitution of 1836; this , in their opinion, absolved them from obedience to Juan Bautista Alvarado and his "Free State."
In October came the news that Carlos Carrillo of Santa Barbara had been appointed governor by the Supreme government. Then consternation seized the "Free State" men of the north and the sureños of Los Angeles went wild with joy. They invited Carrillo to make Los Angeles his capital-an invitation which he accepted. December 6th was set for his inauguration "dressed as decent as possible." A grand ball was held in the governor's palacio-the house of widow Josefa Alvarado, the finest in the city. Cannon boomed on the plaza, bonfires blazed in the streets and the city was illuminated for three nights. Los Angeles was at last a real capital and had a governor all to herself.
Alvarado and Castro, with an army, came down from the north determined [p. 56] to subjugate the troublesome southerners. A battle was fought at San Buenaventura. For two days cannon volleyed and thundered-at intervals. One man was killed and several mustangs died for their country. The "sureños" were defeated and their leaders captured and sent as prisoners of state to Vallejos' bastille at Sonoma. Los Angeles, Carrillo's capital, was captured by Alvarado. Carrillo rallied his demoralized army at Las Flores. Another battle was fought-or rather a few shots were fired at long range-which hurt no one. Car[r]illo surrendered and was sent home to his wife at Santa Barbara-who became surety for his future good behavior. Alvarado was now the acknowledged governor of El Estado Libre de Alta California; bu the "Free State" had ceased to exist. Months before Alvarado had made his peace with the Supreme government by taking the oath of allegiance to Mexico, thus restoring California to the rule of the mother country. In November, 1838, Alvarado received his formal appointment as "gobernador interino" of California, or rather of the Californias; for under the new constitution creating twenty-four departments instead of states, the two Californias constituted one department.
In the internecine wars and in their revolts against the Mexican governors, the Californians invoked the aid of a power that would not down at their bidding-that was the assistance of the foreigners. Zamorano in his contest with Echandia was the first to enlist the foreign contingent. Next Alvarado secured the offices of Graham and his riflemen to help in the expulsion of Gutierrez. In his invasion of the south he and Castro again called in the foreign element headed by Graham and Coppinger. Indeed the fear of the American riflemen, who made up the larger part of Graham's force, was the most potent factor in bringing the south to terms. These hunters and trappers, with their long Kentucky rifles, shot to kill and any battle in which they took part would not be a bloodless affair.
After Alvarado had been confirmed in his office, he would gladly have rid himself of his allies. But they would not be shaken off and were importunate in their demands for the recognition of their services. There were rumors that the foreigners were plotting to overthrow the government and revolutionize California, as had already been done in Texas. Alvarado issued secret orders to arrest a number of foreigners whom he had reason to fear. About one hundred were arrested during the month of April, 1840, and forty-seven were sent as prisoners in irons to San Blas. The others were released. The prisoners, who were about equally divided in nationality between American and Englishmen, were confined in prison in Tepic. Here the British consul, Barron, was instrumental in securing their release-the American consul being absent. The Mexican government paid them damages for their imprisonment and furnished those who had a legal right to residence in California with transpor- [p. 57] tation to Monterey, where they landed in July, 1841, better dressed and with more money than when they were sent away.
An important event during Alvarado's rule was the capture of Monterey, October 19th, 1842, by Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones, commander of the United States forces of the Pacific. Jones, who was crusing in the south Pacific, learning that Admiral Thomas, in command of the English squadron of the Pacific, had sailed out of Callao, under sealed orders, suspected that the Admiral's orders were to seize California. Knowing that war was imminent between Mexico and the United States, Jones determined to take possession of California for the United States, if he could reach it before the English admiral did. Crowding on all sail, he arrived at Monterey October 19th and immediately demanded the surrender of California, both Upper and Lower, to the United States government. He gave Governor Alvarado until nine o'clock on the morning of the 20th to decide on his course. Alvarado had already been superseded by Micheltorena, who was then somewhere in the neighborhood of Los Angeles, and at first decided to shirk the responsibility of surrender by leaving the town; but he was dissuaded from this step. The terms were agreed upon and at 10 o'clock the next morning 150 sailors and marines disembarked, took possession of the fort, lowered the Mexican flag and raised the American colors. The officers and soldiers of the California government were discharged and their guns and arms taken into possession by the United States troops, and carried into the fort. On the 21st, at four p.m., the flags again changed places-the fort and arms were restored to their former claimants. Commodore Jones had learned from some Mexican newspapers found in the captured fort that war did not yet exist between the two republics.