Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-12-04
"CIupAD DE LOS ANGELES, Feb. 7. l847.

''oiR: ndQ the nOnOr, al late hour o
last night, to receive your favor Of the e5,t
ultmo, and fully coincide with the opinion
that you express that a cooperation of oul
respective commands, as precautionar,
measure at least, is Of primary Importance
| hasten TO acknowledge its receipt, anc
signify to you my earnest desire to see you
and consult on the measures calculated in
our judgments to be the most certain o
making our labors conduce TO the interes,
Of our Government.
"Not having had as you remarked, any
communication since your arrival on this
coast with Com. Stockton, you seem not &c
have been made acquainted with the fac,
that, by commission from the Commodore
had been placed in command Of the terri
tory as civil governor, which beg leave
herewith TO communicate to you.
"lt is also proper to advise you that Gen
kearney, who comes to California with in.
structions from the Secretary Of War, da
ted as early as June last-designed for n
state Of affairs which he by no means found
to wit: the country still unconquered, aud
which OF course being intended for very
different circumstances, cannot have appli.
cation here-claims himself to have supreme
command in California; which position iel,
It my duty to deny him, in language res.
pectful but decisive Of my purpose, com
municated to him.
"The subjoined reasons led me TO the
conclusion | adopted: The conquest Of Cal.
ifornia was undertaken and completed by
the joint efforts Of Com. Stockton and nv
sell, IN obedience to what we regarded para.
mount duties from US 10 our government
That done, the next necessary step in order
was the organization Of a civil government.
designed 10 MAINTAIN the conquest. bv the
exercise OF mild and wholesome civil res.
traln's over the people rather than by the
iron rule OF military force.
"The resul. of our labors-which were
precisely what were contemplated by the
instructions Of Gen. Kearney, were prompt,
~ communicated 10 the Executive of the
Union by an express, which has not vet
brought back the approval or dsapproval
OF the Governmet. Gen. Kearny's instruc.
tons being, therefore, TO the letter fully an.
ticipated by others, did not feel myself a,
liberty TO yield position so important 10
the interests OF my country until, after O
full understanding Of all the grounds, i,
should be the pleasure Of my government,
that | should do SO.
81 trust the foregoing explanation will
fully satisfy YOU that the position take is
an incident to the extraordinary crcum
stances surrounding me, and is borne on,
by rigid adherence to the line of duty.
"The instruction which broke out here
in September last, and which It required q
considerable force and large expenditure
OF money TO put down, has left me in ralh
er an embarrassed condition for funds TO
redeem my engagements 10 my men. and 10
cancel the necessary Obligations created by
Quartermaster and Commissarat Depart
ments Of the command. If. therefore, YOU
can at an early day advance me consd.
cradle sum OF money it will tend greatly 10
the interests OF the country and
relieve an embarrassment which, as an off
Ger OF the Government, heavily presses
s. He wrote the following letter:
Government House, Angeles, Feb II, I84T.
"To Hon. WILLARD P. HALL.
SIR: The position | occupy as the chief
OF the United States Gov.
eminent in California renders it an impera
tive duty on me tina. should pruden,ly bu,
with energy exert all the power with which
am clothed 10 retain the conquest we
have made, and strengthen it by all means
possible.
''The executive office OF California, which
| understand, centres supreme, civil and
military command in the Territory, was &C
tually assigned me as early as September
last, and my entering on the duties of the
same was postponed only in consequence
Of an instruction that broke out in this
portion OF the territory, which it took some
months TO quell, that done, assumed the
office OF Governor, as had beer previously
arranged.
~ learn with surprise and modification
that Gen. kearney, in obedience TO what
cannot bu. regard as obsolete instructions
from the Secretary OF War, means to ques
tion my right, and. viewing my position and
claim clear and indisputable, cannot, with.
out considering myself dereict TO my trust.
and unworthy the station OF an American
officer, yield, or to permit myself to be in
Ierfered with by any other, until directed
10 do so by the proper authorities at home,
predica,ed on full and ample dispatches that
forwarded to Washington as early as Au
gust Of last year.
"l require the cooperation, with a view
10 the important object of preserving the
peace and tranquility of California, OF every
American citizen and soldier in the terri
tory, and must expressly prohibi, from all
quarters all arguments and intma,ons that
may tend to weaken my authority, by indu,
cling the belief tina, my present position ls
an act of usurpation, unjust, and will not