New-York tribune., 1886-05-23
YOUNG CALIFORNIA.
e-,.r-.u ~, .,,rn1C,N CHARACTER.

The period covered by Mr. Royccs historical
ESSAY is only ten wears, and even the events when
fall within that small scope are not presented IN
full array some being treated with great Amplitude
of detail and commentary, while others are dis
m,sseI with unusual haste. The anthors Heth'"'
however. is " ell considerod and 1t is perec"y
ADAPTED to the scheme of Mr. Scudders eAcei""'
Commonwealth Series" Il scheme w1ch co"-
@emnlates if We have rightly understood IT, an
explanation of the principles and spcclai nni'u'"0's
controlling the foundation and development Oh
separate members of the Union. rather than the
falling Of ordinary State histories. The formation
of tho modern commonwealth of California IS
phenomenon which never has been matchcd anu
probalIy never will be. Almost Immediately ai'er
;ts forcble detachment from Mexico. California
appearcd as an organized self-governng State OF
the Union with population quite new-at least
tn ;ts ruling elemental new civilization ready to
drive out the old new ideals of life, and new theo-
ries of society and by the year 1886. after pass
,pg tbroua uab many strange exciting, and disorderly
experences IL had cry,taliized into the ambitious.
progressive prosperous tast-livinC and respectable
community which CahfornIans and English tourists
are fond OF regarding the best type OF American
democracy. Mr. Royce has undertaken TO study
in a philosophical spirit, tho causes and clrcuin-
stances of this social evolution. The process GER
tainlv did not end with the work of the second
Vigilance Committee and it is probable that lis
further course will lie seriously affected by the
forces which have into play since the close OF
the war. the later migration to California being
radically different from that OF adventurous pio-
necr times still. the period within which Mr. Royce
confines his study of American character Is well
limited tor his purposes it enables him 10 present
q symmetrical essay and to enforce a valuable
lesson.
His Introductory chapter draws a pleasant pct-
pre of The character of the California population
nnder Mexican rule. The white population was
made up of Spanish and Mexican coloDiSts. and
nearly all the better families were OF purer DIoou
and a much h CHER type than the average MeNlcah'
They Nere gay. CARELESS social hOspitable honest.
md rai her innocent. and the women were notably
vir,uous The outrageous injustice and brutality
with which they we've almost uniformly treated
by their American conGuerors often arouSes 'i''
Royc,', indienation and he attributes entirely 10
our wrong-doing the growth of a race hatred when
has caused lncalculable injury to the state NO
real union between the new population ana the
old is now possible While the domestic and lndi-
yidnal life of the old Californian was generaHy
happy and attractive the political CONDITION VI
the department" as it was called, was eNtre"eN
ba1 There were numerous civil Disturbances and
bloodless battles of factions, and before te Aherl-
ran occupation the ties OF atiacHhoH' - -1'~''
had become very slight.
The United States Government which had cast
covetons eyes upon California long before the out
break of lie Mexican war, had an obvious interest
"a encouraging the spirit of Independence III the
Cepartncnt: a%d IT has oflo% been asserted 'hat
when tlc prospect Of war became c~i,'n pa"
WIS already well maturcd by which, throre-H d"
intrigue OF which Laihin. tie consul at Monterey,
was tie agent. California might be peaceably as
surel 10 US in advance by the spontaneous action
Of her own people. This arrangement If 1t ever
existed WAS frustrated by the action of Captain
Fremont WHO WAS then in the northern part OF
California with small surveying party. After
consultation with him. If not at his instisaton.
handful Of American settlers raised the flag of
revolt At Sonoma. imp .soned the McXican officials,
declared Themselves independent. and seized gov
crnnent property They repulsel body OF troops
brought against them ly the commandante, Gen
eral Castro; aid at this juncturo Fremont
marched to their assistance, and chased the retreat
ing Castro into the South. How much further
these extraordinary proceedings were to have been
carried can only be 9ue,.ed for war WAS formally
begun on tie Rio Grande; the Californian ports
were Immediately occupied by the United states
NAVY and posse ssIon vas taken of the country by
open military measures. The mystery OF Frcmont's
conduct and Of the whole Bear Flag episode, so
called from tie device painted on their calico
standard by the Souoma IeVolutioniSts has been
actively discussed. and Nc. Royce devotes to it
over one hundred o. his pages. Senator Benton IN
his Thirty Years View" declares that Fremonts
promptuess saved California from falling into the
hands of England. and saved the American settlers
from an attack by Castro, who was massing troops
to drive them ont of the country. Mr. Royce has
10 great di ilcultv in showing that there was not
the least reason for dreadng either Of these dis
asters although Fremont may have been deceived
by vague popular minors The important question
is Was Fremont acting under secret instructions
from the Administration at Washington If so, our
Government, which at this very time was assuring
the people of California Of It's peaceful and benevo
lent intentions was guilty Of the blackest periidy.
Mr. Royce has discussed the matter fully
with General Fremont, and the Generals
story is unequivOca According TO this version of
the affair Lieutenant Gillespie sent to Ere
mont with secret spatch which, for fear of capt
ure while passing through Mexico he DESTROYED
after committing il TO memory. In this message
Fremont WAS instructed to take and hold posses
sion of California IN the event of any occurrence
that would Justify II war with Mexico was lmin-
nent: and England must be forestaned in any
event Gillespie also brought q private packet
from Benton. who was on the most conhfental
terms with the Administration. This was written
in sort of family cipher and il repeated with
nucb more fulneSs and frankness the instructions
Of the verbal MESSAGE. Whatever Fremont did
vas in strict nlormty with thcss secret orders ;
he began to move d, as Gillespie reached him !;
and the first hostile demonstrations OF the Bear
TIag party were made under his directions He
sa,, chance for the of force, which hls secret
Instructions contemplated. and he made the most
OF IT, This statement might seem conclusive; but
strange to say it is open to a COOL deal OF doubt
By rare piece of fortune. copies Of the destroyed
secret dispatch have come into the historian S
lands Among the manuscript treasures collected
by the indefatigable II. II. Bancroft are the papers
Of Larkin the American Consul at Monterey. The
dispatch was addressed to him, not 10 Fremont,
and Gillespie was to show Fremont duplicate.
The Larhn papers contain copy which Gillespie
wrote ont from memory on reaching Monterey. and