Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-29

ton that if Micheltorena were victorious
his cholos would sack Los Angeles and
confiscate the property of the Americans.
On the goth, the first day of the con-
flict. Mckinley and Wilson boldly
toward Sutter and Graham. Neither the
Americans under Micheltorena or Pico
were doing any fighting, but merely
amused themselves watching the long
range cannonading. Sutter and Graham
received Mckinley and Wilson. The
latter argued that it was neither the
duty nor to the interest of the Ameri-
cans to assist in retaining Micheltorena
and his convict army in the country.
Graham and others admitted the force
of Wilson's reasoning, but replied that
their men were afraid of losing the lands
which Micheltorena had either promised
or already granted to them. To remove
this difficulty, Pho Pico was sent for,
and came in person, explaining to
the Americans that Micheltorena's
grants and promises were worth
less, because lands could not be
legally granted to any but Mexican citi-
zens. He assured them that if he
should be recognized as governor, that
they should in no way be oppressed,
that their present occupation of lands
should not be disturbed, and that as
soon as they might choose to become
Mexican citizens he would only be too
happy TO give them titles. This being
satisfactory, the Americans the next day
went over in body to Pico, except
Sutter, who went through the form OF a
capture.
As soon as Micheltorena saw the
action of the Americans, he surrendered,
and in March sailed for Mexico with his
detested cholos.
Bancroft says: "With southern gov
ernor and southern majority in the as
sembly, there was no hope for Monterey,
and to Los Angeles the capital went and
remained there without official protest,
the sessions of the assembly being held
there for the most part without the at
tendance OF northern members" (Ban-
croft, Cal. 5l9.)
Governor Pico convened the depart
mental legislature at Los Angeles on
March I'd. There was a notable alb
sence of arribehos. The old question of
the capital was settled and Los Angeles
city obtained the right of which the
north had so long defrauded her.
Governor Pico on April Is, 1916, COM
municated to the departmental assem-
bly, his appointment by President Her
rera as governor of Alta California, and
took the oath of office and delivered
his inaugural address in the presence of
a goodly concourse of public officials and
citizens.
The abajehos were now triumph
ant. They had the capital. the
governor, the departmental assembly;
in fact, they had full control of the
machinery of state. But they honor
ably divided the spoils of office. Mon
terey was generously permitted to re-
tain the military headquarters, custom |
house and treasury.
How long they would have retained |
the fruits of their long struggle is, of |
course, unknown, had they not been in
terrupted by the Mexican war. 1t is |
element, the sectional |
troubles between the arribefios and aba
jefios would have had continued ex-
istence. Their troubles were merely the
effects of natural causes. As long as
the causes existed there would have
been the effects. Ii those causes had
been permitted to work out to finish
their effects there would have been two
separate political Mexican departments,
each with its own capital, governor and
machinery of state.
Those natural causes still exist, and
their effects remain to be accomplished.
The sectional troubles between the
northern citrus belt and Southern Cali
fornia spring from the same agencies
that fomented continual quarrels be-
tween the arribehos and abaieflos-cli |
mate, soil and products. The quarrel
will never cease till Northern and South
ern California are separate states.
The disturbing element among the !
Mexicans, to which allusion was made
above, was the Americans. They
had long been plotting to win Cali
fornia. The Mexican war gave them the
which they were not slow
to use, and the curtain fell forever ON
the drama Of The sectional troubles be-
tween the Mexicans in Alta California.
WHY DO you make such poor bread? Be-
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put up expressly for W. Chamberlain & Co.,
Zl3 s, Broadway,