Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-15
NORTH AND SOUTH.
A Historical View of Past
State Quarrels.
Accounts of Sectional Troubles
in California.
Facts Which Have Caused the State
Division Feeling.
Conflicting Interests Which Grew Out OF
Diverse Climates and Interests.
The First Row Occurred
Eighty Years Ago.
BY B. A. sTEPHENs-pART SECOND.


proceeded to erect Alta California into q
state, and how the abajefios demolished
the aforesaid state is an interesting
chapter of California history. The sec
tiona parties had now been developed
to such an extent, and had go many
.devotees, that they stood ready to Wig
orously oppose each other in anything,
like two second-rate newspapers, and
they never failed of the opportunity
The arribefios were not alone satisfied
as they are now, OF having the capital
governor, legislature and custom houses
but they wanted more.
In 1886 they had a regular, old-fash-
ioned Mexican revolution, and deposed
Governor Gutierrez for alleged arbitrary
acts, although from reading the pro-
nunciamiento, it is difficult to determine
just what their grievances were. The
unsatisfactory. climate of the north
seems to have developed not little dis
satisfaction up there all the time
There is a suspicion, arising from a
review OF subsequent events, that the
Americans were at the bottom of the
troubles. 1t was on this occasion that a
lone star flag was prepared by the Amer
leans at Monterey and was about to be
hoisted, when more conservative coun-
sci prevailed. There was young clerk
at Monterey by the name of Juan B. Al
varado. He had something of an edu-
cation and was ambitious. He had seen
Zamerano's success in utilizing the
American rifemen, and he may have
had deeper motive in cultivating
their friendship than that with which
he is usually credited; at least the rec
ord so indicates.
Governor Gutierrez was deposed No
yember 5, 1885, and Jose Castro was
elected governor in his place by the
legislature. The next day four members
of the legislature met and issued proc
lamation ongratulating the people on
the success of the revolution, and de-
clared:
California is free, and will sever her
relations with Mexico until she ceases
to be oppressed by the present dominant
faction called central government. To
accomplish so interesting, so grand an
object, it remains only that we, the in
habitants of the soil, united, form a
single wish, a single opinion. Let us be
united, Californians.
That is exactly the present sentiment
of the present northern citrus belt.
They talk about a grand state, and
united California, but they take care to
keep as much of the grandeur and union
in the north as possible.
On the 9TH the legislature published
the following
PLAN OF INDEPENDENCE OF CALIFORNIA.
Alto Col;forp;o :, loolo vol I'D
pendent OF Mexico until the federal sys-
tenn of 1924 shall be re-established.
2. California is erected into free
and sovereign state with congress-
ethe Legislature to become the congress.
8. Roman Catholicism shall be the
established religion.
A. A constitution shall be prepared.
S. M. G. Vallejo to be commanding
general.
6. Present legislature (see Bancroft).
Jose Castro, now president, on No.
wember 8th proclaimed: The constitu-
eRt congress of the free and sovereign
state of Alta California is hereby de-
,clared legitimately installed.
November 29th congress elected
M. q. Vallejo colonel of cavalry, and he
assumed the positien of commanding
general. Congress" also proceeded to
regulate the custom houses. Juan B.
Alvarsdo was elected governor of the
new state. The state was divided into
two cantons. The first canton embraced
all Northern California, with its capital
at Monterey. The second canton was
Southern California, with its capital at
Los Angeles. The cantons were to be
governed by political chiefs, Governor
Aivarado himself being the chief of the
northern canton. The matter of chief
for the southern canton was temporarily
postponed. Thus the natural division
of the state was recognized. So far only
arribeflos were consulted, and only arri-
befios were elected to office. The aba
jehos were counted out entirely in all
state business.
bancroft thus relates the story:
''In the south strong opposition de-
veloped itself. There is no in
that north of Santa Barbara
there was any disaffection among Cali
fornians, though some OF the more timid |
looked forward with anxiety to the re-
suit O. the governors campaign in the
south. and still more anxiously to the
time when their revolt should be known
in Mexico" bancroft, Cal. ALL
'That the changes effected at Monte
rey were not approved in the south was
due almost entirely to sectional, local
and personal causes. The provincial
prejudice was as strong in one part OF
California as in another. The arribeiios
were not more radical federalists than
the abaje1os, A strong sec
tional feeling had been in process OF de-
velopment since 1S25, when Escheandia,
charmed with southern climate and
southern ladies, had seriously wounded
the pride of Monterey by fixing his resi-
dence at San Diego. Most Representatives
to congress had been from the south,
which was deemed aslight to the north
ern talent; but on the other hand Ar
guello and Castro had ruled as COVER
nors, while Pico and Estudillo had
failed to secure recognition. Custom
house quarrels had waXed hot between
San Diego and Monterey to the advan-
tage of the latter; but the southern pu-
eblo had gone far ahead of San Jose in
population, even gaining the rank OF
city. In the struggle for the capital,
Los Angeles had gained the victory on
paper, which caused burst Of indigna-
ton in the north; but Monterey had
thus far evaded delivery of the spoils,
and the Angeleilos were furious. A di-
vision of the missions between the friars
of two colleges had slight tendency to
widen the breach" :(B. CAL, 479.)
1t was soon apparent to the abajenos
that the new state was wholly the work