"The undersigned hopes, from the prudence and judgment of the Consul of the United States at Monterey, that, admitting the justice that assists him, the answer to this letter (and imploring that it may soon come), may be in accordance with (veneboles) desire.

To this indignant and piteous missive, Mr. Larkin returned the following answer :

"Consulate of the United States of America,

Monterey, Cal. July, 5th, 1846.

"To HIS EXCELLENCY, DON PIO PICO,

Governor of California.

"SIR :-The undersigned, Consul of the United States of America for California, has the honor to acknowledge the reception of His Excellency's letter of the 29th of last month, which was received yesterday afternoon.

His Excellency may be well assured that the undersigned is duly sensible of the great importance of the subject brought before him, and is compelled to say that he cannot alone enter into any mode for the expulsion of the foreigners who have taken possession of Sonoma. He is bound not only to protect his countrymen in California from any unjust oppression, and settle in an amicable manner any disputes in which they may be concerned; but firmly to refuse them support when they have been wilfully guilty of any infractions of the laws of this Department, giving aid to the Authorities in such cases, which aid has been refused by the Governor and Prefect.

The undersigned must assure His Excellency was wrongly informed when told he made no exertions to aid the proper Authorities, and His Excellency can learn that the undersigned has used the only means in his power as a Consul, and that the Consular service had not been accepted.

His Excellency is pleased to say that the Americans engaged in this affair are responsible to this Consulate. The undersigned must observe that he knows not where this responsibility exists, and will not underrate the good sense of his being in the idea that he believes Consular letters would have effect on the persons in question, or that the Authorities would have given him soldiers to bring into Monterey an equal number of Americans, when General Castro, with three times their force, did not see proper to expel those who took Sonoma.

The reasons brought forward by His Excellency as proofs that the Government of the United States is concerned in this matter, not being sustained, will, being by the undersigned proved to be erroneous, require no farther assertion on his part to convince His Excellency on the subject.

The undersigned has the honor to renew to His Excellency the Governor of California, assurance of his deepest respect and consideration.

THOMAS O. LARKIN."

While these epistles were being interchanged, Fremont was proceeding to the valley of the Sacramento, where the chief settlements of the American population were, with the intention of enlisting recruits for the farther prosecution of the war. A garrison of only fourteen men had been left at Sonoma, which was shortly afterwards increased to about forty. Scarcely had Fremont departed, when General Castro prepared to attack the feebly manned post. News of that general's movements speedily followed Fremont, who instantly, with only a troop of ninety riflemen, hurried, night and day, to the relief of the garrison. He arrived just in time to frustrate the designs of Castro. To follow up his original scheme, Fremont next called a meeting of the Americans at Sonoma, on July 4th,1846; when, acting on his advice, the assembly proclaimed the independence of the country, appointed Fremont governor, and declared war against Mexico.

Meantime, nothing was known of the condition of affairs in the United States, nor that actual hostilities had taken place between them and Mexico. While this ignorance existed in California, there was equal want of knowledge in the United States respecting the proceedings on the opposite side of the continent. Very comprehensive measures to conduct the war on all sides had been formed by the American government. Not only were American generals advancing on the Rio Grande and on Mexico itself, by way of Vera Cruz and Jalapa, but an expedition under General Stephen W. Kearny, was formed to proceed across the whole continent, from the Missouri, first to Santa Fé, and after the expected reduction of New Mexico, farther west to California. This latter province had long been desired by the Americans, and the government was now determined, since circumstances rightfully permitted the attempt, to secure the country. To further this undertaking, Congress ordered a corps of mounted riflemen to be raised, the command of which was given to Captain, then first created Lieutenant-Colonel, Fremont, and who, from his knowledge of the country, and his being there at the very time, seemed the most proper person on whom the honor of the command could be bestowed.

A regiment of volunteers, a thousand strong, to serve during the war in California, was likewise raised in New York, and placed under the command of Colonel Jonathan D. Stevenson, to whose energy and ability the formation and organization of the corps was chiefly owing. This regiment, though it arrived in California too late to take any part in the actual hostilities of the war, was subsequently of great service in preserving the peace of the subjugated country. Col. Stevenson reached San Francisco March 7th, 1847, and immediately afterwards his regiment was divided into companies, which were severally stationed at Sonoma, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Monterey, which last place, first was head-quarters, afterwards removed to Los Angeles. So desirous was the United States Government to preserve California at all hazards, that particular care had been taken, in the raising of this regiment, that the men composing it should be of good habits, and as far as practicable, of various

pursuits, and such as would be likely to desire to remain in the country at the end of the war.

While these measures were being carried out by Congress, General Kearny, having left Fort Leavenworth, on the Missouri, in June, 1846, was marching, at the head of sixteen hundred men, across the deserts which lie between that place and Santa Fé. After the capture of Santa Fé, and the proclamation of New Mexico being now a portion of the American republic, and after making the necessary arrangements for strengthening his power there, Kearny, at the close of September, 1846, proceeded farther west to California, to carry out the instructions given him by Congress. He had gone but eleven days' march from Santa Fé, when he met an express from Commodore Stockton and Colonel Fremont, bearing despatches to Congress announcing the conquest of California. Kearny, then dismissing two hundred of his dragoons, to assist in the reduction of New Mexico, continued his progress westward, accompanied by a troop of only one hundred men, and two howitzers. His course lay across the wild and untrodden country east of the Gila, down which river he next proceeded, until he approached the frontier of California. Meanwhile, Americans there were completing what we have seen they had begun, the reduction of that country.

At the time when Fremont was forcing the Mexicans out of California north of the Bay of San Francisco, Commodore Sloat, who was then in command of the American squadron in the Pacific, being apprised of the actual commencement of hostilities between the American and Mexican states, had seized upon Monterey. This was done on the 7th of July, when the American flag was hoisted, and the following proclamation read. It is not our intention to give a detailed history of the war in California; but since this proclamation was the first formal announcement of the intentions of the American Government, while the documents previously quoted were very important in themselves, we have been induced to give them all at length, though they perhaps swell this branch of our subject more than was at first contemplated.

"TO THE INHABITANTS OF CALIFORNIA.

"The central government of Mexico having commenced hostilities against the United States of America, by invading its territory, and attacking the

troops of the United States stationed on the north side of the Rio Grande, and with a force of seven thousand men under the command of General Arista, which army was totally destroyed, and all their artillery, baggage, &c., captured on the 8th and 9th of May last, by a force of two thousand and three hundred men, under the command of General Taylor, and the City of Matamoras taken and occupied by the forces of the United States, and the two nations being actually at war by this transaction, I shall hoist the standard of the United States at Monterey immediately, and shall carry it throughout California.

"I declare to the inhabitants of California, that, although I come in arms with a powerful force, I do not come among them as an enemy to California: on the contrary, I come as their best friend, as henceforth California will be a portion of the United States, and its peaceable inhabitants will enjoy the same rights and principles they now enjoy, together with the privilege of choosing their own magistrates, and other officers for the administration of justice among themselves, and the same protection will be extended to them as to any other State in the Union. They will also enjoy a permanent government, under which life, property and the constitutional right and lawful security to worship the Creator in the way the most congenial to each other's sense of duty, will be secured, which, unfortunately, the central government of Mexico cannot afford them, destroyed as her resources are by internal factions and corrupt officers, who create constant revolutions to promote their own interests and oppress the people. Under the flag of the United States, California will be free from all such troubles and expenses; consequently, the country will rapidly advance and improve both in agriculture and commerce, as, of course, the revenue laws will be the same in California as in all parts of the United States, affording them all manufactures and produce of the United States, free of any duty, and all foreign goods at one quarter of the duty they now pay. A great increase in the value of real estate and the products of California may also be anticipated.

"With the great interest and kind feeling I know the government and people of the United States possess towards the citizens of California, the country cannot but improve more rapidly than any other on the continent of America.

"Such of the inhabitants of California, whether native or foreigners, as may not be disposed to accept the high privileges of citizenship, and to live peaceably under the Government of the United States, will be allowed time to dispose of their property and to remove out of the country, if they choose, without any restriction; or remain in it, observing strict neutrality.

"With full confidence in the honor and integrity of the inhabitants of the country, I invite the judges, alcaldes, and other civil officers to execute their functions as heretofore, that the public tranquillity may not be disturbed; at least until the government of the territory can be more definitely arranged. "All persons holding titles to real estate, or in quiet possession of land under color of right, shall have those titles guaranteed to them.

แ All churches and the property they contain in possession of the clergy