26 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



officers from the country, declaring that they would 

 remain independent until the federal constitution was 

 restored. The general government issued strong pro- 

 clamations against the Californians, and sent an expe- 

 dition to re-establish its authority. But General 

 Urrea, by whom the expedition was commanded, 

 declared in favor of the federalists, and the inhabitants 

 governed themselves until July, 1837, when they 

 swore allegiance to the new constitution. 



Things went ©n quietly in California until 1842. 

 In that year, Commodore Jones, while cruising in the 

 Pacific, received information which led him to believe 

 that Mexico had declared war against the United 

 States. He determined to strike a blow at the sup- 

 posed enemy, and, accordingly, he appeared before 

 Monterey, on the 10th of October, 1842, with the 

 frigate United States and the sloop-of-war Cyane. 

 He demanded the surrender of all the castles, posts, 

 and military places, on penalty, if refused, of the visi- 

 tation of the horrors of war. The people were asto- 

 nished. A council decided that no defence could be 

 made, and every thing was surrendered at once to the 

 unexpected Americans. The flag of the United States 

 was hoisted, and the commodore issued a proclamation 

 to the Californians, Inviting them to submit to the 

 government of the United States, which would pro- 

 tect them in the exercise of their rights. The procla- 

 mation was scarcely issued, before the commodore 

 became aware of the peaceable relations existing 

 between the United States and Mexico, and he accord- 

 ingly restored the possession of Monterey to the 

 authorities, and retired with his forces to his ships, 

 just twenty-four hours after the surrender. This 

 affair irritated the inhabitants considerably, and, no 



