1(54 CALIFORNIA. 



him and the supreme judge of the district, upon the question as to 

 which of them the chief authority belonged. Parties became very 

 violent, and Chico determined to put down all opposition by military 

 force. This course gave great dissatisfaction, and coupled with his 

 arbitrary conduct towards the inhabitants and the missions, created a 

 determination to resist him if he did not resign. A letter was written 

 to him to that effect, upon which he felt himself compelled to deliver 

 over the reins of government into the hands of a successor, to avoid 

 the difficulties and dangers to which he would otherwise have been 

 liable. 



The next in command was Don Nicolas Gutierez, a lieutenant- 

 colonel : under this officer tranquillity was apparently restored for a 

 time. 



During the preceding years, many foreigners had settled in Cali- 

 fornia, who had taken a part in its affairs. These included natives of 

 all countries; and among them were to be found Americans, who had 

 led the lives of hunters and trappers, some of whom had been living in 

 the Rocky Mountains, and on the Columbia river, whilst others had 

 come from Mexico. These persons were naturally of a restless dispo- 

 sition, and disposed to engage in any thing that would produce excite- 

 ment; bold and reckless in their disposition, they could not remain 

 quiet under the turn things were taking in California, and they now 

 joined and instigated the party opposed to the governor. They argued 

 that California ought to form itself into a free state, by declaring its 

 independence of Mexico, which had not the power to govern it. At 

 that time any plausible arguments had weight with so ignorant a people 

 as the Californians, and this idea was rendered acceptable by the ill- 

 will they bore the Mexicans, and the obvious want of legitimate power. 

 The project of overturning the government was also entertained by 

 those who had previously held office, and particularly by the adminis- 

 trador of the customs, Ramierez, and Cosine Penne\ a drunken lawyer, 

 who was the assessor. They were both Mexicans by birth, and be- 

 longed to the ultra liberals. With them was joined the inspector, 

 Alvarado, who was extremely popular with the foreigners. The two 

 former, knowing the ignorance that prevailed among the Californians, 

 constituted themselves leaders, and expected, in the event of any 

 change, to be benefited by it; but at the same time they looked with 

 some degree of mistrust and jealousy upon the foreigners resident there. 



Under such circumstances, the least difficulty was sufficient to bring 

 about a revolution, and it was not long before one occurred that caused 

 an outbreak, and ended in the overthrow of the authorities. About the 

 beginning of November 1836, a dispute arose between the governor 



