comandante might choose to give it in his district on matters not involving innovations in the missions.
The military forces were promptly withdrawn to the north and south by the respective generals, and the members of the diputacion retired to San Diego, where on May 15th they held a meeting, and addressed to the president of the republic a full report of what they had done for the good of California since February 24th, the date of their last representation. They declared that Zamorano's action had been wholly uncalled for, and that many of the statements in his pronunciamiento were false. They added to their report an argument in which they presented at some length their views on the causes of the evils afflicting California – evils due largely to the detestable and anti-republican mission system, and to the presence and intrigues of the friars, who sought a restoration of Spanish institutions. They more than hinted that Zamorano's movement had been in the interests of Spain, and they reiterated their opinion that the civil and military command should be vested in two distinct persons.[1] Again at the end of December did the diputacion meet, this time at Los Angeles, to take some final steps for vindicating the record of past acts and to adjourn, since the term of several members now expired, and the comandante of the north had refused to take any steps for a new election.[2]
One more episode of the Zamorano-Echeandía controversy demands brief notice, namely, the exploits
- ↑ Session of May 15, 1832. Leg. Rec., MS., i. 231-52.
- ↑ Leg. Rec., MS., i. 222-30. Dec. 30th-31st, it was voted to send a communication to the new chief in order to hasten his arrival; to send a protest to Zamorano, holding him responsible for violating the law by preventing an election and abrogating the faculties of the gefe político; to notify ayuntamientos of the dissolution of the dip., and call for acknowledgments of various exhortations to peace and good order sent to the municipal bodies; and finally to prepare a manifiesto to the people. The adjournment on Dec. 31st is recorded in Los Angeles, Arch., MS., iv. 76. Aug. 2d, Echeandía had sent a communication to Pico on the subject of holding elections, in which he gives directions, proposes to preside, and speaks throughout as if he deemed himself still the gefe político. Dept. St. Pap., MS., iii. 70-1.
