who were living in the town or the adjoining ranchos, assembled at Los Nietos, and at daybreak entered Los Angeles armed with lances and muskets, under the leadership of Juan Gallardo, a cobbler, and Felipe Castillo, a cigar-maker. They seem to have seized certain weapons at the houses of foreign residents as they came in. Marching to the town hall, and using force to obtain the keys, they took a cannon and a quantity of ammunition stored there temporarily, or in a private house near by, in anticipation of an Indian campaign. Without committing further acts of violence, the Sonorans stationed themselves near the entrance of the hall, while the leaders took steps to summon the alcalde. That official, Francisco J. Alvarado, at once convened the members of the ayuntamiento by tap of the drum, and the citizens generally left their beds to attend the meeting. Gallardo then submitted, with a respectful letter for the approval of the illustrious corporation, a plan which explained the presence of himself and followers, and by which it was proposed to restore California to the splendid prosperity of former times by simply removing Figueroa from the command.[1]
- ↑ Pronunciamiento de Apalátegui en Los Angeles, contra Don José Figueroa, 7 de Marzo de 1835, in Figueroa, Manifiesto, 131-3; Los Angeles, Arch., MS., iv. 155-9; Bandini, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., 39. 'A multitude of citizens having assembled to devise means to save California from the evils which she has suffered and is suffering under the administration of Gen. D. José Figueroa, and considering — 1. That this chief has not complied with divers orders given him by the sup. govt of the Union to improve the condition of the inhabitants of this country; that, abusing their docility, he has exceeded the powers granted him by the laws, by unduly assuming the political and military commands against the federal system and against express laws which forbid this union of the commands; that with the law of secularization he has made a scandalous monopoly, reducing the mission products to an exclusive commerce, and treacherously inducing the dip. to regulate a general law according to his whim; that, in infringement of the treasury regulations, he disposes of the soldiers' pay at his own will without the knowledge of the chief of revenue, and without the formalities prescribed by law; 2. That the dip. has no power to regulate or make auditions to a general law, as it has done in the case of that on the secularization; 3. That as the missions are advancing with giant strides to total ruin, through the measures dictated for the shutting-out of the natives and the distribution of their property; and, 4. That some commissioners, either by gross ignorance in the management of this class of business or by their own malicious conduct, have proposed to advance their private wealth by ruining that of the missions, with notable injury to the natives who have acquired that property by their personal toil — have re-
