THE GOVERNOR'S CHARACTER.
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unanimous in denouncing him as a tyrant, a rascal, and a fool. He was the object not only of hatred as Victoria had been, but of ridicule.[1] As in Victoria's case, the popular feeling was, to some extent at least, unfounded; and it has doubtless been exaggerated in the telling, largely through the influence in later years of men who political reasons for magnifying the governor's faults. His public acts, as recorded in contemporary documents, could not have been specially offensive to any class of Californians, and many of the acts imputed to him by later narratives are so absurdly improbable as to cast serious doubt on the accuracy of the rest. It is clear enough that Chico was neither despot, villain, nor insane, but
- ↑ Choleric, respecting nothing when suffering from bile; revengeful; came to Cal. in the hope of bettering his fortunes. Osio, Hist. Cal., MS., 249-88. 'Militarate de mala ley, stubborn as a school-boy, destitute of all good breeding, with no idea of the advantages to be gained by a conciliatory policy, pompously ostentatious, believing himself a general, a statesman, and an apothecary, insolent as Nero, religious and profane at the same time, cowardly, mad, and a corrupter of public minds.' Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 45-140. This writer tells many stories of Chico, some of them too absurd for notice. 'Scandalously avaricious.' Bandini, Hist. Cal., MS., 80-3. Mrs Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 82-98, says he was very unpopular; and relates that the Indian Juan Cristóbal at Sta Bárbara pronounced him a rascal at first sight, running away in great fear, especially on account of his goggles; and when the padre explained that he was a good man, etc., the Indian still insisted — 'wait a little and thou wilt see how he acts, and then tell me if he is good or bad; let us see who wins, thou or I.' Chico nicknamed 'Oso Chico' because of his crazy and lewd disposition; 'loco y impúdico.' Hartnell, Narr., MS., 11. Had all the vices and no virtues — all the attributes necessary to make a man worthy of hatred. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 82-153. Haughty and domineering. Fernandez, Cosas de Cal., MS., 97-9. A man fitted to strengthen the provincial prejudice, of disagreeable manners, one with whom no one could be on friendly terms. Botello, Anales, MS., 19-22. Despotic and arbitrary, the very opposite of Figueroa. Castro, Rel., MS., 37-8. Ill-tempered and quarrelsome; insolent and immoral. Pinto, Apunt., MS., 16-19. Violent, despotic, and hated by all. Pico, Acont., MS., 18-19, 28-31. No common sense; spent his time in inventing remedies and studying flowers. Vallejo (J.J.), Remin., MS., 118-21. Impetuous and lacking in tact. Coronel, Cosas, MS., 18. Irascible, imprudent, and capricious. Serrano, Apuntes, MS., 31-6. Devoid of sense, quarrelling with everybody. Arce, Mem., MS, 7-8. Peevish and perhaps mad. Torre, Remin., MS., 57-61. Insolent and slovenly. Galindo, Apuntes, MS., 33-4. Treated with deserved contempt. Larios, Convulsiones, MS., 16. The worst ruler that could have been sent to Cal. Valdés, Mem., MS., 23-5. As 'quijote' as a Spaniard. Amador, Mem., MS., 144. Soon lost every friend he chanced to make. Ávila, Notas, MS., 18-19; and more to similar effect, in Janssens, Vida, MS., 63-72; Gonzalez, Exper., MS., 32; Gonzalez, Revoluciones, MS., 9-10; Sanchez, Notas, MS., 11-12. The above references are made to include all that the writers say of Chico's rule, and many of them will not require further mention.
