retired to San Fernando, and later to Santa Bárbara, but as to the manner of his departure it is best not to attach much importance to the unsupported statements of his enemies.
Meanwhile, Captain Andrés Castillero arrived at San Diego, bringing the constitutional laws of December 29, 1836, which replaced the federal constitution of 1824; and the oath of allegiance to the new system was taken with great enthusiasm by the assembled ayuntamiento and vecindario on June 12th. After the ceremony Castillero hastened away, and joined the army at San Luis Rey the same night, when he represented himself as a comisionado of the supreme government.[1] Having arrived with the army at Los Angeles, he proceeded by virtue of his commission to summon the ayuntamiento, which body, together with all officials, soldiers, and citizens, took the oath of allegiance to the constitutional laws on June 18th, with all due religious rites and social festivities.[2] On or about the 21st, Portilla's forces moved forward and occupied San Fernando, whence Castro had retired to Santa Bárbara.[3]
- ↑ June 12th, session of ayunt. S. Diego, Arch., MS., 179. It is noticeable that Castillero's name is not mentioned, and Alcalde Estudillo speaks of the laws as having been received extrajudicialmente. It was only after some discussion that it was deemed proper to take the oath. This circumstance, not mentioned by Bandini and Botello, gives some plausibility to the charges of those writers that Castillero's commission was a mere pretence invented to serve his own ends between S. Diego and S. Luis. Bandini goes so far as to intimate that Castillero's instructions, which he saw, were a forgery, suspected by him to be such at the time. It is not very probable that Castillero would have gone so far in his deception as to forge papers, though under the circumstances he is likely enough to have resorted to much verbal deception and exaggeration. Alvarado, in a letter of Sept. 1st, stated that Castillero was not, as he claimed to be, a comisionado. Vallejo, Doc., MS., iv. 306. The captain, it will be remembered, was one of the officers who surrendered at Monterey in Nov. 1836. Of his subsequent movements until he appeared at S. Diego in June 1837 nothing is known. He may have gone to Mexico with Gutierrez, and have been sent back as a commissioner, or he may have resumed his command as captain of the compañía de fronteras, his special commission to have the central system sworn to being sent to him from Mexico.
- ↑ Los Angeles, Arch., MS., i. 138-9; iv. 319-21; Id., Ayunt. Rec., 5. The acta was communicated to the min. of war.
- ↑ Bandini speaks of dissatisfaction with Portilla's acts, in consequence of which the command was offered to himself, but declined. Why Zamorano did not command is not very clear, but I think it possible that he did not
