Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/597

CHAPTER XX.

ALVARADO’S RULE—POLITICAL EVENTS.
1839-1840.

GOVERNOR AND GENERAL AT SANTA BARBARA—CARLIST PRISONERS—DON CARLOS YIELDS—END OF THE CONFLICT—MILITARY DISCIPLINE—PRESIDIAL COMPANIES—DIPUTACION AS A JUNTA AT MONTEREY—DIVISION OF CALIFORNIA INTO DISTRICTS AND PARTIDOS—-PREFECTS—PLOTS OF RAMIREZ AND PADRE MERCADO—LIFE OF ANGEL RAMIREZ—SEDITION AT BRANCIFORTE—FLAG TUMULT aT Los ANGELES—CASTILLERO ELECTED TO CONGRESS—VOCALES ELECTED—WaAR WITH FRANCE—JIMENO ACTING GOVERNOR— ALVARADO MARRIED BY PROXY—ARRIVAL OF THE ‘CALIFORNIA’—ALVARADO APPOINTED GOVERNOR—COSME PENA—CASTANEDA SENT TO MEXICO—ANNALS OF 1840—SESSIONS OF THE JUNTA DEPARTAMENTAL—TRIBUNAL DE JUSTICIA—MONTEREY THE CaPITAL—CONSPIRACY OF CARRILLO AND GONZALEZ.

There yet remained some traces, albeit not bloody ones, of the past two years' conflict to be obliterated before the rulers of the department, now invested with unquestionable authority, could proceed in the work of reorganization, and open for California the path to complete prosperity, hitherto closed by sectional dissensions and other obstacles now for the most part removed, if the proclamations of the time were to be credited. The reader may suspect that new difficulties, or the old ones in new forms, were likely to be encountered. In the first days of the new year General Vallejo arrived at Santa Bárbara from the frontera del norte to bear his share of the post-bellum burdens; the first public business in order was mutual congratulation by governor and comandante.^[1]

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1. Jan. 1, 1839, Vallejo to Alvarado, transcribing his promotion of July 23d. Vallejo, Doc., MS., v. 1. Jan. 2d, V. congratulates A. on his recogni-

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