Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/235

Rh Victoria is concerned, I need add nothing to the abstract, because the whole matter has been exhausted in the preceding chapter.

In the matter of choosing a political chief trouble arose unexpectedly. The action of the diputacion in this respect had been very clearly marked out in the as senior vocal, made a brief and modest address, congratulating the members on their meeting to act for the country's interests after having been for a year prevented from exercising their rights by the tyranny of Victoria. He made the customary admission of his own unworthiness, etc., and asked the aid of his associates in behalf of Cal. Pico's views having been approved, committees were appointed, credentials examined, etc. In the afternoon, Echeandía's summons to the members, dated Dec. 9th, was read. (p. 173-8.) Jan. 11th, after long discussion, in which the various charges were specified, it was unanimously voted to confirm, or approve, the suspension of Victoria; and Vallejo and Argüello were named as a committee to prepare a formal expediente on the subject for the sup. govt. Then on motion of Vallejo the diputacion proceeded in accordance with E.'s summons to choose a temporary gefe político, and it was decided according to the law of May 6, 1822, that Pico as senior vocal was entitled to the office. This action was to be sent to E. for circulation. Voted, that according to the Mex. law, the sub-comisario, Juan Bardini, was entitled to a seat. Voted to continue the sessions at Angeles and not at S. Diego; but E. was to be invited to be present. Voted, as to the military command, that E. should notify the different officers to choose a temporary comandante general. (p. 178-83.) Jan. 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th, 18th, routine progress by the committee on charges against Victoria; Suplente Yorba takes the oath and his seat; Ortega and Osio named as a committee to prepare a manifestacion to the public; Vallejo granted leave of absence for ten days to visit S. Diego. (p. 183-5.) Los Angeles municipal accounts also considered in extra sessions of Jan. 14th, 17th, 23d, 27th. (p. 352-4.) Yorba's oath also in Los Angeles, Arch., 18., iv. 46-7. Jan. 17th, Ortega and Osio to Echeandía. Dept. St. Pap., MS., iii. 26. Jan. 23d, three letters received from the gefe político provisional, Echeandía, in which he announced Victoria's departure; asked for records of the earlier sessions; and declared it impossible to leave his troops and come to Los Angeles. Jan. 20th-27th, on the 26th, Vallejo proposed that the oath be administered at once to Pico according to the law of Sept. 30, 1823; and as all approved, 'without waiting for a discourse offered by Echcandía' (?), the oath was administered by Vallejo, and Pico vas formally declared gefe político interino, the corresponding report being sent to E. and all territorial authorities. Argüello thereupon made a speech, congratulating all on the arrival the happy day when Cal. was ruled by one of her native sons; and Pico replied in fitting terms. (p. 186-9.) Pico, ''Hist. Cal.,'' MS., 41-2, states that when the oath was administered the necessary church utensils were lacking, and the padre refused the keys of the church, whereupon J. B. Alvarado entered the church by a skylight for the missing articles, and the oath was administered at the church door. Jan. 31st and Feb. 1st, E. writes to Pico acknowledging receipt of actas of Jan. 10th and 26th-27th, giving some advice respecting the policy of the new gefe, and expressing some dissatisfaction with Pico's arpointment. Dept. St. Pap., MS., iii. 27-38. Feb. 3d, a letter was received from Bandini, and the matter of his taking a seat it was decided to refer to the sup. govt. Letters from Echeandía were introduced (those referred to above), in which, with some suggestions on policy, powers, etc., he complains of having been 'violently,' or hastily, deprived of the office of gefe político. Osio and Yorba were named as a committee to report on the suggestions, relating among other things to pay of a secretary,