Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/240

222 Having thus enlisted the services of the foreign residents, the leaders of whom doubtless understood his plans, Zamorano summoned Asesor Gomez, Lieutenant Ibarra, Hartnell, and half a dozen other men of some prominence to a meeting February 1st; and to this junta, after having stated that northern California from Santa Bárbara to San Francisco did not accept the plan of San Diego, he submitted in substance the following questions: Are the acts of the diputacion at Los Angeles legal or illegal? In the latter case, in what person should be vested the civil and military command, Victoria having left the territory? Should a force be sent south for the defence of Santa Bárbara, as had been requested? Ought the sub-comisario of revenues at Monterey to obey the orders of Juan Bandini, his superior officer, but a leader in the revolution? After a thorough discussion, that is, after the members had approved Zamorano's views as previously agreed upon, the junta decided: First, that the acts of the diputacion must be considered illegal and null, since that body had been convened by an authority unknown to the laws and existing only by reason of revolution. Consequently no obedience or respect was due to rulers chosen by that body. Second, no gefe político should be chosen until the supreme government should appoint one, but the comandancia general should be filled ad interim, according to the military regulations, by the officer of highest rank and seniority who had taken no part in the rebellion, that is, by Zamorano, the two ranking captains Portilla and Argüello having