Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/480

462 The castillo was taken, and the siege of Monterey began in the night of November 3d. During the next day several communications, some of them in writing, passed between Castro and Gutierrez, but only one of them is extant. It was written by the governor to his foe after the cannon-shot was fired, the act being rather plausibly alluded to by the writer as an 'act of violence.' In this document Gutierrez points out the inconsistency of Castro's demand that the gefutura should be surrendered by the same person to whom he himself had delivered it, with pleasure as he said, earlier in the year in accordance with laws that had not been changed. Another inconsistency of the diputacion was in wishing to exercise in advance certain powers for which that body had petitioned the supreme government. He declares that he has personally no desire to retain the command, which he would gladly have given up to Portilla, but the hostile movements of Castro and his associates render it necessary that he should maintain his own military honor as well as the dignity of the Mexican republic. He has accordingly determined, after consultation with his officers and the ayuntamiento, to fight the last in defence of the laws, as is clearly his duty. Yet if Castro and his supporters desire to prevent the shedding of blood, they are invited, in the name of the country, of law, and of justice, to a peaceful conference with representatives of the government in presence of the ayuntamiento, at a place to be named by that corporation. Hostilities are in the mean time to be suspended, and the governor promises to approve the decision of the conference if consistent with his own responsibilities and the national honor. The tone of the letter is dignified, and shows an earnest desire to avoid further troubles.