Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/501

Rh guaranties be offered of protection to lives and property of Mexicans.

Bandini and Argüello returned home, and their report of what had taken place at Angeles was presented at the ayuntamiento meeting of the 29th, a report which, like the speeches made, was full of loyalty and brave determination to avenge the insult to the Mexican nation, with expressions of surprise and regret that selfish interests had prompted certain unprincipled men to "abuse the candor of the Californians, and compromise them so shamefully." This was simply 'Bandini versus Ramirez.' San Diego of course approved the plan of Los Angeles, and the three electors named in accordance therewith were Bandini, S. E. Argüello, and J. M. Marron, Pio Pico being substituted for Bandini a few days later on account of the latter's illness. Meanwhile the troops at San Diego and San Luis became infected with a revolutionary spirit and refused to do duty – that is, they 'struck' for pay or supplies now that there might be urgent need of their services. This delayed the electors, and it is not quite certain that all of them reached Los Angeles at all.

All seemed favorable now for the establishment of a separate provisional government in the south, which should either defeat the Monterey administration, or at least exact favorable terms of compromise; but obstacles began to present themselves. The action of the garrisons at San Diego and San Luis seemed to