Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/526

508 San Diego, on the other hand, expressed on April 27th cordial approval of the plan in general, though still preferring to remain non-committal, and postponing the act of swearing allegiance until some doubts could be cleared away respecting the system alluded to in article 1, fearing, perhaps, it might be centralism!

About the same time that Angeles repudiated the plan of April 11th, Pico and Osio made their tardy appearance at Santa Bárbara with a plan of their own, for which they sought approval from the congressmen, though it was really a rejection of all that had been done. There was no action by the congress, but Alvarado simply sent the proposition to Castro to be presented to the ayuntamiento, to which body he also addressed a letter filled with indignation at the conduct of those "unworthy diputados who proposed a return to the tyrant's yoke and perpetual slavery — the very men who had so lately declared their purpose to be devoured by wild beasts rather than submit to a Mexican despot." The congress shared in his indignation, the governor said, and the ayuntamiento was expected to share it; yet if the latter body should