not yet reached him. Admiral Seymour, of the British navy, was also at Mazatlan with a battleship. He had received dispatches from the City of Mexico, and it was evident that the Mexican officials favored the occupation of California by the British rather than by the Americans, their enemies, with whom they were at war. Immediately on receipt of these dispatches the British Admiral hoisted sail upon his ship and moved seaward, bound for Monterey. Commodore Sloat, who was watching his movements, half an hour later left with his two small vessels, the Savannah and Preble, and also headed directly for the same port, determined to take possession before the arrival of Admiral Seymour. The Savannah being the fastest, reached Monterey first, and there Sloat learned of the determined efforts of British and Mexican authorities to place California under the protection of the English government. Governor Pico and General Castro were both in favor of this scheme. The American consul, Thomas O. Larkin, informed Sloat upon his arrival of this state of affairs, when he at once determined to send two hundred and fifty marines on shore and to hoist the American flag over the town of Monterey. A salute of twenty-one guns was fired, and a proclamation issued that California henceforth was part of the United States. The slow ship of the British admiral only arrived to see the Stars and Stripes floating over Monterey as a part of the great Republic of America. He saw he was outwitted by Sloat, outrun by the Savannah, and the gallantry of the American commodore had placed California beyond British rule.

The following day, July 8th, a party from the United States sloop-of-war Portsmouth, landed at Yerba Buena, now San Francisco, and hoisted the American flag on the Plaza. On the 10th, Commodore Montgomery of the Portsmouth sent an American flag to Sonoma, and the "Bear flag," improvised by Ide and his men, was hauled down, and the Stars and Stripes "floated in the breeze" instead, and the change was welcomed by all.

CO.

Meantime General Stephen W. Kearney had arrived at Monterey, crossing overland by way of New MexiHe had orders to take possession of and establish a government for California, but he found that Sloat, Stockton and Fremont had already accomplished those things. Colonel J. D. Stevenson, at the head of one thousand volunteers, arrived in California March 7, 1847. The conquest had already taken place, but this force was of great service in maintaining order in the country. Before Fremont hoisted the Stars and Stripes, and before the Mexican authorities knew of his coming, an informal meeting was held at Monterey, at the house of Don Jose Catro, which developed the fact that a majority of the people were ready for any form of government that would afford them protection from uncertainty and unceasing political troubles and revolutions. The following extracts are taken from speeches made by some of the leading native Californians at that meeting: "Excellent sirs! ot what a deplorable condition is our country reduced! Mexico, professing to be our mother and our protectress, has given us neither arms nor money, nor the materials of

war for our defense. She is not likely to do anything in our behalf, although she is quite willing to afflict us with her extortionate minions, who come hither, in the guise of soldiers and civil officers, to harrass and oppress our people. We possess a glorious country, capable of attaining a physical and moral greatness corresponding with the gradeur and beauty which an Almighty hand has stamped upon the face of our beloved California. But although nature has been prodigal, it cannot be denied that we are not in a position to avail ourselves of her bounty. Our population is not large and it is sparsely scattered over valley and mountain, covering an immense area of virgin soil destitute of roads and traveresed with difficulty; hence it is hardly possible to collect an army of any considerable force. Our people are poor as well as few, and cannot govern themselves and maintain a decent show of sovereign power. Although we live in the midst of plenty, we lay up nothing, but, tilling the earth in an imperfect manner, all our time is required to procure subsistence for ourselves and families. Thus circumstanced we find ourselves threatened by hordes of Yankee immigrants, who have already begun to flock into our country and whose progress we cannot arrest. Already have the wagons of that perfidious people scaled the almost inaccessible summit of the Sierra Nevada, crossed the entire continent, and penetrated the fruitful valley of the Sacramento. What that astonishing people will next undertake I cannot say, but, in whatever enterprise they embark they will be sure to prove successful. Already are these adventurous

land-voyagers sprealing themselves far and wide over a country which seems suited to their taste. They are cultivating farms, establishing vineyards, erecting mills, sawing lumber, building workshops, and doing a thousand other things which seem natural to them, but which Californians neglect or despise. What then are we to do? Shall we remain supine while these daring strangers are overrunning our fertile plains and gradually outnumbering and displacing us? Shall these things go on until all shall become strangers in our own land? Perhaps what I am about to suggest may seen to some faint hearted and dishonorable. But to me it does not appear so. It is our duty voluntarily to connect ourselves with a power able and willing to preserve us. I see no dishonor in this last refuge of the oppressed and powerless, and I bodly avow that such is the step I would have California take. There are two great powers in Europe which seem destined to divide between them the unappropriated countries of the world. They have large fleets and armies practiced in the art of war. Is it not better that one of them should be invited to send a fleet and an army to protect California, rather than we should fall an eask prey to the lawless adventurers who are overrunning our beautiful country. I pronounce for annexation to France or England." To this speech General Vallejo replied as follows: "I cannot, gentlemen, coincide in opinion with the military and civil functionaries who have advocated the cession of our country to France or England. It is most true that to rely any longer upon Mexico to govern and de

fend us would be idle and absurd. To this extent I fully agree with my distinguished colleagues. It is true that we possess a noble country, every way calculated from position and resources to becoming great and powerful. For that very reason, I would not have her a mere dependence upon a foreign monarchy naturally alien, or at least indifferent to our interests and our welfare. Even could we tolerate the idea of dependence ought we to go to distant Europe for a master? What possible sympathy could exist between us and a nation separated from us by two vast oceans? But waiving this insuperable objection, how could we endure to come under the dominion of a monarch? We are Republicans. Badly governed and badly situated as we are, still we are all in sentiment Republicans. So far as we are governed at all we at least profess to be self-governed. Who, then, that possesses true patriotism will consent to subject himself and children to the caprices of a foreign king and his official minions? Our position is so remote either by land or sea that we are in no danger from a Mexican invasion. Why, then, should we hesitate still to assert our independence? We have indeed taken the first step by electing our own Governor, but another remains to be taken. I will mention it plainly and distinctly; it is annexation to the United States. In contemplating this consummation of our destiny, I feel nothing but pleasure and I ask you to share it. Discard old prejudice, disregard old customs, and prepare for the glorious change which awaits our country. Why should be shrink from incorporating ourselves with the happiest and freest nation in the world des