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Show 254 PERSONAL ADVENTURES vate; so that a few days would be necessary for him to sort then1. The delay was re· fused; a couple of hours only being granted to him for their production. A huge waggon had accompanied the party, and was drawn up outside, ready to receive the documents, the \vag goner lying in it at full length, unconscious of what was passing. It had been brought out of bravado; for there were but fe'v books and papers to take away. The Alcalde, finding that further resistance or ex· cuse would be useless, finally surrendered the docutnents into the keeping of the guard left to take charge of them. The waggoner ex· acted two ounces of gold for his services; and, upon this sum being refused him, on the plea of its being an exorbitant charge, seized one of the principal and most valuable of the books, and kept it until his demand was com· plied with. , The democratic party being now in the ascendant, proceeded to organize the new Go· vernment, appointing their officials, and other· wise seeking to establish their authority. On IN CALIFORNIA. 255 the other hand, the Alcalde non1inated a new Sheriff, in place of Pulis, who now acted on the opposite side ; and, coming down one day into the newly-constituted police-court, formally entered his protest against the proceedings, and ended by demanding, through the new Sheriff, the restitution of the public archives. Of course, the President, or chairman, refused compliance, urging the 'vill of the majority as constituting a right Ruperior to any authority the Alcalde could produce, and asserting his intention of maintaining that right. The Alcalde, who appeared to have presented himself as a mere matter of forn1, then withdre\v. The supporters of the two parties were now at open war; and numerous were the quarrels and frays that ensued. But the Alcalde was not yet beaten, and sent a message to General Reilly, at Monterey, who had recently been appointed Governor, informing him that a rebellion had broken out in San Francisco, and den1anding his interference and protection. The result of this application |