n short, Americans were hospitably received
and very well treated by the government and the people; despite some
formalities and ostensible surveillance there was no oppression
whatever. There was, however, some jealousy of the ease with which
Americans secured land grants, and an entirely just dislike of "bad"
Americans. The sources from which all the immigrants were recruited made
inevitable an element of lawlessness and truculence. The Americans
happened to predominate. Along with a full share of border individuality
and restlessness they had the usual boisterous boastfulness and a racial
contempt, which was arrogantly proclaimed, for Mexicans,--often too for
Mexican legal formalities. The early comers were a conservative force in
politics, but many of the later comers wanted to make California a
second Texas. As early as 1805 (at the time of James Monroe's
negotiations for Florida), there are traces of Spain's fear of American
ambitions even in this far-away province. It was a fear she felt for all
her American possessions. Spain's fears passed on to Mexico, the
Russians being feared only less than Americans. An offer was made by
President Jackson in 1835 to buy the northern part of California,
including San Francisco Bay, but was refused. In 1836 and 1844 Americans
were prominent in the incidents of revolution; divided in opinion in
both years they were neutral in the actual "hostilities" of the latter,
but some gave active support to the governor in 1836. From 1836 on,
foreign interference was much talked about. Americans supposed that
Great Britain wished to exchange Mexican bonds for California; France
also was thought to be watching for an opening for gratifying supposed
ambitions; and all parties saw that even without overt act by the United
States the progress of American settlement seemed likely to gain them
the province, whose connexion with Mexico had long been a notoriously
loose one. A considerable literature written by travellers of all the
countries named had before this discussed all interests. In 1840 for too
active interest in politics some Americans and Englishmen were
temporarily expelled.

The "Bear Flag."

In 1842 Commodore T.A.C. Jones (1789-1858) of the United States navy,
believing that war had broken out between his country and Mexico and
that a British force was about to seize California, raised the American
flag over Monterey (October 21st), but finding that he had acted on
misinform