Great as ever DerKaiser, and hence why you have been awarded WritAAR of the Week.
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Defeat from the jaws of victory...
Tijuana Fort, Mexican-Californian Frontier, April 10th 1836
Private Christian Hamann’s rifle gave a loud crack and jerked upwards, spitting the ball of lead forwards, vaguely, into the teeming Mexican lines. With those numbers, and this range, he had to have hit something. Someone had to have been on the receiving end of his penultimate shot. He felt the same certainty about most of the bullets he had fired all day- at what was left of the broken trench-line, at the walls of the redoubt before the Mexicans had overrun that too, and now, leaning out of the window of one of the stables that sat within the small confines of the fort. He snapped the weapon open over his knee and looked into the chamber. It was a pointless gesture that he had repeated five times. He had known, every time, how many bullets he had left. And now there was one. He might have been wishing to himself that he had saved his ammunition earlier in the day- like his grave old corporal who had sat back grimly all morning not fighting, announcing gravely to the squad that “all you do at this range is ruin the acoustics”- but it didn’t seem to matter. Shooting at the Mexicans then, out west in the trenches that had long since been lost after they had held them all week, had been comforting. Then it had felt like today would be a day like the last six- sitting back, firing, and waiting for the Mexicans to give up again. But today they had not stood and fired, or marched up in slow order. They had just charged. It was like watching a wolf in its death-throes, except that this time, the wolf was going to savage the hunger before he could cut its throat.
Christian snapped the rifle back together and peered out of the window. The Mexicans had advanced slightly- picking their way across the bodies of the dead and dying, but they were under heavy fire. Their advance had grown less certain all day, and now it was definitely wavering, but not unsure enough to make them abandon the chase at the last mile. The least perceptive man alive could have seen that the fort was falling, and that the numbers, and bullets, of the Californians were dwindling. But for the inspirational words and deeds of General del Serrano they probably would have surrendered already. That and, of course, Santa Anna’s promise to kill every Californian he took alive. Christian looked around him at the few men left in the stable. They were trapped, and doomed, but on reflection they had made the right decision. Most of the squad had tried to dash back towards the central plaza, and had got caught in the crossfire between the Californians guarding that path and the Mexicans following them. One of those boys had kept moaning for at least an hour, but he had stopped now. Only Christian, the Corporal and two others were left standing in the stable. There had been three more, but one had got a bullet in the face and gone down straight away, another took one to the shoulder and was lying quietly in the corner, slowly soaking the straw, and the third had lost his cool and tried to dash out of the door. Christian reckoned he’d got at least around ten bullets in him for that, and he’d twitched pretty awfully for a bit.
He caught the eye of the Corporal, who raised his eyebrows grimly. His every action seemed to be in some way grim.
“Alright, boys,” he said suddenly, his gravely voice just about audible over the gunfire that was ringing out across the fort, “time to get going, I reckon.”
“Out there?” Shouted one of the other boys, Hal, over the noise. “Right into the Mexican guns?”
“Die in here slow or die out there fast, son. But you can stay in here yourself, I’m done.”
“I’m with you, sir.” Said the other man left, Roman, on Christian’s right, and made his way over to the door avoiding the windows. Hal watched him, then looked at Christian. Christian shrugged.
“This place has gotten kinda stuffy… Need some fresh air.” He smiled.
“Sure, then.” Replied Hal. They gathered at the door.
“On three, then?” Said the corporal. “One, two, three!”
They burst out of the door. The corporal’s pistol fired, and Christian ducked next to a post holding up the stable’s outdoor awning. He raised the rifle to his shoulder and aimed towards the mass of Mexicans. But they were leaving. Backs were turned, flags were going away. The enemy guns had stopped. Spanish shouts were ordering them back, and trumpets outside the fort were sounding the retreat. Incredibly, Santa Anna’s army were snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. And then the shouting began to spread across the ruined, smoking, burning fort, in English and in Spanish.
“Reinforcements to the north!”
Tijuana Fort, Mexican-Californian Frontier, April 10th 1836
Private Christian Hamann’s rifle gave a loud crack and jerked upwards, spitting the ball of lead forwards, vaguely, into the teeming Mexican lines. With those numbers, and this range, he had to have hit something. Someone had to have been on the receiving end of his penultimate shot. He felt the same certainty about most of the bullets he had fired all day- at what was left of the broken trench-line, at the walls of the redoubt before the Mexicans had overrun that too, and now, leaning out of the window of one of the stables that sat within the small confines of the fort. He snapped the weapon open over his knee and looked into the chamber. It was a pointless gesture that he had repeated five times. He had known, every time, how many bullets he had left. And now there was one. He might have been wishing to himself that he had saved his ammunition earlier in the day- like his grave old corporal who had sat back grimly all morning not fighting, announcing gravely to the squad that “all you do at this range is ruin the acoustics”- but it didn’t seem to matter. Shooting at the Mexicans then, out west in the trenches that had long since been lost after they had held them all week, had been comforting. Then it had felt like today would be a day like the last six- sitting back, firing, and waiting for the Mexicans to give up again. But today they had not stood and fired, or marched up in slow order. They had just charged. It was like watching a wolf in its death-throes, except that this time, the wolf was going to savage the hunger before he could cut its throat.
Christian snapped the rifle back together and peered out of the window. The Mexicans had advanced slightly- picking their way across the bodies of the dead and dying, but they were under heavy fire. Their advance had grown less certain all day, and now it was definitely wavering, but not unsure enough to make them abandon the chase at the last mile. The least perceptive man alive could have seen that the fort was falling, and that the numbers, and bullets, of the Californians were dwindling. But for the inspirational words and deeds of General del Serrano they probably would have surrendered already. That and, of course, Santa Anna’s promise to kill every Californian he took alive. Christian looked around him at the few men left in the stable. They were trapped, and doomed, but on reflection they had made the right decision. Most of the squad had tried to dash back towards the central plaza, and had got caught in the crossfire between the Californians guarding that path and the Mexicans following them. One of those boys had kept moaning for at least an hour, but he had stopped now. Only Christian, the Corporal and two others were left standing in the stable. There had been three more, but one had got a bullet in the face and gone down straight away, another took one to the shoulder and was lying quietly in the corner, slowly soaking the straw, and the third had lost his cool and tried to dash out of the door. Christian reckoned he’d got at least around ten bullets in him for that, and he’d twitched pretty awfully for a bit.
He caught the eye of the Corporal, who raised his eyebrows grimly. His every action seemed to be in some way grim.
“Alright, boys,” he said suddenly, his gravely voice just about audible over the gunfire that was ringing out across the fort, “time to get going, I reckon.”
“Out there?” Shouted one of the other boys, Hal, over the noise. “Right into the Mexican guns?”
“Die in here slow or die out there fast, son. But you can stay in here yourself, I’m done.”
“I’m with you, sir.” Said the other man left, Roman, on Christian’s right, and made his way over to the door avoiding the windows. Hal watched him, then looked at Christian. Christian shrugged.
“This place has gotten kinda stuffy… Need some fresh air.” He smiled.
“Sure, then.” Replied Hal. They gathered at the door.
“On three, then?” Said the corporal. “One, two, three!”
They burst out of the door. The corporal’s pistol fired, and Christian ducked next to a post holding up the stable’s outdoor awning. He raised the rifle to his shoulder and aimed towards the mass of Mexicans. But they were leaving. Backs were turned, flags were going away. The enemy guns had stopped. Spanish shouts were ordering them back, and trumpets outside the fort were sounding the retreat. Incredibly, Santa Anna’s army were snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. And then the shouting began to spread across the ruined, smoking, burning fort, in English and in Spanish.
“Reinforcements to the north!”
Wow! This is such a brilliant AAR DerKaiser! The strategy you thought of on the first day was very well devised, and your superb writing got me hooked.
I've always thought that California was the coolest of the States, so seeing it have a chance to establish itself on its own is pretty interesting.
Looking forward to seeing how this turns out
I've always thought that California was the coolest of the States, so seeing it have a chance to establish itself on its own is pretty interesting.
Looking forward to seeing how this turns out
JimboIX- Damn straight!
Andreios II- Welcome to California, and thanks! Always good to have another reader! I would, at the risk of offending, have to agree that California is clearly the coolest state, though then again it is the only one I have spent any meaningful time in, so I would say that...
I shall try not to disappoint your interest!
150-250 others- Enjoy!
Andreios II- Welcome to California, and thanks! Always good to have another reader! I would, at the risk of offending, have to agree that California is clearly the coolest state, though then again it is the only one I have spent any meaningful time in, so I would say that...
I shall try not to disappoint your interest!
150-250 others- Enjoy!
Extract from “Independence to Empire, A New History of the Californian Republic” (By Chris Carmack and Michael Connor, Berkeley University Press, published 2007)
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the Californian victory at Tijuana. Against improbable odds, and displaying a courage that bordered on stubbornness, the small army of Don Alejandro del Serrano had done exactly what was required of it- delayed Santa Anna’s army long enough until the (very late) Second Army arrived. It cost more than half of the Tijuana garrison their lives- out of 2,011 soldiers that had marched down to the frontier at the beginning of April, just 787 were left alive- but it cost the Mexicans their chance to win the war (as well as at least 10,000 casualties- a staggering figure). Upon the arrival of the Second Army, the Mexicans withdrew to their camp, and after a day’s standoff, Santa Anna’s slipping grasp on power finally gave way. The former dictator himself was able to escape capture by his compatriots- fleeing west across Arizona and New Mexico with a handful of followers, his part in the history of California and the Americas far from over- but for now the Mexicans formed a new provisional government.
Under General Martin de Cos, Mexico’s military leaders established themselves in charge, theoretically in the name of former Vice President Valentin Farias, and their first move was to offer the Californians peace- a compromise that gave the new Republic simply the territories that had sent deputations to the San Francisco Assembly, leaving many perceived Californians outside the Republic’s borders, and the territorial aims of its provisional leaders unsatisfied, and leaving the Mexicans with an existing memorial of their humiliation to their north. It was clear, even to the signatories of the Treaty of Tijuana itself, that the question of Californian identity was still very much an open one, and one that would be revisited in the future. It was not just Santa Anna’s megalomania that had led the Mexicans to invade California, and not just his tyranny that had caused the Californians to rebel. It was more of an armistice than a definite peace, but for now the Californians would use the time that their compatriots had bought them at Tijuana to build the strength of the new Republic; and the achievement of the 2,000 of the Army of California was to ensure, against the odds, that that time was measured in years, not days.
The borders of the Californian Republic according to the Treaty of Tijuana, April 11th 1836
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the Californian victory at Tijuana. Against improbable odds, and displaying a courage that bordered on stubbornness, the small army of Don Alejandro del Serrano had done exactly what was required of it- delayed Santa Anna’s army long enough until the (very late) Second Army arrived. It cost more than half of the Tijuana garrison their lives- out of 2,011 soldiers that had marched down to the frontier at the beginning of April, just 787 were left alive- but it cost the Mexicans their chance to win the war (as well as at least 10,000 casualties- a staggering figure). Upon the arrival of the Second Army, the Mexicans withdrew to their camp, and after a day’s standoff, Santa Anna’s slipping grasp on power finally gave way. The former dictator himself was able to escape capture by his compatriots- fleeing west across Arizona and New Mexico with a handful of followers, his part in the history of California and the Americas far from over- but for now the Mexicans formed a new provisional government.
Under General Martin de Cos, Mexico’s military leaders established themselves in charge, theoretically in the name of former Vice President Valentin Farias, and their first move was to offer the Californians peace- a compromise that gave the new Republic simply the territories that had sent deputations to the San Francisco Assembly, leaving many perceived Californians outside the Republic’s borders, and the territorial aims of its provisional leaders unsatisfied, and leaving the Mexicans with an existing memorial of their humiliation to their north. It was clear, even to the signatories of the Treaty of Tijuana itself, that the question of Californian identity was still very much an open one, and one that would be revisited in the future. It was not just Santa Anna’s megalomania that had led the Mexicans to invade California, and not just his tyranny that had caused the Californians to rebel. It was more of an armistice than a definite peace, but for now the Californians would use the time that their compatriots had bought them at Tijuana to build the strength of the new Republic; and the achievement of the 2,000 of the Army of California was to ensure, against the odds, that that time was measured in years, not days.
The borders of the Californian Republic according to the Treaty of Tijuana, April 11th 1836
Great work achieving independence, now you just have to hope they don't come knocking for reannexation for a few years, and hold off the inevitable yankee invasion..yep..I guess independence is going to look easy.
Fantastic stuff!
Now you've got to get yourself some immigrants and see about building an army in case the big blue blob comes knocking as well.
Now you've got to get yourself some immigrants and see about building an army in case the big blue blob comes knocking as well.
You're doing well, and I love the attention to detail and descriptions! Now you just need to survive.
Excellent, Mexico and more importantly Santa Anna have been defeated. Hopefully ANOTHER sucessful secession by a northern province will ensure Anna's reputation is throroughly ruined enough to see Mexico free of the pompous fool
I'm interested in how the political system will evolve, what with the caudillos, anglos and liberals all with different ideas of what California should be.
Keep it up good sir!
I'm interested in how the political system will evolve, what with the caudillos, anglos and liberals all with different ideas of what California should be.
Keep it up good sir!
And now for the Californian Republic to embrace its legacy as the new rome and crown an Emperor!
Please?
Please?
JimboIX- Oh yeah, a walk in the park ... Don't worry we've got a gameplan it will all turn out well...
Cinéad- Yep I think immigrants are probably a good idea, after all the population of California is only just reaching 800,000. Not really satisfactory yet... And thanks!
CatKnight- Thanks and welcome! And by the end of this AAR I hope to do more than just survive...
Strategos' Risk- The Tijuana battle is based on what happened in-game, and it was indeed 2,000 against 30,000 (with an artillery brigade). The way I survived is because I put a redoubt into the San Diego province to represent the fort, I was already dug in when the Mexicans arrived, and because the Californian army had very high morale, whereas the Mexican morale was low. Also I scripted in a General Del Serrano with good traits, which helped, though the Mexicans did have Santa Anna themselves. In the end, it was just enough to last a week, at which point the second army did indeed arrive, and the Mexicans were immediately defeated. Californian casualties were the same as they were in-game. Hope that answers your question!
Jape- Well Santa Anna has been deposed, but he's certainly not out of the story. I can assure you that he will be back in several guises before he's done. As to the political system, that will be a source of a lot of problems and drama as well. And thanks!
Maximilliano- All in good time...
Another 200- Enjoy and feel free to comment if you want!
... Don't worry we've got a gameplan it will all turn out well...Cinéad- Yep I think immigrants are probably a good idea, after all the population of California is only just reaching 800,000. Not really satisfactory yet... And thanks!
CatKnight- Thanks and welcome! And by the end of this AAR I hope to do more than just survive...
Strategos' Risk- The Tijuana battle is based on what happened in-game, and it was indeed 2,000 against 30,000 (with an artillery brigade). The way I survived is because I put a redoubt into the San Diego province to represent the fort, I was already dug in when the Mexicans arrived, and because the Californian army had very high morale, whereas the Mexican morale was low. Also I scripted in a General Del Serrano with good traits, which helped, though the Mexicans did have Santa Anna themselves. In the end, it was just enough to last a week, at which point the second army did indeed arrive, and the Mexicans were immediately defeated. Californian casualties were the same as they were in-game. Hope that answers your question!
Jape- Well Santa Anna has been deposed, but he's certainly not out of the story. I can assure you that he will be back in several guises before he's done. As to the political system, that will be a source of a lot of problems and drama as well. And thanks!
Maximilliano- All in good time
...Another 200- Enjoy and feel free to comment if you want!
Well, California may not have gotten all of it's desired territories, but at least it has peace for the moment.
I'm sure that once Mexico is distracted by the Americans in their inevitable war, you can reclaim at least the modern state borders.
Oh, and you should work on building a navy, because any respectable nation has a navy
I'm sure that once Mexico is distracted by the Americans in their inevitable war, you can reclaim at least the modern state borders.
Oh, and you should work on building a navy, because any respectable nation has a navy
Andreios II- I certainly think California got a perfectly satisfactory deal (in game terms) out of the war. If it had continued until one of the two sides got everything they wanted, Mexico would without question have won. Though of course I intend to go for the remaining lands soon enough.
And funny you should mention a navy- as that is indeed one of the most important parts of the Californian Republic's worldwise strategy, as we shall see!
And funny you should mention a navy- as that is indeed one of the most important parts of the Californian Republic's worldwise strategy, as we shall see!
The way forward?
Reproduction of Prime Minister Juan Alvarado’s “Ten Points of Government”, 13th August 1836. By permission of the Californian National Archives.
To the people of the Republic of California, the youngest of the Pantheon of Nations, from the first Prime Minister of that nation, Juan Bautista Alvarado.
I thank all that have elected me to the position of Prime Minister, our country’s first. This nation of ours has, if my belief be right, a great future before us, and it is the greatest honour for me to lead California forwards in her opening years. As your elected servant, I give out to you, the people of California, my ten maxims of optimum governance, by which I shall strive, with God’s help, to bring this nation peace, prosperity and good fortune.
1. The Republic of California shall be a free haven to all those facing persecution across the wide world, provided that they will subscribe with enthusiasm to the customs and laws of our country, and become Californian patriots.
2. The workers of California shall be afforded the right to a daily wage for their work, and shall be free from the spectre of indentured labour and enslavement to the soil.
3. There shall be in California opportunity for those of talent and merit to advance themselves in rank and position, free from the crude prejudice of creed, class or wealth.
4. The people and government of California shall be committed to the freedom from persecution of those of all religious persuasions, provided that religion be a private and not a public discipline for all Californians.
5. All Californians shall be afforded the right to trial by a jury of peers. There shall be no summary dispensation of justice, nor any suspension of the Right to Habeus Corpus in any case. No man accused in the presence of evidence shall be exempt trial.
6. The Republic of California shall protect and respect the freedom of trade and commerce, and shall not interfere in the area of private business.
7. The people of California shall bear arms only in defence of their country and their livelihood, and the Californian Army shall be an army for the maintenance of the peace, not for aggressive or imperial adventures.
8. There shall be no man occupying any position in the Californian Cabinet or the Californian Parliament, or indeed any position of power, without having been justly elected a seat in Parliament by his peers, and without having the continuous and free approval of those peers.
9. There shall be no obstruction of the freedoms of any Californian citizen, as regards personal life, by the government. Nor shall there be any interference with the free press, the formation of political parties and political organisations or the practice of organised religion, so long as it remain a private, and not a public, discipline.
10. Any Californian citizen who feels he has been wronged or abused by the government of California, in the presence of evidence, shall reserve the right to pursue his grievance to the very highest authority without let or hindrance.
Signed Juan Bautista Alvarado, Prime Minister of California and Deputy for the City of San Francisco
Reproduction of Prime Minister Juan Alvarado’s “Ten Points of Government”, 13th August 1836. By permission of the Californian National Archives.
To the people of the Republic of California, the youngest of the Pantheon of Nations, from the first Prime Minister of that nation, Juan Bautista Alvarado.
I thank all that have elected me to the position of Prime Minister, our country’s first. This nation of ours has, if my belief be right, a great future before us, and it is the greatest honour for me to lead California forwards in her opening years. As your elected servant, I give out to you, the people of California, my ten maxims of optimum governance, by which I shall strive, with God’s help, to bring this nation peace, prosperity and good fortune.
1. The Republic of California shall be a free haven to all those facing persecution across the wide world, provided that they will subscribe with enthusiasm to the customs and laws of our country, and become Californian patriots.
2. The workers of California shall be afforded the right to a daily wage for their work, and shall be free from the spectre of indentured labour and enslavement to the soil.
3. There shall be in California opportunity for those of talent and merit to advance themselves in rank and position, free from the crude prejudice of creed, class or wealth.
4. The people and government of California shall be committed to the freedom from persecution of those of all religious persuasions, provided that religion be a private and not a public discipline for all Californians.
5. All Californians shall be afforded the right to trial by a jury of peers. There shall be no summary dispensation of justice, nor any suspension of the Right to Habeus Corpus in any case. No man accused in the presence of evidence shall be exempt trial.
6. The Republic of California shall protect and respect the freedom of trade and commerce, and shall not interfere in the area of private business.
7. The people of California shall bear arms only in defence of their country and their livelihood, and the Californian Army shall be an army for the maintenance of the peace, not for aggressive or imperial adventures.
8. There shall be no man occupying any position in the Californian Cabinet or the Californian Parliament, or indeed any position of power, without having been justly elected a seat in Parliament by his peers, and without having the continuous and free approval of those peers.
9. There shall be no obstruction of the freedoms of any Californian citizen, as regards personal life, by the government. Nor shall there be any interference with the free press, the formation of political parties and political organisations or the practice of organised religion, so long as it remain a private, and not a public, discipline.
10. Any Californian citizen who feels he has been wronged or abused by the government of California, in the presence of evidence, shall reserve the right to pursue his grievance to the very highest authority without let or hindrance.
Signed Juan Bautista Alvarado, Prime Minister of California and Deputy for the City of San Francisco
The shape of things to come...
Extract from “Independence to Empire, A New History of the Californian Republic” (By Chris Carmack and Michael Connor, Berkeley University Press, published 2007)
It is difficult for us, in this liberal, secular age, to imagine the controversy that was caused by the publication of Prime Minister Alvarado’s “Ten Points of Government”. In 2007, most of the points in this manifesto seem fair and reasonable- the sort of thing we might expect from our leaders. In 1836, they caused a wave of fury among many sectors of Californian society.
Most outspoken in their outrage were the Dons. The second point- disavowing indentured labour- attacked one of the pillars of their livelihood head-on. What, after all, were the rancheros who maintained the Don estates, if not serfs tied to the land? If they were forced to pay a daily wage to these men, and forced to acknowledge their responsibility to let them leave whenever they wished, it would simply be a disaster. A disaster, moreover, that the Dons were not willing to accept. Even Alvarado, the great campaigning idealist, was forced to moderate his ideas when he witnessed the fury of the Dons against this policy.
Furthermore, various other points attacked their way of life- directly and indirectly. The fifth and eighth points questioned the concept, coined by Rafael Montero, of the “Don exception” to the ordinary rules of government and society. Alvarado was, apparently, going to bring the Californian nobility to trial in front of the lower and middle classes of society, a severe affront to the pride of the Dons, and one that they would not accept. Point three committed the country to a policy of meritocracy, something the nepotistic and reactionary Dons were loathe to accept, and point nine undermined the ability of the Dons to control the lives of the rancheros, putting a vast amount of power into the hands of the perceived “lower classes” and weakening the authority of the aristocrats over their serfs. Finally, adding salt to the already gaping wounds, point ten guaranteed the right of every single lower class ranchero and worker to take the Dons to account if he felt he was being mistreated in the slightest. It gave the subjects all the ability and authority they needed to contradict and overthrow their masters. To say that the Don faction at Parliament, led by Rafael Montero, were disgusted is to put it lightly.
Not only the Dons were threatened, however. Alvarado deliberately targeted the Catholic Church in points four and nine, aiming to sideline the clerical leaders and fully secularise the government of California, a policy that drove incensed Church leaders into the arms of the Dons. Non-aristocratic conservatives were disgusted at the idea of having to throw open all the opportunities available in society and government to the lower classes, and deeply concerned at the idea that, if Alvarado’s Points became policy, they would have no means to intervene in the machinations of their political opponents. Hispanic Don and Anglo-Saxon capitalist alike shuddered at the prospect of the development of trade unions, effectively guaranteed in point nine, while hawks and imperialists were angered by Alvarado’s meek stance on war and expansion, which seemed to preclude the possibility of bringing the remaining Californians still outside the Republic’s borders into the fold, or indeed of expanding into Latin America and the Pacific, vast areas which to some were crying out to be dominated by a Christian Europeanised power.
It is, of course, important to remember that the “Ten Points of Government” were not like the American Bill of Rights. They were not actual policy. They were closer to guidelines according to Alvarado, and to a manifesto of what Californians could expect, should they throw their lot in with their first Prime Minister for the long term. Though some have made the simplistic mistake of assuming that this famous document was synonymous with actual Californian practice, it is obvious that it was not. Most plainly, several of the Ten Points never came close to being enacted- quite the reverse. However, they were (and arguably remain) vitally important to the character of Californian government and politics. Certainly they defined the actions of Alvarado’s government, and many administrations thereafter have found themselves forced to define themselves as “Alvaradan” or not (something that will be familiar to the Californians of 2007 due to Prime Minister Arnold Schwarzenegger’s self-definition as a “neo-Alvaradan”).
Equally, the implications of and reactions to the Points continued to have a strong effect on the course of Californian events, long after they were announced by Alvarado. Much of Californian history- the Civil War, the expansion of the Empire, even the Yellow Rebellion some 65 years after the Points- can be traced back to what Alvarado considered to be “optimum governance”, and those 19th century events were in turn to define the course of California in the 20th century. It is technically and officially correct to say that the Ten Points were not similar in nature to the Bill of Rights in neighbouring America. However, in terms of how each has affected the course of the history of each nation, and indeed how each continues to affect its respective nation and its identity to this very day, Alvarado’s Points can arguably be called equally significant.
Extract from “Independence to Empire, A New History of the Californian Republic” (By Chris Carmack and Michael Connor, Berkeley University Press, published 2007)
It is difficult for us, in this liberal, secular age, to imagine the controversy that was caused by the publication of Prime Minister Alvarado’s “Ten Points of Government”. In 2007, most of the points in this manifesto seem fair and reasonable- the sort of thing we might expect from our leaders. In 1836, they caused a wave of fury among many sectors of Californian society.
Most outspoken in their outrage were the Dons. The second point- disavowing indentured labour- attacked one of the pillars of their livelihood head-on. What, after all, were the rancheros who maintained the Don estates, if not serfs tied to the land? If they were forced to pay a daily wage to these men, and forced to acknowledge their responsibility to let them leave whenever they wished, it would simply be a disaster. A disaster, moreover, that the Dons were not willing to accept. Even Alvarado, the great campaigning idealist, was forced to moderate his ideas when he witnessed the fury of the Dons against this policy.
Furthermore, various other points attacked their way of life- directly and indirectly. The fifth and eighth points questioned the concept, coined by Rafael Montero, of the “Don exception” to the ordinary rules of government and society. Alvarado was, apparently, going to bring the Californian nobility to trial in front of the lower and middle classes of society, a severe affront to the pride of the Dons, and one that they would not accept. Point three committed the country to a policy of meritocracy, something the nepotistic and reactionary Dons were loathe to accept, and point nine undermined the ability of the Dons to control the lives of the rancheros, putting a vast amount of power into the hands of the perceived “lower classes” and weakening the authority of the aristocrats over their serfs. Finally, adding salt to the already gaping wounds, point ten guaranteed the right of every single lower class ranchero and worker to take the Dons to account if he felt he was being mistreated in the slightest. It gave the subjects all the ability and authority they needed to contradict and overthrow their masters. To say that the Don faction at Parliament, led by Rafael Montero, were disgusted is to put it lightly.
Not only the Dons were threatened, however. Alvarado deliberately targeted the Catholic Church in points four and nine, aiming to sideline the clerical leaders and fully secularise the government of California, a policy that drove incensed Church leaders into the arms of the Dons. Non-aristocratic conservatives were disgusted at the idea of having to throw open all the opportunities available in society and government to the lower classes, and deeply concerned at the idea that, if Alvarado’s Points became policy, they would have no means to intervene in the machinations of their political opponents. Hispanic Don and Anglo-Saxon capitalist alike shuddered at the prospect of the development of trade unions, effectively guaranteed in point nine, while hawks and imperialists were angered by Alvarado’s meek stance on war and expansion, which seemed to preclude the possibility of bringing the remaining Californians still outside the Republic’s borders into the fold, or indeed of expanding into Latin America and the Pacific, vast areas which to some were crying out to be dominated by a Christian Europeanised power.
It is, of course, important to remember that the “Ten Points of Government” were not like the American Bill of Rights. They were not actual policy. They were closer to guidelines according to Alvarado, and to a manifesto of what Californians could expect, should they throw their lot in with their first Prime Minister for the long term. Though some have made the simplistic mistake of assuming that this famous document was synonymous with actual Californian practice, it is obvious that it was not. Most plainly, several of the Ten Points never came close to being enacted- quite the reverse. However, they were (and arguably remain) vitally important to the character of Californian government and politics. Certainly they defined the actions of Alvarado’s government, and many administrations thereafter have found themselves forced to define themselves as “Alvaradan” or not (something that will be familiar to the Californians of 2007 due to Prime Minister Arnold Schwarzenegger’s self-definition as a “neo-Alvaradan”).
Equally, the implications of and reactions to the Points continued to have a strong effect on the course of Californian events, long after they were announced by Alvarado. Much of Californian history- the Civil War, the expansion of the Empire, even the Yellow Rebellion some 65 years after the Points- can be traced back to what Alvarado considered to be “optimum governance”, and those 19th century events were in turn to define the course of California in the 20th century. It is technically and officially correct to say that the Ten Points were not similar in nature to the Bill of Rights in neighbouring America. However, in terms of how each has affected the course of the history of each nation, and indeed how each continues to affect its respective nation and its identity to this very day, Alvarado’s Points can arguably be called equally significant.
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Sounds good, I hope to see some more screenshots in the future. I do hope that your version of California will be unique- a truly Latin American republic north of the Rio Grande? (As opposed to Anglo-dominated Texas?) Fascinating! Additionally, I do hope if and when you do expand, you'll first make sure California gets all of Baja. I've always found it ridiculous why Baja wasn't ceded after the U.S.-Mexican War.
Nothing like a little Angloish bill of rights to stir the pot. Fortunately for Alvarado, he must have quite a bit of popular support.