There is scarcely a form of crime that has not been reported to me as committed hy them.""
A great number of Mexican towns were captured and held by our forcep. We may judge, from a single exam- ple, what kind of municipal government has most probably been exercised by our officers. Twelve months after the capture of Monterey, its social condition v/as thus described by Colonel Tibbats, in an official proclamation : " The undersigned, by virtue of an order of the commanding General, lias assumed the office of military and civil Gov- ernor of Monterey. Finding the command assigned to him, virtually without law or order, and infested with rob- bers, murderers, gamblers, vagi-ants, and other evil dis- posed persons, the worst of criminals going free, unscathed of justice, and rapine and even murder stalking abroad in open day without fear of punishment, insomuch that the peaceable inhabitants thereof have no protection either of person or property," &c.
The following: official declaration is of a character that forbids us to doubt, that the oppression of the Mexicans has been most aggravated. General Kearney, writing to the War Department, 15th March, 1847, in reference to some insurrectionary movements, says : " The Californi- ans are now quiet, and I shall endeavor to keep them so by mild and gentle treatment. Had they received such treatment from the time our flag was hoisted in July last, I believe there would have been but httle or no resistance on their part. They have been most cruelly and shame- fully abused by our own people, by volunteers (Ameri- can emigrants) residii:|g in this part of the country, and on the Sacramento. Had they not resisted, they would have been unworthy of the name of meny* To the individual sufferings arising from military vio- lence, has been added that general suffering in which the whole Mexican population has participated, necessarily * We do not know the particulars here referred to ; but the following item from the news of the day gives us some intimation of the spirit manifested by the conquerors. " Lieuts. Beal,