California. Independence from Mexico

Alta California. Diputación Territorial. [Incipit:] En el Puerto de Monterrey de la Alta California, á los siete dias del mes de Noviembre de mil ochocientos treinta y seis ... La Alta California se declara independiente de Mejico mientras tanto no restablesca el sistema Federal que se adoptó el año de 1824. [Signed in paraphs and in type at end:] José Castro. Juan B. Albarado. José Antonio Noriega. [in type only:] Antonino [sic] Buelna. [Monterey: Santiago Aguilar, 1836]



Broadside, folio (12 3/8 x 8 1/2 in.; 315 x 215 mm), a cursive "gp" watermark in the paper, 3 paraphs; formerly folded, two small holes in right margin mended, three smaller holes in left margin, crease in lower margin, light dampstain in lower right corner. Red half-morocco slipcase, gilt-stamped title on spine. 

Cowan, California Spanish Imprints, p. 16; Fahey 22; Greenwood, California Imprints 23; Harding 22; Streeter sale 2482

One of five copies known, the only one recorded as signed by hand.

The revolt against the Mexican government by California, another of Mexico's northern provinces (with Texas) to feel neglected, was led by Juan Bautista Alvarado (1809–1882), governor of Alta California, José Castro, and Isaac Graham. After seizing the presidio at Monterey, they confiscated the Zamarano press and put Santiago Aguilar in charge of it. With the authority of the legislature, this "declaration of independence" was printed, declaring the territory of Alta California "libre y soberano" until the central government is reformed and reverts to its Federal system of 1824. It further establishes Roman Catholicism as the official religion of the territory, with the provision that the government cannot interfere with non-Catholic worship.

One of the key documents in the transition of California from a colonial territory of Spain to its eventual inclusion in the United States. Other copies are located at Berkeley (Bancroft Library), Pasadena (Huntington Library), and Mexico City (Archivo General) along with the Streeter copy.