He was a man of character and decision, had gone to the Mexican war as a volunteer captain, and had been made a colonel and intrusted with an important command for merit.

Afterwards he had served as postmaster, as alcalde, and as mayor of the city of San Francisco in the turbulent gold excitements of 1848-9, and was made a funding commissioner by the California Legislature.

Both by nature and experience, therefore, he seemed well fitted to subdue the civil commotions of Kansas.
[Sidenote] Gihon, p.

131.
But the pro-slavery leaders of the Territory were very far from relishing or desiring qualifications of this character.

In one of their appeals calling upon the Missourians for "assistance in men, provisions, and munitions, that we may drive out the 'Army of the North,'" they had given the President and the public a piece of their mind about this appointment.