USA > California > History of California, Volume II > Part 43
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420
INSTITUTIONS AND INDUSTRIES.
marked of the Lima trade that has not been said in recording the visits of each vessel, and the same remark may be made of the whole topic of commerce.16 The Indians still caught now and then an unfortu- nately slow-motioned sea-otter that came in their way, and the padres shipped the small store of skins or sold them whenever they found a chance. The Rus- sians took a constantly and rapidly decreasing number of otter each year, a number which was greatly ex- aggerated in the ideas of the Spaniards.17 Retail trade there was none in the country, unless we reckon as such the operations of 'Tia' Boronda and 'tios' Armenta and Cayuelos, who in their extra-mural cots at Monterey are said to have kept a variety of small articles for sale, some of which there is much reason to fear never paid duties. Tio Armenta was a great man in this little band, being a reputed protégé of the Ortegas, and he sometimes engaged in grand affairs, such as raffling a dozen China handkerchiefs, or getting a bushel of salt from the salinas in spite of the Span- ish estanco.18
16 Guerra's commercial ventures seem to have continued more or less con- stantly through the decade so far as can be judged from fragmentary invoices and accounts. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 31-40. 1811, circulars dis- tributed proposing barter for tallow. Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 220. 1814, Sarria disapproves of middlemen, or rather of the percentage allowed them in the soap trade. Arch. Sta B., MS., xii. 17. 1816, trade with foreigners positively forbidden by viceroy. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 5. Negrete of Tepic says he has lost $10,000 invested in the tallow-trade because the padres refused to to take manta or any thing but dollars. Id., xx. 127. Deer's grease taken by hunters and shipped to Peru. Vallejo, Sequias en Cal., MS., 1817. Sola says there are 100,000 arrobas of tallow in California. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 245-6. Vessels taking tallow. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 167, 180, 185-6. Sola complains of trouble about closing business with the friars who are very hard to please, and regrets that they will not appoint an agent to do business for all. Id., xx. 180. It was found necessary to issue strict orders to prevent frauds in the delivery of tallow, with penalties for adulterating the staple with sand, etc. Dept. St. Pap., S. José, MS., i. 135-7; S. José Arch., MS., iii. 19, 1818. Delivering tallow for lard, and vice versa, forfeited the goods and resulted in two months' imprisonment. St. Pap. Sac., MS., v. 47. 17 Vallejo, Ilist. Cal., MS., i. 105-6, says the otter were so abundant in 1812 that they were killed by the boatmen with their oars in passing through the sea-weed; and that the Russians killed 10,000 a year for five years, and 5,000 a year down to 1831. Chamisso, Reise, i. 132, in 1816, estimates the annual catch at 2,000, selling in China for $60 each on an average.
18 Alvarado, Ilist. Cal., MS., i. 158-9; ii. 214; Cerruti's Ramblings, MS., 202-3. Many Indians of San Diego mission went to the presidio to sell a variety of small articles, and the padres wished them arrested if they had no
421
HABILITACION GENERAL.
I do not deem it necessary to recapitulate here the fragmentary financial statistics that have been given elsewhere for each of the four presidios; neither is it desirable to recur to the most prominent but thread- bare topic of hard times and failure to obtain the memorias from Mexico. Therefore, appending some general provincial statements on the subject in a note,19 I pass on to a brief record of the habilitacion general. It will be remembered that Ormaechea took charge in 1810 ad interim, and he held it-the regu- lar habilitado general, José de la Guerra, not having been able to reach Mexico-until 1816,20 not giving satisfaction during his incumbency, nor, as it appears, rendering any proper accounts on leaving the office. A new election being ordered in 1815 the coman- dantes left the choice to the governor, who appointed Gervasio Argüello. The latter left California late in 1816 never to return. 21 His services never amounted
pass. Arch. Arzobispado, ii. 83. Prices of the period include the following: Tallow, $1.50 per arroba; lard, $2.50; sugar, $5; rice, $2.50; wheat, $2 per fanega; barley, $1; pease, $1.62; cattle $2 to $6; mules, $10; aparejos, $5; sheep-skins, $1.50; calicoes, 87 cents per yard; flannels, $1.75: Cuzco cloth, $1.50; alpaca, $1.75; cueras, $24 each; serapes, $5.
19 Appropriation in Mexico for the California presidios in 1811, $82,333. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xlii. 16. Invoice of 1815, $34,840. Id., xlvi. 29. Sola's statement of pay-roll, etc., for year in 1818, $91,778, or less the deductions, $89,071. Id., xlix. 75. Invoice of 1819-20, $41,319. Id., li. 10. July 20, 1820, artillery account of Lieut. José Ramirez: rec'd $5,039; paid $4,708; balance paid to Lieut. Gomez, $331. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., liii. 3. Dec. 31, 1820, account of Gomez: receipts since May, $2,184; paid out, $2,155; balance to last six months, $29. Id., liii. 3. Correspondence about mails 1811-20 of no importance, but showing that Sola made an effort to in- troduce more system and despatch. Pov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 79, 83, 229-30; St. Pap., Sac., MS., vi. 30; Gaceta de Mex., xli. 128-9; Arch. Arzob., MS., iii. pt. i. 55-60; Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., vi. 10; Vallejo, Hist. Cal., i. 143-4. Net yields of tobocco sales: 1811, $5,851; in 1812, $5, 871. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xlii. 17-18; xliii. 13, 14. In 1816, P. Marquinez of Sta Cruz writes to the governor that he has but 50 puros left, and fears he will have to give up smoking when those are gone. Arch. Arzob., MS., iii. pt. i. 85.
20 1812, report that Felipe Maitorena had succeeded Rodriguez. Prov. Rec., MS., x. 4. Vote at Loreto in May 1812, in which all voted for some offi- cer of that presidio. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 326-7. I have found no definite record of Guerra's election in 1810. Jan. 26, 1815, viceroy orders a new elec- tion, as Ormaechea could no longer attend to the duties. Id., xix. 371.
21 Oct. 14, 1815, comandantes to governor. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 380, 292. Argüello was to have $1,000 extra pay and $500 for travelling expenses. Sailed Nov. 1816. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 154. At Guadalajara in February, 1817. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 190. Feb. 26, 1817, Sola reminded by a friend of the great importance of having a trusty agent in Mexico. Id., xx. 151.
422
INSTITUTIONS AND INDUSTRIES.
to much to the province he represented; but perhaps no one could have done better. To escape his impor- tunities the viceroy sent Argüello to reside at Guada- lajara, the California drafts being payable at that treasury. Here he had nothing to do but present his claims and listen to the invariable reply, "no hay fondos." José de la Guerra was charged with reform- ing the habilitacion in 1819-20; but though the two officers managed to secure a small invoice of goods, Guerra could succeed neither in transferring Argüello to Mexico nor in getting him sent back to his com- pany in California.22 No successor ever took the position.
The military force on duty in the province, includ- ing officers and men of the four presidial companies, invalids, and veteran artillerymen, did not vary more than one or two men during the decade from the 410 at its beginning,23 involving an annual expense to the Spanish government of $89,000, an expense rendered much less burdensome by the fact that it was never paid. In 1819 there came to the country Captain Portilla's Mazatlan company of cavalry, the ‘Maza- tecos,' and Captain Navarrete's San Blas company of infantry, the 'Cholos,' both companies numbering 203 men.24 The veteran artillerymen under Gomez were reënforced in 1820 by the coming of Lieutenant José Ramirez, who probably brought with him 15 or 20 men.25 There were besides the company of militia
Sola asks viceroy to give Argüello as much pay as his predecessors had received. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 169. 1817-18, Argüello has to give bonds of $6,000. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 192-3, 219.
22 Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 155-6; iv. 9, 29-30, 164; Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 443-4.
23 See chap. ix. this volume for distribution in 1810. A general statement of July 20, 1818, makes the corresponding total 407. Sta Clara, Parroquia, MS., 55-6.
24 Portilla's company: 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 2 alféreces, and 95 men, including sergeants, corporals, drummers, and privates; Navarrete's com- pany: 1 captain, 1 lieut., 1 sub-lieut., 3 sergeants, 10 corporals, 1 drummer, and 86 privates. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xlix. 34.
23 Cost of the artillery detachment, $2,700 to $3,600 per year. On the reenforcement under Ramirez, see chap. xii. this volume.
423
MILITARY.
artillerymen, several times called into active service, numbering 82 men in 1816, but reduced to 64 in 1819.26 Thus the total force available in 1820 was about 700 men. The services of the army on the several occasions when the province was threatened, or supposed to be threatened, with invasion by foreign foes, in the various expeditions against Indian foes in the interior, and in the continual battle against the want and nakedness resulting from Spanish neglect, are already well known to the reader, and the mili- tary annals of the period demand no further notice.27
Beyond the actual succession of political and mili- tary rulers-Arrillaga, Argüello, Sola-there is noth- ing to be added respecting the theory or practice of provincial government.28 In municipal government there was a decree of the cortes of May 23, 1812, on the formation of ayuntamientos, which would have increased the number of regidores at San José and Los Angeles, but which had no immediate effect in California.23 In those branches of government con-
26 Names of the 82 members of the company on Aug. 19, 1816. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xlvii. 11-13. Distribution in 1817, 70 men. St. Pap., Sac., MS., ii. 93. July 6, 1819. These men are to receive the same pay as veterans, by governor's order. Id., viii. 56.
27 It is but fair to allude also to Padre Ripoll's companies of native mache- teros and lancers and archers at Sta Bárbara, trained by the valiant padre to fight against pirates. Arch. Arzob., MS., iv. pt. i. 17. In the law of Oct. 11, 1813, calling on each province for its quota of men for the army, Cali- fornia was exempt. Los Angeles, Arch., MS., iv. 126-7. 1815-17 there was a correspondence leading to the recommendation by Sola of a list of officers for promotion. It appeared that Californian officers were in danger of being neglected in favor of 'cowards in Mexico who want to make a show without doing any work.' Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., vi. 1-11, 115-16. Nov. 29, 1816, viceroy orders release of 4 soldiers imprisoned on charge of sedition. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 25. Order to release military prisoners not liable to penalty of death or sedition. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 143. May 1820, a San Blas soldier sentenced to 4 years' work in shackles for stoning his corporal. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., li. 4.
28 From Sola's letter it appears that the governor's term of office was con- sidered 5 years. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 149; Id., Ben. Mil., xlix. 33.
29 Ayuntamientos, Decreto de las Cortes de 23 de Mayo 1812, sobre forma- cion de Ayuntamientos Constitucionales in Mexico, Leyes Vigentes, 1829, 28, etc .; Rivera, Nueva Coleccion de Leyes, 1835, i. 890; Dwinelle's Colon. Hist. S. F., add., 1820; Wheeler's Land Titles, 6; White's Recopilacion, 416; Hall's Ilist. S. José, 102-4. June 15, 1814, order of viceroy that ayuntamientos are to follow the law of 1808. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 135.
424
INSTITUTIONS AND INDUSTRIES.
nected with the administration of justice and the pre- serving of public order there is nothing new to be said so far as system is concerned; and illustrative items of the decade may be conveniently grouped in a note. 30
30 Oct. 9, 1812, Spanish law relating to jurisdiction of judges. Hayes' Mex. Law, 13-16. Sept. 8, 1813, Spanish law abolishing whipping for criminal offences. Circulated by President Senan Sept. 13, 1814. Id., 24; Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., xxiii. 17. Jan. 20, 1816, viceroy orders that governors and comandantes must inspect public prisons on the eve of Christmas, whit- suntide, and easter, to report on cases pending. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 1-2; Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 141. April 30, 1816, governor says no Indian pris- oner must be released without his order. Calls for a monthly list of names, crimes, dates, etc. St. Pap. Sac., MS., viii. 63. July 20, 1818, Fermin de Genoa y Aguirre says to Capt. Guerra jocosely that the people are fast becom- ing converted and orderly; for instance, one Luisa killed another Luisa with a knife; one Castillo broke the head of another Castillo with a stick; two Mi- chaels lost the mail and are now sweeping the plaza, wearing calcetas de Viz- caya; and two sisters gave each other a sound drubbing. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., vi. 128.
1813, the Indian alcalde of San Fernando killed a neophyte by throwing a stick at him to make him work faster. Fiscal Maitorena thought he should be sentenced to 2 months in the chain-gang to satisfy the vindicta pública and teach alcaldes care and humanity. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xlviii. 2. 1814, ar- tilleryman charged with poisoning another soldier-charge not proven. Id., xlv. 7. 1817, the neophyte Gorgonio murdered his wife at San Buenaventura; took asylum in the church, but left that asylum by breaking a window; was recaptured and tried. The fiscal recommended a very severe punishment, bc- cause such cases were becoming too frequent. No sentence. Id., 1. 45-8. 1818, two Indians at mission San José killed another and were in turn killed while sleeping by 4 relatives of the first victim. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 222. 1818, a neophyte of San Diego going to mass with his wife noticed that she had a piece of white cloth which excited his jealousy, though she claimed to have found it. By administering a sound flogging he elicited a confession that the cloth had been given by a gentile for sexual favors. After the casti- gation had been prolonged to the satisfaction of marital wrath and honor, he did all a fond husband could for his wife's comfort by stretching her on a heap of green branches over a fire and bringing her cold water with which to bathe; yet she died, and he was tried for murder. Santiago Argüello was fiscal and the accused chose Cristoból Dominguez for defender. In considera- tion of the Indians' peculiar ideas the death penalty was not recommended when the case was turned over to the presidio comandante. As usual the sentence is not extant. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xlix. 82-5. In 1811 another neophyte of San Diego had flogged a gentile woman to death for infi- delity as a mistress and extravagance; 50 lashes after 5 months' imprison- ment had been the sentence asked for. Id., xlix. 7-9. 1818, a neophyte of San Gabriel murdered another for refusing to pay '3 reals' worth of beads' lost at play. He took church asylum. Id., xlix. 64-6.
1811, three neophytes and four gentiles tried for robbing the presidio ware- house. Alf. Martinez, fiscal, and Sergt. Mercado, defender; 80 lashes and 2 months' to 5 years' presidio work ; 4 others charged with helping conceal the crime and with receiving stolen goods. Id., xlix. 9-10. 1815, Lieut. Guerra required to come from San Diego to Monterey to defend a soldier charged with insulting his sergeant. It seems that the accused might choose a defender anywhere in the province. Doc. Ilist. Cal., MS., iv. 265-6, 269. 1817, three men for breaking open a box of playing-cards at Sta Bárbara sentenced to hard work in irons. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 81. 1817, a man at
425
JUSTICE AND EDUCATION.
Sola took quite a strong personal interest in the education of the rising generation of Californians. It will be remembered that Arrillaga had apparently done nothing in the matter, and that so far as the records show during his rule not a single school had been continuously maintained in the province. In his
Sta Bárbara sentenced to work in irons for breaking into his employer's house on holy Thursday and stealing a bottle of aguardiente. Id., iii. 76-7. 1818, two soldiers given 50 lashes in public for stealing $2.50. Amador, Mem., MS., 52.
1817, José Peralta of San Jose sent a prisoner to Monterey, and a girl made enceinte by him was committed to the padres of Sta Clara to be kept in the cuarto de las solteras until confined. S. José, Arch., MS., i. 24. Padre thinks the alcalde and 2 Indians of Soledad should be sent to the presidio for a month for forcible fornication. Arch. Arzob., MS., iii. pt. ii. 7-9. 1818, governor says the mission girls learn vice at 10-12 years, and soon practice abortion in order to keep young. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 194-5. An Indian at San Diego accused a vecino of having ravished his wife. Santiago Argüello, fiscal; José Antonio Pico, clerk; José Palomares, defender. No decision. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xlix. 62-3. Oct. 3, 1818, Sola to Guerra, the scandal caused by a widow of Los Angeles 'must be corrected for her reform and as a public example.' The comisionado must take her to San Gabriel, have her hair cut short and one eyebrow shaved, and cause her to be exhibited to the public at the hour of mass. Then she is to serve in some respectable family at Sta Bárbara for 6 months, being compelled to lead a religious life. The other guilty person, a carpenter of San Gabriel, must be kept in prison for a month, devote a part of his wages to the support of the child, and be induced to marry the widow if possible. Id., xlix. 16-17. Trial of a case in which a settler of Branciforte was accused of ravishing his three step-daugh- ters. Fiscal Martinez demanded for the man four years' hard labor in shack- lcs, to be followed by banishment; for the oldest girl, 50 lashes from an Indian woman, and one month's arrest; for the second, 50 lashes from her mother in the girl's room at Sta Cruz; for the youngest, 25 lashes; and for the mother a reprimand from the governor. Id., 1. 32-44. 1819, man and wife punished for latter's adultery, with consent of former, at San Francisco. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 253. 1820, two Sta Bárbara cases of illicit love. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 66.
Dec. 2, 1817, Sola forbids card games on feast days, which had been allowed by Borica. Dept. St. Pap., S. José, MS., i. 139. Amador, Memorias, MS., 90-113, narrates the adventures of P. Lnis Gil at Sta Cruz, who used to go in disguise and take a hand in the game for the purpose of detecting the gamblers and confiscating the cards. Pio Pico, Hist. Cal., MS., 8-10, tells some stories about gambling in these days, including his own adventures with Padre Menendez who first stripped Pico of all he had at San Vicente, Lower California, and later was stripped at. San Diego by Pico, who won 12 mules.
1812, no mescal to be sold, under severe penalties. S. José, Arch., MS., iv. 29. Governor has received order for free use and manufacture of mescal, but represents the probable bad effects. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 128. 1815, some in- formation on the intoxicating drinks of the natives. Indios, Contestacion, MS. Acting-governor Argüello signalized his brief term by issuing on Feb. 3, 1815, a decree on the sale of liquors, which was at the same time an eloquent though brief essay on the moral and physical evils of intemperance. The decree provided that liquors might be freely sold by importers at the presidios only in ' unbroken packages;' that only one person at each presidio, a person of confidence, might be appointed to retail liquors under the following re- strictions : None to be sold to an Indian on any pretext whatever; no flask or
426
INSTITUTIONS AND INDUSTRIES.
reports of 1817-18, Sola informed the viceroy that each of the four presidios and two pueblos had now a primary school where children were taught religion, reading, writing, and reckoning, by settlers or retired soldiers of good character; implying clearly that on his coming to the province he had found no schools in operation at most of the places.31 Of these schools outside of the capital-excepting the names of one or two teachers at San José, and the fact that there was a girls' school as well as one for boys at Santa Bár- bara-we know but very little more than that they had an existence, and that little has been noticed in connection with local annals. The governor also urged upon the viceroy in 1818 the importance of establishing a kind of college in which the more intel- ligent of the neophyte boys might be educated as future instructors of their race; together with the still more imperative necessity of providing for the bringing-up of neophyte girls beyond the influence of their parents and relatives;32 but naturally no encour- agement was obtained from Mexico, and there is no evidence that the friars, the only persons who could have taken effective action, felt any interest in the matter. 38
bottle to be sold to two or more persons together without an order from the comandante; 'public drinkers' to have only 25 cents' worth morning and evening; no credit to be given and no debt for liquor to be collectible; 110 article to be taken in payment or pawn, subject to forfeit, or to fine if the article belong to a soldier's uniform or equipment; no liquor to be sold to mission escoltas; prices not to exceed $1 per quart for aguardiente and 50 cents for wine at Monterey and north, or 75 and 25 cents per quart respect- ively in the south. Argüello, Decreto de 1815 sobre bebidas, in S. José, Arch., vi. 32. Feb. 13, 1820, Lieut. Estudillo to Sola, a long report, or plan, for re- forms in the sale of liquors. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 275-6. Feb. 16th, Sola permits the opening of a tavern and sale of liquors under restrictions. Id., Ben. Mil., li. 7, 8. July 27, 1819, the president complains of disorders aris- ing from drunkenness and the illegal sale of liquor. Arch. Sta B., MS., vi. 104-7: Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 437-40.
31 Sola, Informe General, 1817, MS., 168; Id., Observaciones, 1818, MS., 170-80. June 4, 1817, Sola states that education has made considerable prog- ress during his rule of two years. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 150.
32 Sola, Observaciones, 1818, MS., 193-5.
33 According to Vallejo, Ilist. Cal., MS., i. 131-2; Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 75; Vallejo (J. J.), Reminiscencias, MS., 10. Sola brought with him two men, Aspiroz and Santa María, to establish a high school, or college; but they became disgusted with the country and went back to Mexico the same year.
427
SCHOOLS.
At Monterey Sola found a school in operation under the care of Corporal Miguel Archuleta, whom Padre Ibañez had taught to read and write. Within a few years a girls' school was opened, and possibly another for boys.34 Of schools at the capital we know no more through the archives than of others in the province; but Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo and Juan Bautista Alvarado, pupils of Archuleta during this decade, have written at some length their recollec- tions of school-boy days. These sketches, though full of interest, I have no space to follow in detail, especially as school-boy experiences are in a general way the same the world over. Still less can I re- produce their eloquent eulogy of later educational methods in comparison with those of old. It would seem that, with here and there a point of resemblance, the Monterey school, in comparison with even the most primitive backwoods establishment of the At- lantic states at the same epoch, was a very rude in- stitution, worthy of no praise but for the fact that human beings did there learn to read and write. Rude benches extended along the sides of a long, low, adobe room, with dirty unpainted walls. On a raised platform at one end sat the soldier-master, of fierce and warlike mien, clad in fantastic greasy garments, with ferule in hand. On the wall over his head or just at one side was a great green cross and the pic- ture of a saint, to which each boy came on entering the room to say a bendito aloud. Then he approached the platform to salute the master by kissing his hand, and receive a ' bellowed' permission to take his seat,
3+ Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 255, and Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 123-4, tell us that Sola established and supported for the most part with his own money two schools for boys under Manuel Boronda and Matias Guerrero, and a girls' school under Antonio Buelna. José de Jesus Pico remembers Boronda as the first teacher, followed by Archuleta. Acontecimientos, MS., 2. Inocenta Pico de Avila speaks of the girls' school; but says that many girls failed to complete the simple routine of study, being taken out by their mothers to be married. The padre used sometimes to distribute sweetmeats after inass to the girls through those who had made most progress in the doctrina, ap- pointed comisionadas, a high honor often held by the writer and Rosalia Vallejo. Avila, Cosas de Cal., MS., 19-20.
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