USA > California > History of California, Volume IV > Part 39
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" June 29, 1843, sons of Jose Sanchez to com. gen. Soberanes, Doc., MS.,
374
MISSIONS-COMMERCE-MARITIME AFFAIRS.
The bishop was despondent in consequence of his failure to provide properly for financial necessities and of the indifference to church obligations and episcopal authority manifested by so many prominent Califor- nians. Yet there were certain benefits that could be conferred on an undeserving people in spite of them- selves. On January 4th, he announced the designa- tion of our lady the virgen del Refugio as chief patro- ness of the diocese, naming San Francisco de Asis and San Francisco de Sales as co-patrons of the second order. The swearing of allegiance to these divine pa- trons was to be performed with all possible ceremony at every church on the first Sunday following the receipt of the proclamation.10 Bishop Francisco also found time this year to issue a pastoral letter, in which he enjoined it upon his clergy never to speak in public exhortation or private conversation any word that might be construed as censure of the country's rulers. They must inculcate a spirit of obedience to the au- thorities, but keep aloof from politics. Another evil to be avoided was that of speaking against their breth- ren, whether Mexicans or Californians.11 Yet another achievement must be placed to the bishop's credit. He succeeded in inducing Micheltorena to give a practi- cal illustration of his devotion to church precepts and to the cause of good morals, by marrying the woman he had brought from Mexico as his mistress.12
Foreign vessels entering any other port than that of Monterey were in 1843, as before, required to take
292-5. Dec., Prado Mesa to Vallejo. Excommunication from the bishop is hourly expected by many. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xi. 473.
10 Jan. 4, 1843, bishop's proclamation, beginning 'Rejoice, for ye are al- ready under her powerful protection,' etc., prescribing the ceremonies of the oath, granting 40 days' indulgence, bestowing his pastoral blessing, and con- cluding 'What a memorable and happy year for the Californias!' S. José, Patentes, MS., 215-25. The required ceremony was performed at S. José Mission on April 16th, Id., 225-6; and at S. Antonio on March 26th, with great rejoicings, bells, rockets, salutes of cannon, church adornment, and illu- minations. Arch. Obispado, MS., 64.
11 Pastoral letter. Arch. Obispado, MS., 25.
12 I have not seen any contemporary record of the marriage, but many re- member the fact.
375
TRADE REGULATIONS.
a guard on board and to depart with the shortest pos- sible delay for the capital and only port of entry. Yet many vessels, whose masters knew the regulations perfectly, came first to the other ports on some niore or less plausible pretext, and remained a day or two with the guard in charge as the law required. The supercargo of one vessel explains how a cargo of $20,- 000 was landed secretly by night at San Francisco, leaving goods on board to the amount of about $1,100 for the later inspection of the revenue officers. Of course the guard was bribed to remain in a state-room with a liberal supply of aguardiente and cigars, in pre- tended ignorance of what was being done with the cargo; and it is even implied that he had been selected for this duty by the receptor, with a view to the re- sult.13 The methods adopted by this vessel were nat- urally employed by others, the masters and supercar- goes being guided in their choice of ports by the influ- ence they could bring to bear on local authorities. This method had now supplanted to a great extent the earlier one of landing goods in out-of-the-way places to be reshipped after settlement at the custom-house. I think there can be no doubt that three fourths of the years' importations paid no duties, the amounts entered at Monterey being, as a rule, absurdly small.
After visiting Monterey, vessels were free to trade at retail or wholesale up and down the coast under no restrictions as to landing-places; and this in spite of Mexican laws on the subject, laws supplemented this year by a decree absolutely prohibiting the retail trade by foreigners.14 Indeed, the fear was that the Boston ships would abandon the trade altogether, so difficult had it become to obtain cargoes of produce, to collect debts, and to compete successfully in trade with rivals,
13 Davis' Glimpses, MS., 89-90. The vessel was the Don Quixote, Paty, master, from Oahu. Davis and Spear were intimate friends of D. Francisco Guerrero, the receptor.
14 Sept. 23, 1843. Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., i. 48. It does not clearly ap- pear that this decree, however, was formally pub.ished in Cal. before the end of the year.
376
MISSIONS -- COMMERCE-MARITIME AFFAIRS.
whose number was increasing and whose methods were illegitimate. But it was from the Boston ships that the country's revenue was mainly derived, and to en- courage their coming Micheltorena at one timeresolved to go so far as to prohibit the introduction of foreign goods by Mexican vessels, though it does not appear that he issued such an order this year.15 Another obstacle to the success of legitimate trade was the privilege that had been allowed to whalers of selling goods to pay for the supplies they needed. Not only, having no tonnage duties to pay, no long stay to make on the coast, and no extra expenses by reason of their commercial ventures, could they undersell all rivals; but they took advantage of their license to sell secret- ly an amount of goods greatly exceeding their privi- lege, both on their own account and in aid of smug- glers. This year, in the fear of losing the benefits of the Boston trade, whalers were deprived of the privi- lege, always illegal, of selling goods at all.16 The total
15 Aug. 13, 1813, M. to Larkin. Larkin's Doc., MS., ii. 29.
16 Jan. 30th, whalers exempt from tonnage dnes temporarily. Pinto, Doc., MS., i. 397. March 15th, 17th, April 4th, strict orders, both general and in the cases of particular vessels, requiring that whalers with goods for sale be shown no special favor. aud be required to show papers from Monterey like other vessels. Id., ii. 3-4; Fallejo, Doc., MS., xi. 345; Soberanes, Doc., MS., 284-6. Aug. 13th, Micheltorena to Larkin. Refuses his request for a whaler to sell goods sufficient to purchase supplies, and explains his reasons at some length. L. had apparently complained as U. S. consul; but M. claims that the prohibition has been in force more than the 6 months required by inter- national comity. Larkin's Doc., MS., ii. 29. Oct., a whaler seized at Sta Cruz. Dept. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 74. Oct., Nov., whalers at S. Diego required to pay tonnage ducs, and not allowed to take whales in the bay-though they did so all the same. S. Diego, Arch., MS., 7; Id., Index, 148; Dept. St. Pcp., Ang., MS., vii. 97. April 25th, Dec. 31st, stringent regulations on the sale of hides, marks, etc., issued by the jucz at Monterey first, and later by the gov. There was to be a police agent at every port, without whose examina- tion and approval no hide could be sold, under penalty of confiscation aud fine. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxiii. 333; Id., Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 361-3; S. Diepo, Arch., MS., 294; Micheltorena's Administration, 19-20; Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., i. 436. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 336-7, says M. approved his plan for moving the custom-house to S. F., but had to wait for resources from Mexico! Jan. 10th, complaint against Richardson for allowing vessels to anchor at Sauzalito, and also allowing whalers to trade. Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., iii. 40. Jan. 30th, besides 25 per cent on value of some flour, salmon, and butter, a 'consumption due' of 20 per cent on the 25 per cent was collected. Pinto, Doc., MS., i. 400. Strict orders from Monterey on precautious with vessels at other ports. Id., i. 396-7; ii. 2-3, 7, 23, 36. March 21st, order to burn all foreign cotton not obeyed in Cal. Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., iii. 45. April 7th, order from Mexico to add 20 per cent to import duties during the war
377
REVENUE-LIST OF VESSELS.
amount of receipts at the custom-house was only $52,- 000, or about half of what it had been in 1841. Man- uel Castañares retained his position as administrator, though Pablo de la Guerra was usually acting in that capacity; and the revenue employés obtained their salaries to the extent of $11,000. A balance of some $40,000 was turned over to Micheltorena for his army and to Sub-comisario Abrego for the civil budget. I need hardly repeat here that the income was altogether inadequate to the payment of current expenses.
In the appended list I namne forty-six vessels whose presence on the coast is recorded in 1843,17 though in Texas and Yucatan. Id., ii. 33. Feb. 2Sth, derecho de avería extended to the whole republic. Dept. St. Pap., MS., viii. 6. Some permits to take otter and scals. Angeles, Arch., MS., ii. 317-27; Monterey, Arch., MS., xi. 7; Dept. Ilcc., MS., xiii. 48. Jacob P. Leesc and Joel Walker-or possibly cach on his own account-drove a large number of cattle, horses, and sheep to Oregon this year. Hesperian, ii. 147-56: Walker's Narrative, MS., 12. About 2,000 bbls of wine and brandy exported in 1843. Castañares, Col. Doc., 23.
Revenue officers; in April the corps consisted of Pablo de la Guerra (act- ing) atlministrator; Hartnell, Id. (provisional); Rafael Gonzalez, comandante of celadores, who were-Benito Diaz, Joaquin Torre, Francisco Rico, Rafacl Pinto, and Jacinto Rodriguez; José F. Alvarez, escribiente. Dept. St. Pap., Mont., MS., viii. 7-S. In Nov. there were only two celadores, Rico and Rafael Estrada. Id., Ben. Cust .- H., v. 11. Oct. 6th, Castañares notifies director de rentas, Mexico, that he has assumed his office of administrator (though he must have assumed it long before). Id., Ben., iii. 45. Jan. Ist, and May, Rico resigns as escribiente of customs and of the comisaria. Id., iii. 116; Dept. Rec., MS., xiii. 55. The administrator is a 'miembro nato de la junta de fomento' of his port-which must have been a great comfort to him. Dept. St. Pap., Mont., MS., viii. 8. No customs officer must take any goods from a vessel before a settlement is made about her duties. Id., viii. 7; Id., Ben. Cust .- II., v. 11. California, Aduana Maritima, 1843-5, n.p. n.d., is a printed col. of 6 documents on custom-house affairs under Micheltorena. Probably translated and printed in connection with some land suit.
Financial items; full account for the year-receipts: balance from 1842, $120; import duties, $37,693; cotton goods, $340; 1 per cent importation, $380; consumption duty on effects, $8,807; Id., on liquors, $376; tonnage, $3,605; excise, $1,169; coin exportation, $12; total, $52,504. Expenditures: salaries and pay of guards, sailors, interpreter, etc., $11,679; leaving a bal- ance of $40,825, of which $21,894 was paid over to the comandante general, and $18,931 to the sub-comisario (for the civil list?). Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., iii. 112-13. Revenue for the year, $52,000. Hartuell to Wyllie, in Pico, Doc., MS., S5; Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 37, 110. Total of re- ceipts as per list of vessels, $42,630. Civil list amounts to about $100,000. Castañares, Col. Doc., 29. Jan .- March, various orders by Micheltorena, urg- ing economy, suggesting a loau, suspending back pay, etc. Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., iii. 28-35, 123-5; Dept. Rec., MS., xiii. 43, 48. Sept. 12th, com. gen. had no right to interfere and change rules of the comisaría, etc. Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., i. 45. Some fragmentary accounts of no value in Mexico, Mem. Hacienda, 1844, Doc., 1, 7, 10.
li Sco full list for 1841-5 at end of chap. xxiii., this vol. Vessels of 1843: Alexander, Alex. Barclay, Admittance, Barnstable, Bertha, Bolivar, Bremen,
378
MISSIONS-COMMERCE-MARITIME AFFAIRS.
some fourteen of the number had remained over from the preceding year. There were six men-of-war and ten whalers; while twenty-five made new trading trips, sixteen of them being shown to have paid duties at the custom-house, though generally in very small amounts. There are no circumstances connected with the arrival of particular vessels this year which call for further notice than is given with the list or in- cidentally elsewhere.
California, California (schr), Caroline, Carysfort, Catalina, Charles W. Mor- gan, Clarita, Constantine, Constellation, Corvo, Cowlitz, Cyane, Dale, Dia- mond, Don Quixote, Esmeralda, Fama, Fanny, Ferdinand (?), George Henry, Index, John Jay, Joven Fanita (?), Joven Guipuzcoana, Juan José, Julia Ann, Magnolia, Merrimac, North America, Rafak, Relief, Robert Bowen, Soledad, Susannah, Tasso, Trinidad, Tuscany, United States, Valleyfield, Vancouver.
CHAPTER XVI.
FOREIGN RELATIONS AND IMMIGRATION.
1843.
MEXICAN EFFORTS TO PREVENT AMERICAN IMMIGRATION-ALMONTE'S LETTER -SANTA ANNA'S ORDER-A DIPLOMATIC CONTROVERSY-THOMPSON AND BOCANEGRA-ENGLISH SCHEMES OF COLONIZATION-WYLLIE TO HART- NELL-FORBES' PLAN-LARKIN AND FORBES, CONSULS OF U. S. AND ENG- LAND-FOREIGNERS KINDLY TREATED IN CALIFORNIA-SUTTER'S ESTAB- LISHMENT-FALSE PRETENSIONS-IMMIGRANTS OF THE YEAR-HASTINGS COMPANY-TROUBLES WITH INDIANS-CHILES-WALKER COMPANY-A NEW ROUTE-NARRATIVES-NAMES-STEPHEN SMITH AND HIS STEAM- ENGINE-HASTINGS' BOOK-IGNORANCE, PREJUDICE, AND DECEPTION- LIST OF PIONEERS OF 1843.
Ar the end of 1842 Almonte, the Mexican minister in Washington, published in the American newspapers a letter of warning to prevent emigrants from being drawn to California by false representations respecting the cordial welcome and liberal land grants to be ex- pected from the Mexican government. He declared that Mexico did not desire foreign colonists for that part of her territory, and that by a recent law such foreigners would not be admitted without special per- mission. I give the letter in a note.1
1 ' Having seen in your paper of Friday an article taken from the St Louis Republican, in which the people of this country are invited to emigrate to Cal- ifornia under the pretence that the Mexican govt will give liberal grants of land to persons who shall take the oath of allegiance and conform to the doc- trines of the Roman Catholic faith, I feel it to be my duty to contradict such assertion, and to state for the information of those persons who may feel de- sirons of removing to Cal. in that belief, that the Mexican govt has never thought of colonizing the said territory with foreigners; and that it has ex- pressly provided by a law of March lith that no foreigner will ever be per- mitted to colonize or purchase land or property in the said country without an express permission of the govt of Mexico. Knowing as I do that no such permission has ever been allowed to any person or corporation whatever, and
(379 )
380
FOREIGN RELATIONS AND IMMIGRATION-1843.
Such a statement coming from so high an author- ity, when contrasted with the letters of Bidwell and Marsh, must have caused some confusion in the minds of emigrants who did not understand fully the differ- ence between Mexican sentiment in Mexico and in California. The Mexican government, however, seems to have gone much further in its determination to arrest American immigration and to save California from the fate of Texas. On July 14th Santa Anna is said to have issued to the governor the follow- ing order: The president, "being convinced that it is not proper for natives of the United States of the north to reside in your department, has been pleased to resolve that they shall quit it within the reason- able time which you may fix for that purpose; and that henceforward no individual belonging to the said United States is to be allowed to enter the said do- partment"-the same order being sent to Sonora, Sinaloa, and Chihuahua. There is a mystery about this order and the motive which prompted it that I am unable to penetrate. I find no evidence that it ever reached California; and in Mexico it was kept so secret that the U. S. minister heard nothing of it until December. Then the minister, Waddy Thomp- son, wrote to Bocanegra, ministro de relaciones, enclos- ing a copy of the order and demanding to be informed if such an order had actually been issued. No atten- tion was paid to this note, nor to a second or third on the same subject, though in the latter Thompson denounced the measure as "a flagrant violation not
believing that the project set forth in the St Louis Republican is a mere scheme of some land speculators who wish to take advantage of the credulity of the ignorant, I think it proper to inform the public of this country of the true facts of this new plan of encroachment, Icst they should be deluded and brought into difficulties that would end in the destruction of their fortunes and the distress of their friends. Believing that you take a deep interest in the welfare of your countrymen, I doubt not that you will readily insert this communication for the purpose of arresting the execution of a project totally destitute of any probability of success and calculated only to fill the pockets of a few speculators, who care not for the peace of nations nor the happiness of their kind, and who only consult their avarice and cupidity.' Dec. 24, 1842, Almonte to Baltimore American, in Niles' Reg., Ixiii. 277 (Dec. 31st).
381
A WAR CLOUD IN MEXICO.
only of the treaty, but of every principle of right and justice-an act only to be palliated by an apprehen- sion of immediate war, and not even then to be justi- fied." He demanded a revocation of the order; and even threatened in the event of refusal to suspend diplomatic relations. In a fourth letter of December 30th he announced the termination of his official re- lations, and demanded his passports. This brought a reply from Bocanegra, in which he claimed that the action of July 14th-neither admitting nor denying that the order had been issued as charged-was a general measure directed against all foreigners, of whatever nation, who might endanger the public tranquillity; said that 'proper explanations' had been sent to the authorities of California; and quoted laws against colonization by foreigners. This evasion was of course not satisfactory, but it led to further cor- respondence; and while Thompson never succeeded in getting a direct admission or denial that the order of July 14th had been issued, he did obtain before the end of January a copy of instructions forwarded to the governors of California and the other depart- ments, to the effect that "the order of July 14th. .. in no manner related directly to citizens of the United States (!), but was general, and comprehended all, of whatever nation, who from their bad conduct should be considered as prejudicial to public order." Thus the war-cloud passed over, and I think that no one in California even heard of it at the time; for of the countermanding instructions, as of the original order, I find no trace in public or private archives.2
2 Expulsion of Citizens of the U. S. from Upper California, Message of the President communicating copies of correspondence with Government of Mexico in relation to the expulsion, etc., 1843, 28th cong. Ist sess., Sen. Doc. no. 300, p. 1-15, vol. vi. Waddy Thompson, Recollections of Mex., 226-7, also tells the story, confessing that he was very much afraid his passports would be sent as requested; yet he hoped that this resort to the ultima ratio of diplo- macy would cut short a long discussion. Mentioned also in Young's Ilist. Mex., 294-5; Niles' Reg., Ixv. 352. June 7th (17th), Sta Anna issued a decree, sent to Cal., that all foreigners taken with arms in their hands, he they few or many, and whatever their protexts of protection to the country, should be immediately shot. Guerra, Doc., MS., i. 35-8; Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Pref. y
382
FOREIGN RELATIONS AND IMMIGRATION-1843.
In February President Tyler, in accordance with a request of congress, stated to that body that the gov- ernment had no knowledge of any treaty or overtures for the cession of California to England by Mexico.3 There is, however, some interesting information ex- tant respecting the English scheme in its aspect of 1843. Robert C. Wyllie, a prominent member of the committee of Mexican bondholders, wrote at some length on the subject to Hartnell from Tepic in Au- gust. He explained that the bonds had been divided in 1837 into £5,000,000, active, bearing interest at five per cent, and $5,000,000, deferred, bearing no in- terest until October 1, 1847, when they would become active. At any time before 1847 these deferred bonds were, at the option of the holders, exchangeable at par, with interest added, for lands at five shillings an acre; and 125,000,000 acres of vacant lands were hy- pothecated by the government in different departments, including California. No lands had yet been taken, because the bondholders preferred money ; but as 1847 was drawing near, and as it was almost certain that Mexico would not be able to pay the doubled amount of interest after that date, it would be advantageous to both parties to cancel that part of the debt. It was a prevalent opinion of the bondholders and their committee that lands should be taken, if at all, on the Atlantic coast; but Wyllie believed that a location in California would be better for both England and Mex- ico: to the former because of the climate and other natural advantages, and to the latter as a protection against other aggressive nations. What was wanted of Hartnell was information about the country, to serve as a basis for Wyllie's arguments before the committee. Answers were desired on twenty-four
Juzg., MS., ii. 2. Oct. 9th, Bocanegra to gov. Has learned that 1,000 families have left Ark. and Mo. on the pretext of going to Oregon, but really to settle in Cal. Let no Americans settle in the country. Sup. Govt St. Pap., MS., xvii. 3. This is the only allusion to the order against American settlers. $ U. S. Govt Doc., 27th cong. 3d sess., House Journal, p. 266, 341; Niles' Reg., Ixiii. 384, 397.
3S3
WYLLIE ON ENGLISH SCHEMES.
different points relating to the country, its lands, its products, its trade, and its people. It was deemed especially desirable to know whether the people were "so orderly and contented under the Mexican govern- ment that European farmers could establish them- selves there with a reasonable security of being able to live quietly, and of the government being able to protect them;" for, says Wyllie, "the British govern- ment will give no protection whatever to British sub- jects settling in California as citizens of Mexico, nor do they wish to see it in any other hands but those of Mexico. I know this to be the fact, and that Com- modore Jones' apprehension was a perfect bugbear." Hartnell was also requested to recommend a suitable site for a settlement.4 On his arrival in England, Wyllie published, for the benefit of "traders, emigrants, and bondholders," an exhaustive report on Mexican finances, in which book two documents are given per- taining to my present topic. One is a letter addressed by the author on October 17th to Bocanegra "on the great advantages to be derived by the Mexican republie from the colonization of her publie lands." The system recommended was similar to that of the United States; and the benefits were to come not only from the payment of public debts, and the de- velopment of the country's industries, but, in the case of the northern frontier departments, from the seeu- rity acquired against the foreign aggression to which they were especially exposed. True, there was a prejudice against colonization, well founded on the "ingratitude and treason of the Texan colonists;" but the latter were much influenced by the fact that they came from an adjoining nation, by the arts of land speculators, and by the 'notorious project' of a part
" Aug. 10, 1843, Wyllie to Hartnell from Tepic. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxiii. 349. From Mexico, on Nov. 5th, Wyllie wrote again, repeating the substance of the former letter, and giving some details about the situation of affairs in Mexico pointing to trouble between Mexico and England, but which will not, the writer thinks, result in war. Id., xxxiii. 369. Of Hartnell's reply I shall have occasion to speak in the annals of 1844.
334
FOREIGN RELATIONS AND IMMIGRATION-1813.
of the American congress to annex the territory with a view to the extension of slavery; while "a colony of Europeans, subjects of monarchical governments, being in circumstances diametrically opposite, would adhere spontaneously and in gratitude to the Mexican government." The other document alluded to was a plan for Californian colonization formed by Alexander Forbes. This plan provided that the government should remain in the name of Mexico, but that all else should be intrusted to the company and the col- onists, except that the mineral wealth should be shared by the company and government. Not only new colonists must pay a rent to the company, but so inust those who had already obtained grants of land; and above all, there must be free trade, or at least a freedom from the interference of all 'vagabond' cus- toms officials. Forbes admitted that his scheme was likely to seem utopian; but unless its essential features could be adopted, he did not believe that colonization in any Hispano-American country could be made suc- cessful.5 Forbes deems the action of Jones a sufficient indication of American designs; has no doubt that France has similar ambitious plans; and predicts that " if there be not adopted, and that soon, a prudent scheme of colonization, the Californias will cease to be a province of Mexico."
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