USA > California > History of California, Volume IV > Part 44
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7 March 16, 1844, grant of the 4 cañadas of Sotonocomú, Alisgüey, Cala- baza, and Aguichunú of Sta Inés lands, with acceptance by bishop on May 4th. Sacramento, Span. Arch., MS., vii. 1-2. Sept. 26th, two more sitios
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MISSIONS AND BISHOPRIC-TRADE AND FINANCE.
ants started northward, and at Santa Inés he found the grant, together with a communication from Mi- cheltorena to the effect that he had assigned $500 in money per year for the seminary, on condition that into it should be admitted every Californian in search of a higher education.8 It was on May 4th, at 7 A. M., the founders assembled in the mission church; and after a pontifical mass in honor of our lady of Refuge, and a discourse from Bishop Francisco, the constitu- tion which was to govern the institution was read, and the seminary declared to be in esse according to the provisions of the council of Trent, being entitled to all the honors and privileges corresponding to a diocesan seminary. The episcopal benediction was pronounced on the assembled people; and the found- ers, together with the five colegiales who were to pursue their studies here, signed their names to a record of the proceedings left in the mission books.9
From Santa Inés the bishop continued his journey northward, visiting this part of his diocese for the first time in an official capacity, affording nearly all the people their first view of episcopal robes and their first kiss of the episcopal ring, and administering the rite of confirmation to all the faithful. His journey
granted, and accepted by P. Gonzalez. June 4, 1846. Id., vii. 2-4. April 1843, juridical possession given of the lands, on which occasion it was prom- ised that during the existence of the college one mass each year should be said for the soul of Nicolas Den, the alcalde who gave possession. Id., vii. 6-10.
8 Dept. Rec., MS., xiii. 72-4. Thanks of the bishop and padres, and propo- sition to establish an 'escuela formal de primeras letras' in connection with the seminary. Arch. Arzob., MS., v. pt ii. 36-7.
9 Sta Ines, Lib. Mision, MS., 28-9. Also an original record in Savage, Doc., JIS., ii. 37-8. The names were those of Bishop Garcia Diego y Moreno; his sec- retary, Fr. José M. de J. Gonzalez; Sub-deacons Doroteo Ambris and Gerva- sio Valdés, scholars and familiares of the bishop; P. Jose Joaquin Jimeno, rector; P. Francisco de J. Sauchez, vice-rector; PP. Juan Moreno and Anto- nio Jimeno; Presbytero José M. Gomez; and the 5 colegiales, José de los Sautos Avila, Alejo Salmon, Agapito Cabrera, Ramon Gonzalez, and Diego Villa.
Colegio Seminario de Maria Santísima de Guadalupe de Santa Inés de Cali- fornias-Constituciones que para el arreglo y gobierno del ... hizo su fundador, cl Ilmo Sr Don Fr. Francisco García Diego y Moreno, dignísimo Obispo de este diócesis, año de 1844, MS. In this document are laid down minutely the duties of officers, employés, and students, with requirements for admnis- sion, course of study, text-books, religious exercises, discipline, dress, food, recreations, etc.
427
BISHOP FRANCISCO'S TOUR.
was a commonplace and tedious one, compared with the triumphal march it would have been fifteen years earlier, when the missions were in their glory. We have no details of his entertainment at different places along the route. At Monterey his reception by the governor and citizens is said to have been hardly less enthusiastic than at Santa Bárbara, and his presence imparted unusual splendor to the festivities and pro- cessions of corpus christi; but the general spirit of the arribeños was not so cordial as to swerve the ven- erable old man from his purpose to reside in the sunny south. After having attended to the routine duties of his pastoral tour, visiting his old mission of Santa Clara, and extending his journey to San Francisco, he returned to Santa Bárbara probably at the end of July.10
It is needless to say that the bishop did not succeed this year any better than before in getting from the Mexican government any part of his salary, or of the pious fund revennes, which ought to have been spent in California if not paid over to García Diego.11 Yct influences were being brought to bear in Mexico by Castañares and others which were destined to result the next year in a favorable decree, if not in an actual sending of funds.12
10 May 19, 1844, bishop at S. Antonio. Lib. Mision, MS., 26. May 14th, Monterey ayunt., on invitatiou of P. Real, votes to pay expenses of illumina- tion of the town for 3 days when tho bishop should arrive. Monterey, Arch., MS., v. 30. Festivities at Monterey described in Gomez, Lo Que Sabe, MS., 365-73. On April 20th, P. Quijas, the vice-prefect, being about to leave the country, had sent instructions that when the bishop should come to make his pastoral visit, the books were not to be submitted for his inspection unless he would appoint regular curas doctrineros for the churches to take possession by inventory in duc form. García Diego, finding this order copied in the book of patentes at S. Antonio, declared it must be held as 'baseless and of no value; having no foundation, being contrary to laws and rules, and inju- rious to episcopal authority;' and forbade the copying of any more such 'scandalous circulars.' Arch. Obispado, MS., 65-6. July 2d, the bishop is- sues instructions for the collection of tithes in the northern districts. Arch. Arzob., MS., v. pt ii. 39-45. July 11th, bishop visits S. José. Lib. Mision, MS .. 14. July 16th, at S. F. Lib. Mision, MS., 52.
11 May 31, 1844, bishop sends a power of attorney to Ramirez, diputado of Zacatecas, to collect the $6,000 from the Guaymas custom house. Unbound Doc., MS., 249-50.
12 Castañares, Col. Doc., 11-15.
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MISSIONS AND BISHOPRIC-TRADE AND FINANCE.
By a decree of September 23, 1843, the Mexican government had prohibited retail trade by foreigners throughout the republic. In January 1844, the gov- ernment of the United States, through Minister Thompson, protested against this action as "an open infraction of the treaty between the two countries." Bocanegra would not accept this view of the case; but it is not necessary to go into the merits of the argu- ment, because no attempt was made to enforce the decree in California. Yet American traders in this country were advised through Consul Larkin to pre- pare certified inventories of the goods which they might be prevented from selling at retail, with a view to later claims for satisfaction.13
The governor not only did not interfere with for- eigners engaged in retail trade, but he went further in his disregard of Mexican revenue laws, prohibiting by an order of July 30th the introduction of foreign goods from Mexican ports-except of course, as is rather awkwardly expressed in the decree, on con- dition of paying the full duties exacted on such goods when brought from foreign ports. For a few years past Mexican and other vessels had been bringing these goods from San Blas and Mazatlan, as 'national- ized' goods, and underselling the Boston ships. The theory was that they could not have done this if the legal duties had been paid upon introduction of the effects into Mexico. The reduction of prices in Cali- ornia was not the evil sought to be avoided, but there was danger that the Boston merchants, if exposed to such a rivalry, practically one with smugglers, would abandon the field, greatly to the detriment of the de- partmental revenues. Thus Micheltorena's measure was one of self-defence, justified by the circumstances, and perhaps not beyond the scope of his 'extraordi- nary powers.' I find no record of any attempt to
13 Corresp. between Thompson and Bocanegra. U. S. Govt Doc., 28th cong. Ist sess., Sen. Doc. 390, p. 16-20, vol. vi. March Ist, U. S. min. to Larkin, in Larkin's Doc., MS., ii. 66. Decree of Sept. 23, 1843, in Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., i. 48.
429
THE WHALERS.
evade compliance with the order before the end of the year. There was, however, a period of six months accorded to new-comers ignorant of the decree before its penalties of confiscation were to be enforced.14
Another measure that had been devised for the protection of the Boston traders as revenue payers was the prohibition of trade by whalers. Such trade in itself, if legitimately carried on, had been regarded as beneficial to the farmers of the country, enabling them to exchange produce not otherwise salable for goods in small quantities; and the prohibition-due largely to abuses of their privilege by the whalers, who had become to a certain extent the confederates of smugglers-had drawn out many protests from the rancheros. Accordingly the prohibition was again re- moved by a decree of October, providing that whalers, by paying $30 for a permit, anchoring where required, and receiving revenue guards on board like trading craft, might sell goods to an amount on which the duties should not exceed $400 for each vessel.15 The whaling vessels came in greater numbers than before, and at San Francisco especially they caused the rev- enue officials much trouble. They as well as some
14 July 30, 1844, M.'s order forbidding the introduction of foreign goods from Mexican ports. In Earliest Printing; Guerra, Doc., MS., ii. 24-7; Dept. St. Pap., MS., v. 90; Id., Monterey, iii. 101; Id., Ben., iii. 46. Mentioned by the gov. to the junta Aug 20th, Olvera, Doc., MS., 8-9; and to alcaldes, etc., Sept. 6th. Dept. St. Pap., Mont., MS., iv. 70; Pinto, Doc., MS., ii. 93. Re- ported by Larkin to U. S. sec. state, with comments on the independence of Californian officials, and on the benefits likely to result to American traders if this order could be enforced. L. seems not to attach much importance to the alleged smuggling which gave rise to the order, but implies that the gov- ernor's purpose was simply to have the duties paid in Cal. rather than in other parts of the republic. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 10-12. It will be remembered that Micheltorena had in 1843 announced his intention to issue such a regulation. Chap. xv. of this vol.
15 Oct. 19 (2?), 1844, M.'s order permitting whalers to sell goods under cer- tain restrictions; with instructions requiring renewed vigilance on the part of revenue officers. Pinto, Doc., MS., ii. 91-2; Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Cust .- II., MS., vi. [150-1]; Larkin's Doc., MS., ii. 242, 278; Id., Off. Corresp., MS., i. 13, 21; ii. 15. Nov. 18th, Vallejo to Micheltorena, indorsing a petition of citizens on this subject. Bear Flag Papers, MS., 4.
Another measure repealed this year was the regulation of Dec. 1843, on the sale of hides under the supervision of a police agent. By decree of June 27th, the regulation of this matter was restored to the ayuntamientos. S. Diego, Arch., MS., 307. Feb. 14th, petition of Angeles ayunt. for the repeal. Dept. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 31-2.
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MISSIONS AND BISHOPRIC-TRADE AND FINANCE.
other craft showed a decided inclination to anchor at Sauzalito rather than at Yerba Buena. The reasons alleged were the greater conveniences at Whalers Har- bor for obtaining wood and water; but the chief motive was a desire to be free from all legal restraints. Will- iam A. Richardson, captain of the port, resided at Sauzalito; but he does not seem to have been over- burdened with a sense of responsibility as a Mexican official, and in the minor controversies of frequent oc- currence was found, so far as he troubled himself about the matter at all, on the side of the whalers.16
Each vessel bringing a cargo for sale seems to have been required to pay $600 in addition to her duties, a sum devoted theoretically to the building of a pier; but respecting the collection and use of this fund the records are too meagre to be of any use; neither is there anything requiring special notice in the regula- tions issued from time to time on detailed methods of enforcing the revenue laws.17 Consul Larkin in his letters of this year to the secretary of state, John C. Calhoun, gave a very complete general account of Californian commerce, though embodying no points with which the reader is not already familiar; and the same may be said of Hartnell's report to Wyllie from an English point of view.18
16 Corresp. of the receptor, Benito Diaz, 1844, in Pinto, Doc., MS., i. 272- 84; ii. 97-103. The small boats, or lighters, employed on the coast, but chiefly in S. F. Bay, were this year required to obtain patents, or licenses, from the govt. It does not clearly appear whether vessels were forced to employ these registered lighters rather than their own boats. Id., i. 271-2; Dept. St. Pap., MS., xx. 37-51; Id. Ben., iii. 53.
17 Jan. 1, 1844, reference to the exaction of the $600. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vi. 133. Feb. 22d, gov. called upon to remedy difficulties caused by failure to follow Mexican regulations, aud to fix some method of determining the value of cargoes. Id., Ben., iii. 54-7. Feb. 23d. reglamento in 9 articles for the receptores, in Id., Ben. Cust .- H., viii. 13; Pinto, Doc., MS., ii. 46-8. March 7th, rules for S. Francisco. Id., ii. 58-9; Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., iii. 53-4; Id., Ben. Cust .- H., viii. 3-5. June 28th, Hartnell's regulations for celadores. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., i. 464. July 20th, a 'reglamento de cela- dores,' probably the same, issued. Los Angeles, Ayunt., MS., 5. Oct. 2d, rules to govern vessels and merchants, 10 artieles. Pinto, Doc., MS., ii. 88-90. 18 April 16, Sept. 16, Dec. 9, 1844. Jan. 1, 1845, L. to Calhoun. Lar- kin's Off. Corresp., NS., ii. 3-4, 10, 13-14, 16-18; Hartnell's Engl. Coloniz., MS., 87. Also a general account in Hunt's Merch. Mag., xvi. 36-8.
431
CUSTOM-HOUSE.
Manuel Castañares being absent in congress, Pablo de la Guerra, the contador, acted as administrator of cus- toms in 1844, with William E. Hartnell as first officer and interpreter, and Rafael Gonzalez as commandant of the guard.19 Benito Diaz was sent in February to succeed Francisco Guerrero as receptor at San Fran- cisco, with two celadores and two boatmen. Diaz was a more energetic man than his predecessor, and a kind of commercial awakening was observable at the future metropolis in the enforcement, real or pretended, of the revenue laws. A beginning was made on a small building to serve as a kind of branch custom-house, the laborers being Indians from San José and Sono- ma, and the material being taken from ruins at the mission and presidio. There was even a proposition to dig a well near the beach, that vessels might have less excuse for going to Sauzalito. Progress on these improvements was not rapid, because the receipts from all sources were not enough to pay salaries, and com- plaints were several times made that the laborers would quit work if the government, instead of send- ing funds, insisted on certain tonnage receipts being send to Monterey.20
In May Micheltorena declared the roadstead of Santa Bárbara open to the coasting trade, though the exact difference between its subsequent and former status is not apparent. José de la Guerra accepted
19 The celadores, two of them serving at S. F., were Francisco Rico, Rafael Estrada, Eugenio Machado, Joaquin de la Torre, Jacinto Rodriguez, and Rafael Pinto. Tomás Soberanes succeeded José Alvarez as clerk in August. There were 4 or 5 boatmen. The captain of the port, Lieut Narvaez, at Monterey, was not a customs officer.
20 Jan. 22d, receptoria ordered. Feb. 12th, Diaz succeeds Guerrero. Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., iii. 48; Id., Cust .- H., viii. 2. The well proposed, to cost $60 or $80, a spot having been selected in Feb. Id., viii. 8. Oct. 2d, action on the matter soon to be taken! Pinto, Doc., MS., ii. 92. The new building. Troubles to get material and to pay workmen. Likely to fall to pieces iu Nov. Id., i. 273-4, 288; ii. 49-50; Dept. Rec., MS., xiii. 64-5, 82; Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Cust .- H., MS., viii. [148, 184]. The employés at the custom- house must stop their notorious gambling. Id., viii. 5-6; Pinto, Doc., MS., ii. 66-7. March Ist, two men engaged for the boat at $6 per month. Id., i. 274. Expenses of custom-house for Dec., $301, including the price of a flag, $30. Id., ii. 113. Receipts, Feb. to Aug., $97. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Cust .- H., MS., viii. [182-3].
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MISSIONS AND BISHOPRIC-TRADE AND FINANCE.
the position of receptor, naming citizens to act as celadores as their services were needed. Los Angeles, hearing of this honor to Santa Bárbara, wanted a like one for San Pedro; but of San Diego's old aspirations in this direction we hear nothing in these years.21
José Ábrego remained throughout the year in charge of the departmental finances, being termed treasurer instead of comisario, in accordance with the governor's bando económico of January. The total receipts at the custom-house for 1844 were $75,625, of which sum $10,429 paid the expenses of collection; $24,707 were turned over to the treasurer for the civil list; while $40,489 were paid to the general for the sup- port of his army. The revenues, although fifty per cent larger than those of the preceding year, were still but little more than half the sum required for current expenses after their reduction to an economical basis by Micheltorena and the junta. I append a few financial statistics. 22
The maritime list of 1844, as given in a note, con- tains fifty-three vessels.23 The record is not nearly
21 May 11th, M. declares Sta Bárbara open to ' comercio de escala y cabo- tage.' Guerra, Doc., MS., iv. 196; Dept. Rec., MS., xiii. 84-5; Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., iii. 51. Guerra appointed, and accepts on June Ist. Id., iii. 50; Id., Ben. Cust .- H., viii. 1-2. Expenses of the office: receptor, $792; clerk, $180; seal, $50; stationery, $12. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 1160. Collections for first half of ycar, $519. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Com. and Treas., MS., v. 6. June 6th, Angeles wants S. Pedro opened. Dept. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 37.
22 Total revenues, $75,625, with distribution as in my text. Custom-house records in Pinto, Doc., MS., ii. 111. Total, according to Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 37, 110, $78,739, of which American vessels paid $60,326; Mexican, $5,194; and others, $13,739. Receipts to April 20th, $58,000. Pico, Doc., MS., i. 85. Annual expenses reduced from $171,711 to $132,318; of which sum about $113,000 was assigned to military expenses, and was to be reduced to about $100,000 by a system of half-pay. Micheltorena, Bando Econ. Amounts paid out by M .: batallon, $19,430; presidial companies, $3,618; artillery, $3,914; old debts, $6,392. Dept. St. Pap., MS., xii. 7. Due M. personally Dec. 31st, $7,521, on salary account. Id., xii. 6. Pay-roll for un- attached officers, pensioners, etc., $12,910. Id., Ben. Mil., Ixxxvi. 2-3. Some useless statistics in Mex., Mem. Hacienda, 1846.
23 See also list at end of chap. xxiii., this vol. Vessels of 1844: Admit- tance, Alexandrovich, Angelina, Barnstable, Benj. Morgan, Bolirar, Brothers, California, Catalina, Chas W. Morgan, Clarita, Constantine, Delphos, Don Quixote, Eagle, Esmeralda, Fama, Geo. Henry, Georgia, Guadalupe, Hibernia, Hogue, Josefita, Joven Guipuzcoana, Juan José, Juanita, Julia Ann, June, Lagrange, Londresa, Levant, Lion, Menkar, Modeste, Monmouth, Morea (?), Nantucket, Newton, Oajaca, Primavera, Rosalia, Russell, Sacramento, San
433
LIST OF VESSELS.
so complete as that of the preceding and of most other years in respect of details concerning particular vessels; but it may be regarded as containing approx- imately all the names. Of the whole number, fif- teen, more than usual, were whalers; eight were small craft or lighters, which had to be registered this year, though most of them had been used on the coast for some years; five were men-of-war or national vessels; four were traders which had wintered on the coast; while fifteen, composing the trading fleet proper of the year, may be supposed to have brought new cargoes, and to have contributed to the country's revenue-though in this last-mentioned matter there are no records for the separate vessels. The two Boston ships Sterling and Vandalia doubtless paid a very large part of the $75,000 which made up the year's revenue.
Francisquito, Sarah, Savannah, Sterling, Tasso (?), Trinidad, Vandalia, Warren, Wm C. Nye, Yuba.
In the S. F. Call, Jan. 24, 1882, from the Newport (R. I.) Mercury, is a mention of a master of a whaler, not named, which entered S. Diego by the aid of Dana's book on Sept. 10th. On account of rumors of war, the men amused themselves by spiking the guns at the fort. Larkin, on Jan. 1, 1845, writing to the U. S. sec. state, says that 29 sail had entered Monterey in 1844, of which 14 were American. The whole number of arrivals-the same ves- sel entering several times-were 57. A Genoa man-of-war not in my list is mentioned. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 18, 110. Hartnell, in his report to Wyllie, states that from 1839 to April 1844 there had entered 67 vessels in all, 31 being American and 19 Mexican. Engl. Coloniz., MS., 85
HIST. CAL., VOL. IV. 28
CHAPTER XIX. IMMIGRATION AND FOREIGN RELATIONS. 1844.
JOHN C. FREMONT-HIS EARLY LIFE-FIRST EXPEDITION, 1842-3-REPORT --- SECOND TRIP, 1843-4-THE OVERLAND IMMIGRANT ROUTE TO OREGON- FROM OREGON TO CALIFORNIA-ACROSS THE SIERRA BY A NEW ROUTE --- RETURN EAST-FREMONT'S BOOK-MAP-VALUE OF FREMONT'S SUR- VEY-PREJUDICE OF PIONEERS-KELSEY COMPANY OF IMMIGRANTS- NAMES-THE BALE AFFAIR-STEVENS' COMPANY-LIST-THE FIRST WAGONS-BY THE TRUCKEE ROUTE-FOREIGN RELATIONS-SUTTER'S AFFAIRS-ANNEXATION SCHEMES-U. S. CONSULATE-ENOLISH COLO- NIZATION-WYLLIE AND HARTNELL-HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY-WOOD'S WANDERING SKETCHES-ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PIONEERS.
THE immigrant parties of 1844, like those of the preceding year, were two in number; and, as in 1843 also, one eame from Oregon, while the other erossed the Sierra by a more direet route to California. Be- fore either of these parties, however, there arrived an exploring expedition, leaving also a few settlers, to which the attention of the reader is first ealled. In a certain sense this may be regarded as the third explo- ration of California by the United States government; sinee Walker in 1833 had aeted under or disobeyed official orders from Captain Bonneville-that is, being ordered to explore the Salt Lake, he had established his winter quarters at Monterey; and Wilkes, coming by sea and land, had made an official survey of the Saeramento in 1841.
John Charles Frémont, a man whose name will be prominent in later Californian annals, was a native of Savannah, Georgia, where he was born in 1813, his
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433
JOHN C. FRÉMONT.
father being a Frenchman of some talent who had married a Virginian lady of good family and some property. He spent the first twenty years of his life at Charleston, South Carolina, where he was expelled from college in consequence of a love affair, and sub- sequently became a teacher. From 1833 he made a cruise of over two years as teacher of mathematics on the U. S. sloop-of-war Natchez; served as assistant in several railroad and military surveys in Georgia, Ten- nessee, and the Carolinas; and in 1838-9, accompanied M. Nicollet in two exploring expeditions to the upper Mississippi region, being appointed in 1838 second lieutenant in the corps of topographical engineers. In 1841 he had married a daughter of Thomas H. Benton, which has been regarded with much reason as the most brilliant achievement of his life.
The importance of extending an accurate survey over the regions of the great west, geographically known only by the vague reports of trappers and emi- grants, was of course understood in Washington; and Frémont, full of energy and ambition, seeing in this work a splendid field for congenial, adventurous, and honorable employment, had easily obtained, through the influence of his father-in-law, a commission from the chief of his corps to undertake the work. For this service he was in every respect well qualified by natural temperament, education, and experience.
Frémont's first expedition was made in 1842; and as in it he neither reached California nor explored any part of any new route leading to California it may be disposed of very briefly here. The company, consisting of twenty-two French Canadian voyageurs, familiar with the country through service under the fur companies, with Kit Carson as guide, Maxwell as hunter, and Charles Preuss as assistant topographer, started from near the mouth of the Kansas River in June. The route was that which for years had been followed by the Oregon trappers and emigrants, up the Platte, past Fort Laramie, to the South Pass, which
436
IMMIGRATION AND FOREIGN RELATIONS.
they reached in August. During the next twelve days Frémont explored the western base of the Wind River Mountains, and climbed to the summit of the highest peak, which has since borne his name. The return was by the same route, though a part of the trip was made by boat on the waters of the Platte, reaching the Missouri on the last day of September. There had been no remarkable adventures or discov- eries; but the party had made a series of accurate ob- servations on a portion of the overland route, which could now be correctly mapped and described. Fré- mont's report was dated March 1, 1843; and it was published before the end of the year by order of the senate.1
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