History of California, Volume XXII, Part 64

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816

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32 Congress. Globe, 1847-8, p. 901. Similar views in the message of July 24th. Amer. Quart. Rev., i. 560-4.

613

A DE FACTO GOVERNMENT.

adjourned without providing for the government of the new provinces, the president, through Secretary Buchanan, in a letter of flattery, congratulation, promise, and advice, announced the existence of a de facto government, to be continued in accordance with the governor's views until another should be legally substituted.33

And thus the country was governed as before dur-

33 Oct. 7, 1848, Buchanan to Wm V. Voorhies, agent of the post-office de- partment. U. S. Govt Doc., 30th cong. 2d sess., H. Ex. Doc. ], p. 47-50; Cal. and N. Mex., etc., 6-9. The purport is also given in Sec. Marcy's letter to Gov. Mason, dated Oct. 9th. Id., 258-9. Buchanan writes: 'In the mean time the condition of the people of California is anomalous, and will require, on their part, the exercise of great prudence and discretion. By the conclu- sion of the treaty of peace, the military government which was established over them under the laws of war, as recognized by the practice of all civilized nations, has ceased to derive its authority from this source of power. But is there, for this reason, no government in California? Are life, liberty, and prop- erty under the protection of no existing authorities? This would be a singu- lar phenomenon in the face of the world, and especially among American citi- zens, distinguished as they are above all other people for their law-abiding character. Fortunately, they are not reduced to this sad condition. The ter- inination of the war left an existing government, a government de facto, in full operation; and this will continue, with the presumed consent of the people, until congress shall provide for them a territorial government. The great law of necessity justifies this conclusion. The consent of the people is irresistibly inferred from the fact that no civilized community could possibly desire to abrogate an existing government, when the alternative presented would be to place themselves in a state of anarchy, beyond the protection of all laws, and reduce them to the unhappy necessity of submitting to the dominion of the strongest.

'This government de facto will, of course, exercise no power inconsistent with the provisions of the constitution of the United States, which is the supreme law of the land. For this reason, no import duties can be levied in California on articles the growth, product, or manufacture of the United States, as no such duties can be imposed in any other part of our uniou on the pro- ductions of California. Nor can new duties be charged in California upon such foreign productions as have already paid duties in any of our ports of en- try, for the obvious reason that California is within the territory of the United States. I shall not enlarge upon this subject, however, as the secre- tary of the treasury will perform that duty.

'The president urgently advises the people of California to live peaceably and quietly under the existing government. He believes that this will pro- mote their lasting and best interests. If it be not what they could desire and had a right to expect, they can console themselves with the reflection that it will endure but for a few months. Should they attempt to change or amend it during this brief period, they most probably could not accomplish their object before the government established by congress would go into opera- tion. In the mean time the country would be agitated, the citizens would be withdrawn from their usual employments, and domestic strife might divide and exasperate the people against each other; and this all to establish a gov- ernment which in no conceivable contingency could endure for a single year. During this brief period it is better to bear the ills they have than fly to others they know not of.'

614

THE RULE OF GOVERNOR MASON.

ing the rest of 1848 and later; as well governed as it is likely to have been under any system that congress could have devised. It was probably well for Califor- nia that no regular territorial government was put in operation. The people doubtless had the right from August to organize a provisional government for themselves. The president advised them not to do it, while Senator Benton took it upon himself to give contrary advice. 34 Governor Mason, before receiving the letters of Buchanan and Marcy, favored such a movement in case congress should be known to have adjourned without action. 35 And some local efforts in the same direction were made before the end of the vear; but these matters belong properly to the annals of 1849-50-the constitutional convention, and the admission of California into the union as a state.

Here as well as anywhere may be added a few items respecting the foreign consulates in California in 1846-8. Thomas O. Larkin's functions as U. S. consul ceased of course with the treaty. He was notified to this effect by Secretary Buchanan in a let- ter of June 23, 1848, with approval of his past perform- ance of duties. Meanwhile he had been appointed U. S. naval agent by Stockton in August 1846, re- ceiving in October 1847 the president's appointment of March. There are no circumstances connected with his official career in these years that call for fur- ther notice than is given elsewhere.36 James A. Forbes retained the position of British vice-consul.37 J. S. Moerenhaut was French consul from October 1846, and appointed Etienne Jourdain as vice-consul

34 Benton's letter was dated Aug. 27th. See S. F. Alta, Jan. 11, 1849; Burnett's Recol., MS., ii. 18-20.

35 Nov. 25th, Mason to Kemble, referring to a conversation on the subject. Unb. Doc., MIS., 140-1.

36 Aug. 13, 1846, appointment as naval agent. Larkin's Doc., MS., iv. 254. June 23, 1848, Buchanan to L. Id., vi. 134. See also Mont. Consu- late Arch., MS., ii., and Mont. Navy Agent Accts, MS., i. ii.

37 His claim to exemption from paying duties on goods imported by him- self was not allowed by Mason in Dec. 1847. Cal. and N. Mex., Mess. and Doc., 1850, p. 446-7.

615

FOREIGN CONSULS.

at Yerba Buena in December 1848. Moerenhaut had occasion to present for settlement the grievances of Pierre Atillan, Clement Panaud, and of Richards and Maube, who had suffered in property at the hands of Fremont's men. 38 Cesareo Lataillade received his exequatur as Spanish vice-consul in April 1846, and took possession of his office in June. In 1847 he was allowed to reside at Santa Bárbara. His chief effort was to obtain redress for the imprisonment of José Noriega at Sutter's Fort by the Bear Flag men.39 Late in 1848 George Trail Allen was ap- pointed Hawaiian consul in California.40

38 Cal. and N. Mex., etc., 254, 320, 322, 379, 566; Unb. Doc., MS., 99- 103, 283-6. Mason could grant no relief; but in the case of R. and M. orders came from Washington to appoint an investigating board.

39 Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., ii. 30; iii. 167, 236; Dept. St. Pap., MS., vi. 37, 40; Larkin's Doc., MS., iv. 145; Id., Of. Corresp., i. 110; Unb. Doc., MS., 16, 391-2; Los Ang. Arch., MS., iii. 173-4; Cal. and N. Mex., 297, 427, 430; S. F. Calif., Aug. 7, 1847.

40 Unb. Doc., MS., 132; Cal. and N. Mex., 687.

CHAPTER XXIII.

LOCAL ANNALS-SAN DIEGO TO MONTEREY. 1846-1848.

SAN DIEGO EVENTS-FREMONT, STOCKTON, AND KEARNY-MASSACRE AT PAUMA-MORMONS AND NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS-MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS -RANCHOS-REVENUE-SAN DIEGO MISSION-SAN LUIS REY-PADRE ZALVIDEA-SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO-LOS ANGELES DISTRICT-INDEX OF OCCURRENCES-SUB-PREFECT AND ALCALDES-MORMONS, DRAGOONS, AND VOLUNTEERS-RANCHOS-SAN GABRIEL-PADRE ESTENEGA-SAN FER- NANDO MISSION - SANTA BARBARA - PUEBLO GOVERNMENT - LAND GRANTS-MISSION -BISHOP GARCIA DIEGO-PRESIDENT DURAN-SAN BUENAVENTURA-SANTA INES-PURÍSIMA-MONTEREY DISTRICT-SUM- MARY-TOWN AFFAIRS-SAN CARLOS-SAN LUIS OBISPO-SAN MIGUEL -MURDER OF REED FAMILY-SAN ANTONIO-SAN JUAN BAUTISTA- SOLEDAD-SANTA CRUZ AND BRANCIFORTE.

LOCAL annals of 1846-8, a period of transition from the old to the new, must be compressed within narrow limits; and this may be done without omission of es- sential matter or serious inconvenience, except at one or two points, where, however, matters pertaining to the effects of the gold discovery are reserved for an- other volume. The time of military and mission statistics was past, and I shall attempt no estimates of local gains or losses in population, the gain for the whole territory, but for the foreign immigration and the final influx of gold-seekers, being very small. There are lists of municipal officers which are worth being placed on record, with here and there a local occurrence to be added to the index of events recorded in other parts of this work, all to be presented mainly in fine-print notes.

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617

SAN DIEGO.

Nothing happened at San Diego, though much interest was felt, and a few prominent citizens went to the capital to participate, in the political controver- sies of the time, until the Americans came under Fre- mont in July 1846, to be driven out in August, but to return in November under Stockton, who here made his final preparations for the reconquest of the south.1 The coming of Kearny, his disaster at San

1 San Diego events. 1846. Feb .- May, minor Ind. troubles, chiefly in the form of rumors. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. P. & J., MS., ii. 124-9. Election for the consejo general iu May; Bandini summoned to the capital. This vol., p. 45-51. Warner in corresp. with Larkin. Id., 63. Occupation by Fremont for the U. S. at the end of July. Id., 266-7. July 21st, padron showing 73 men fit for military duty. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. P. & J., MS., ii. 159. Aug., Phelps' efforts at reconciliation; Bandini and Argüello favor the U. S .; prob- ably no garrison left at first. Id., 282, 286-7. Sept., Merritt and a few men sent to garrison S. D. from Los Angeles. Id., 308. Reoccupation by the Cal- ifornians. Id., 316-18. Oct., reoccupatiou by Americans. Id., 324-5. Stock- ton's arrival in Nov., and his preparations to march on Los Angeles. Id., 326- 9 et seq. Kearny's arrival in Dec. from N. Mex .; battle of S. Pascual; relations of Stockton and Kearny; they start for Los Angeles. Id., 339-56, 385, 417, et seq. Dec., massacre by Ind. at Pauma. Id., 567-8. The victims were Sergt Francisco Basualdo, José M. Alvarado, Manuel Serrano, Ramon Aguilar, Dominguez (known as Dominguito), an old man, Santiago Osuna, José Lopez, Santos Alipás, Eustaquio Ruiz, Juan de la Cruz, and a New Mex- ican not named. There is much mystery about this affair. There were theories that the Ind. were incited by the Americans; that they were incited by Flores indirectly-that is, instructed to attack all attempting to quit Cal. or join the Americans; that there was no massacre, the victims having been killed in the fight at S. Pascual; and that they were first captured by the S. Luis fugitives in connection with an effort to bring back the latter to the mission, and were treacherously killed by the Cahuilla allies. Estndillo, Datos, MS., 45-9, says the S. Pascual Ind. tried to save the victims but were too late. About the Ind. chiefs engaged on both sides there is great confusion of testimony. See Machado, Tiempos Pasados, MS., 37-42; Julio César, Cosas de Ind., MS., 11- 13; Hayes' Em. N., 593-6; Id., Memorab., 139-41; Id., Scraps, Ind., i. 100, 141.

1847. Jan., campaign against the Ind. in consequence of the Pauma affair noted above. Lugo, Vida, MS., 51-63; Hayes' Em. Notes, 577-8; Julio César, Cosas, MS., 13-14. The evidence is still conflicting; but the S. Lui- seños under the chiefs Manuclito Cota and Pablo Apis seem to have been the victims of an ambush and bloody fight near Ahuanga, the Cahuillas under Juan Antonio aiding the Californians under José del Carmen Lugo and Ramon Carrillo. More complaints of Ind. depredations in April. S. D. Arch., MS., 319; Hayes, Doc., MS., 200-2; Unb. Doc., MS., 303. Jan .- Feb., return of Kearny and Stockton from Los Angeles; arrival of the Mormon battalion; Co. B, Capt. Hunter, as a garrison. This vol., pp. 428-30, 486-9. March, garrisoned for two weeks by Lient Stoneman and the dragoons. Id., 489. July, departure of the Mormons to be mustered out, and petitions of citizens on the need of a garrison. Id., 490; S. D. Arch., MS., 322; Fitch, Doc., MS., 446. Return of the reenlisted Mormons, Capt. Davis, in Aug. Id., 451; this vol., p. 495.

1848. Arrival of Co. I, N. Y. Volunteers, to take the place of the Mor- mons, who were mustered out in March; Capt. Shannon becomes commandant of the post. Id., 514. Feb., complaints against Shannon's men for engaging

618

LOCAL ANNALS-SAN DIEGO TO MONTEREY.

Pascual, and the massacre of a dozen Californians by the Indians in December were also more startling events than had occurred in this region for years. Leading citizens cheerfully embraced the cause of the United States from the first; and others who fled to serve under Flores for a few months soon returned after their defeat, and the course of events in 1847-8 was as tranquil as ever, the garrisons of Mormon and New York volunteers being received as welcome ad- ditions to the population, giving new life to the little town and to the social festivities that alone interrupted the chronic monotony of existence there. Jose Ramon Argüello succeeded his father as sub-prefect and held

in mercantile speculations, introducing military clothing free of duties. Cal. and N. Mex., Mess. and Doc., 482-3. Jan .- April, more trouble with the Ind., several chiefs being imprisoned; Charbonneau implicated. Bandini, Doc., MS., 108; S. D. Arch., MS., 328, 331. July, return of Pio Pico. This vol., p. 588. Sept., Shannon's company mustered out. Id., 515. Dec., Gra- ham's battalion of U. S. dragoons arrives at Warner's rancho. Id., 522-3.

Municipal affairs. 1846. Jose Ramon Arguello appointed sub-prefect Apr. 3d, sworn in Apr. 12th. He held the office till the Americans came. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 16; Id., Ben. P. & J., ii. 11, 50, 85, 128. Jueces de paz, José Antonio Estudillo and Juan M. Osuna. The latter at first de- clined the office and possibly did not act. Aug. 18th, Miguel Pedrorena took Estudillo's place in the latter's absence. Sept. 15th, Joaquin Ortega and Henry D. Fitch elected. 1847. Jueces de paz, or alcaldes as they were usually termed, Henry D. Fitch and perhaps Philip Crosthwaite elected. Hayes' Em. Notes, 486-91; but Thomas Ridington soon took C.'s place, and was acting at times as Ist juez in June-July, also as sheriff. June 23d, Fitch declining to serve longer, Lieut Robert Clift of the Mormon co. was appointed by Col Stevenson, and confirmed by Gov. Mason Dec. 10th. Feb. 5th, Alcalde Fitch's bando of police regul. S. D. Arch., MS., 319. Addi- tional regul. May 15th. Id., 320. April, alcalde has trouble with Warner, who refuses to obey his orders, and Thos Russell accused of an attempted murder; gets instruc. from Kearny. Fitch, Doc., MS., 431; Cal. and N. Mex., 301-3. June, Johnson fined $50, with 2 months' work, for stabbing with in- tent to kill. S. D. Index, MS., 96. July, court-house and school in course of construction. S. D. Arch., MS., 319. 1848. The resignation of Robert Clift as juez or alcalde was accepted Feb. 19th; Juan Bandini and E. L. Brown were appointed as Ist and 2d alcaldes by Stevenson March 29th, and by Gov. Mason April 15th. Bandini resigned Sept. 27th on account of ill- ness, and Juan Maria Marron was elected Oct. 3d, being approved by the gov. Dec. 2d.

Custom-house affairs. 1846. Henry D. Fitch as receptor resigned and was succeeded by Pedro C. Carrillo in April. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Cust .- H., MS., vi. 7-8; Id., P. & J., ii. 127. Aug. 18th, Carrillo was reappointed by Com. Stockton, and took the oath on the 24th. Carrillo, Doc., MS., 5. In March the assembly proposed the opening of the port to foreign trade. Dept. St. Pap., MS., viii. 134. Sept., purchase of a boat for $60 and furniture and stationery $77 for acct of U. S. Carrillo, Doc., MS., 14. 1847. Carrillo after Feb. was apparently succeeded by Santiago Arguello; and June 24th, Miguel Pedrorena was appointed. This vol., p. 446, 572; Fitch, Doc., MS., 421;

619

RANCHOS AND THE MISSION.

the place till the Americans came. Municipal affairs were but very slightly interrupted under the new ré- gime; and the successive justices of the peace, or al- caldes as they were generally termed, were José An- tonio Estudillo, Miguel Pedrorena, Joaquin Ortega, Henry D. Fitch, Thomas Ridington, Robert Clift, Juan Bandini, and Juan M. Marron. The revenues of the port were managed successively by Fitch, Car- rillo, Argüello, Pedrorena, Shannon, and Pedrorena again, acting as receptores, or collectors. About a dozen ranchos within the district were granted by Governor Pico to private owners in 1846; and during 1847-8 an effort was made to keep the matter of titles for these and earlier grants in statu quo for presenta- tion to later tribunals. San Diego mission had no resident padre after the departure of Padre Oliva in August 1846. The remaining property was ceded in

Hayes, Doc., MS., 203. From Oct. under the new orders the mil. comman- dant was required to act as collector. This vol., p. 574. 1848. C. C. Canfield acting as collector in Feb .; Capt. Shannon in July. Fitch, Doc., MS., 486, 522; but Aug. 7th, Pedrorena was reappointed, with a salary of $1,000, if the col- lections should amount to that sum over expenses. Cal. & N. Mex., 654.

Private ranchos in S. Diego district 1846-8. * Camajal y El Palomar, 4 1., granted in 1846 to J. J. Warner, who was cl. Canada, see S. Vicente. Guadalupe, mission, in B. Cal., 5 1., 1846, Juan Bandini. Leg. Rec., MS., iv. 321. Island, 1846, Pedro C. Carrillo; Billings cl. Mission, 1846, Sant. Ar- güello, who was cl. Monserrate, 3 1., 1846, Isidro M. Alvarado, who was cl. Otay, 2 1., 1846, Magdalena Estudillo, who was cl. Pala, see S. Luis Rey. Palomar, see Camajal. Potrero, see S. Jacinto. S. Felipe, see Valle. S. Jacinto Nuevo y Potrero, 1846, Miguel Pedrorena, whose heirs were cl. S. Jacinto Viejo y Nnevo, sobrante, 5 1., 1846, María del Rosario Estudillo de Aguirre, whose husband was cl. * S. Luis Rey & Pala, 12 1., 1846, Scott & Pico; Wm C. Jones cl. Sta Rosa, 3 1., 1846, Juan Moreno, who was cl. S. Vicente, cañada, 3 1., 1846, Juan Lopez; Domingo Yorba cl. Sobrante, see S. Jacinto. Valle de S. Felipe, 3 1., 1846, Felipe Castillo; John Forster cl. *Valle de las Viejas, 41., 1846, Ramon Osuna et al .; Wm Williams cl.

S. Diego Mission. 1846. Jan. 6th, inventory made by Pico and Manso, signed also by P. Oliva. Engl. translation in U. S. v. Argüello, el. brief on Excep. before Surveyor-gen., 120-2; Hayes' Legal Ilist. S. D., 45. Total valne, $1,654, of which $1,000 is for main building; live-stock 110 cattle, 65 horses, 4 mules; credits $19,588, of which $18,816 is due for supplies to troops; debt $1,474, of which $500 due to Miguel Pedrorena has been paid with the Sta Mónica rancho. June Sth, Gov. Pico's deed of sale to Santiago Argüello, who gets all the lands and other property excepting the church and padre's dwelling, but is bound to support the padre and worship, and to pay the inis- sion debts. The consideration is money due to A. from the govt. for past services. Hartman's Brief in Miss. Cases, app. 80-3. July 24th, gov. orders P. Oliva to surrender the estate by inventory to Arguello. Unb. Doc., MS., 390. A ground plan of the mission buildings, no date. St. Pap., Miss., MS., vii. 3. P. Oliva left the mission when the Americans came. S. Diego, Lib.

620

LOCAL ANNALS-SAN DIEGO TO MONTEREY.

June to Santiago Argüello in payment for past ser- vices. Though Argüello's title was confirmed in later years, the American authorities did not permit him to hold the property in 1847-8, putting it in charge of E. L. Brown, and later of Philip Crosthwaite, who was given a lease for two or three years. Naturally the buildings gradually went to ruin, but there were a few aged Indians left whose claim to support was recognized in theory at least. At San Luis Rey, Father Zalvidea, the senior of the little remaining band of Fernandinos, died early in 1846, and the mis-

Mis., MS., 57. 1847. Oliva at S. Juan in Oct. complains that the com- mandant had removed the roofs of mission buildings at S. Diego. Unb. Doc .. MS., 97, 389. Oct. 17th, Captain Davis to Stevenson, P. Oliva ou his de- parture left a mau in charge. J. A. Estudillo shows a power of attorney from Oliva; and Sant. Arguello has a bill of sale from the gov., probably antedated. Id., 97-8. Sergt E. L. Brown seems to have been put in charge of the mission, uo exact date. Ilayes' Em. Notes, 150. 1848. April 26th, P. Prefect Jimeno permits the alcalde to take material from the ruined buildings -not pertaining to the church edifice !- to build a new church in town. In May there were some efforts to obtain a padre from Lower Cal., and P. Mancilla agreed to come. S. D. Index, MS., 141; Hayes' Miss. B., i. 407. Aug. 6th, Crosthwaite receives the property from Brown. There were 53 cattle, 43 horses, 13 asses, 33 sheep, and 44 goats. In June there had been only 107 animals instead of 186. Unb. Doc., MS., 173. Aug. 9th, Stevenson to gov., if left in present state the property will soon disappear. It should be sold. Some old Ind. still remain, and they might receive rations from the post. Id., 159. At this time or in Oct. Crosthwaite leased the mission for 3 years (or 2 years). He went to the mines, leaving his father-in-law, Bonifacio Lopez, iu charge, and when he came back in 1849 found the U. S. troops quartered here. Crosthwaite, in Hayes' Em. Notes, 154. Aug. 18th, Gov. Mason having received from Stevenson an inventory ordered the property put at the dispo- sition of Padre Gonzalez of Sta Bárbara-perhaps only the church property. Cal. & N. Mex., 596. Sept. 8th, P. Gonzalez to Stevenson, has received the governor's orders; but the property is already rented for 2 years. He has sent the inventory to the padre prefecto Jimeno. Unb. Doc., MS., 214-15.

San Luis Rey. 1846. May 18th, deed of sale to José A. Cot and José A. Pico for $2,437. Hartman's Brief, app. 83-5; Unb. Doc., MS., 277-9. July 24th, gov. orders the admin., Marron, to deliver the property to Cot and Pico. St. Pap., Miss., MS., xi. 53. John Forster, Pioneer Data, MS., 22-3, 30, says that he took possession for the purchasers, and theu left Mar- ron in charge for C. and P. See also Marron, Pap., MS., 9. In Aug., Fre- mont put John Bidwell in charge, removing Marron and having some trouble with Forster. Bidwell's Cal., MS., 181; Forster's Pion. Data, MS., 30-1; Lorenzana, Mem., MS., 17-18. The latter thinks Godey was put in charge. She also says, p. 22, 27, that on Aug. 25th P. Oliva came up from S. Diego and stayed two months before going to S. Juan. P. Zalvidea had died earlier in the year. Aug. 22d, Cot complaius to Stockton of forcible dispossession at the hands of Fremont, and asks for reinstatement, though willing to leave the question of title to the courts. Stockton left the matter to Gillespie and nothing was done, as appears in a later complaint of Cot in Oct. of the next year. Unb. Doc., MS., 277-9. Bidwell had to retire in Oct. at the time of the Flores revolt. This vol., p. 267, 286, 318; and José Alipás seems to have

621

SAN LUIS REY AND PADRE ZALVIDEA.

sion had no later resident minister, except perhaps Padre Oliva for a short time in the same year. The San Luis estate was sold in May to Cot and Pico for $2,437; but their agent was dispossessed by Frémont, and they failed to regain possession. Some doubts were expressed then and later about the genuineness of the sale; but the title was finally rejected on the ground that the governor had no power to sell the missions. Juan M. Marron was in charge until Au-

commanded a small military force here until Stockton took the place the next Jan. Estudillo, Datos, MS., 47. The S. Luis neophytes were concerned in the Pauma massacre of Dec., as related in another paragraph of this note. 1847. Jan .- April, Stockton's arrival, and Mormon garrisons. This vol., p. 386-7, 428, 441, 488-9. June-Aug., complaints of Ind. depredations. They broke into the church, stole the crucifix, and threatened another raid. S. D. Arch., MS., 320; S. F. Californian, Sept. 15, 1847. Aug. Ist, Capt. J. D. Hunter of the Mormon battalion appointed sub-Indian agent with headquar- ters at S. Luis. This vol., p. 568. Mormon garrison under Lieut Barrus. Id., 495. Aug. 2d, Gov. Mason to Hunter, he is put in charge of the mission property only to protect it; if any priests come they are to be treated with kindness and given rooms and supplies and anything they want, even the entire management of the Ind. Cal. & N. Mex., 348. Sept. Ist, Stevenson to gov., the Ind. are pleased at Hunter's appointment; but complain that live- stock has been removed, which should be recovered. S. says the Ind. have raised grain enough for their wants, and their settlement shows more evi- dence of comfort than most of the ranchos of rich Californians. Unb. Doc., MS., 92-3. Nov. 24th, gov. to J. A. Pico, request to turn over any mission property in his possession to Hunter, and to furnish an inventory of all such property that may have been at any time in his possession. Pico, Doc., MS., ii. 131. Nov. 24th, gov. sends a blank appointment for alcalde, to be filled out by Stevenson with name of John Shannon (Charbonneau?) or any other. Cal. & N. Mex., 434. Dec. Ist, gov. to Hunter on conciliatory measures with J. J. Warner and the Ind. whose land W. claims, so as to keep the Ind. quiet, and leave question of title for the courts. Id., 438. 1848. Jean B. Charbonneau alcalde until Aug., when his resignation, offered because as a half-breed he was thought to favor the Ind. too much, was accepted by the gov. S. D. Arch., MS., 333; Unb. Doc., MS., 364-5; Cal. & N. Mex., 587-8. Jan. 31st, Hunter reports that he has raised a small wheat crop on the mis- sion farm at Pala, and has induced the Ind. to do the same. Unb. Doc., MS., 62-3. In Sept., Hunter intended to resign, Id., 174; and Dec. 17th, he was granted a leave of absence for 6 months, Wm Williams to take charge of the mission in his place. Cal. & N. Mex., 681.

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History of California, Volume XXII, Part 64

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885-1890 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 816

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816