May God preserve your life many long years. PEDRO FAGES.” SANTA BARBARA, May 13th, 1789. To JOSEF ARGUELLO :— The suspicious craft, "said to belong to General Washington," sailed north, without entering the port of San Francisco, and discovered the Columbia River. There is another letter preserved for the record of history, and, however brief, it shows that the time had come where the military power in the presidios commenced to get independent from the missions, that this power was a good ways ahead in the concourse between Church and State, and, in the end, made the latter triumph. The priests taught the Indians to say the mass, to know the names of all saints, and to work under instructions. The schools at the presidios, encouraged by the governor, taught the children reading and writing. Here was sown the seed for the future harvest. The letter is written by the captain of the Santa Barbara presidio to the governor of California, and reads: "I transmit to you a statement in relation to the schools of the presidios, together with six copy-books of the children who are learning to write, for your superior information. May our Lord preserve your life many years. FELIPE GOYCOCHEA." SANTA BARBARA, Feb. 11, 1797. These copy-books are now in the possession of the State Library, having fallen into the hands of the government when California became a part of the United States. The nineteenth century was ushered in amid great irregularities of nature, characteristic of this coast. We take some information out of a letter of Hermenegildo Sal, captain of the presidio at Monterey, written to the governor under date of October 31, 1800, informing the latter that the mission at San Juan Bautista has been visited by severe earthquakes since the eleventh of that month, that Pedro Andriano Martinez, one of the Fathers of said mission, had given the report of six severe shocks in one day, and that there was not a single habitation, though all built with double walls, but were injured, but that most all were threatened with ruin, so that the fathers were compelled to sleep in wagons and other outdoor places to avoid the danger awaiting them in the uninhabitable houses. Furthermore, he states of some cracks and openings observed near the rancheria and in the neighborhood of the river Pajaro, all caused by the earthquakes. In addition, he gives the report of severe earthquakes as witnessed by other persons. Other heavy earthquakes were felt at the presidio of San Francisco, from June 21st to July 17th. Captain Luis Arguello told that all the walls of his residence at said place became cracked, and an antechamber was destroyed, and he was in fear for the safety of the barracks in the Fort (castillo.) Fortunately with these earthquakes, there was no great damage done either to property or to life. But the people of California were not always equally fortunate. While services were in progress on a Sabbath in September, 1812, at San Juan Capistrano, an earthquake shook down the church, the roof falling in, killing thirty persons. The church at Santa Inez was also totally destroyed. Later, the church at the mission of Santa Clara was destroyed by an earthquake in 1818. The Spanish watchfulness of the former century had given away, or had become lax, when, in 1807, the Russians first appeared on the coast of California, showing unmistakably their intention to become an interested party. The Czar's embassador to Japan, Count Von Rosanoff, in the month of May, came down from Sitka ostensibly for supplies, and attempted to establish communication between Russian America and the Spanish settlements. The better to effect this purpose, he became engaged in marriage with the daughter of Luis Arguello, the commandant at the presidio of San Francisco; but on account of their religious faiths -he belonging to the Greek, she to the Roman Catholic Church-and on his way home, to obtain the sanction of his emperor, being fully twelve days apart, he was thrown from his horse and killed. The lady assumed the habit of a nun, and mourned for her lover till death. The death of the Count put an end to further negotiations, and in a very different sense Russia took possession of the port at Bodega in 1812, with a force of one hundred soldiers and as many Kodiac Indians. Soon they went on to build a fort and maintained themselves by force of arms until 1841, when the establishment was sold to Captain John A. Sutter, of Sutter's Fort, and they quietly moved away. In 1838, this settlement at Fort Ross contained eight or nine hundred inhabitants, stockaded forts, mills, shops and stables. The farmers produced a great abundance of grain, vegetables, butter and cheese, which products were shipped to Sitka to supply the northern fur stations of Alaska. CHAPTER IV. CALIFORNIA UNDER MEXICAN REGIME. Mexican Revolution in 1822-California Officials Transfer Their Allegiance from Spain to Mexico-The Indians not Looking at it in an equally peaceful way, show an imitation of Truer Colors-Representation of California Under Territo- in the contest between Church and State the rial System-California versus Moctezuma-Colonization latter came near triumphing. This was even more Law Secularization of the Missions-Value of the Wild His Followers with Gratifications -The Discontented Ar Animals Found Out—The Trappers-J. S. Smith's Letter clearly demonstrated when, four years later, Congress -Soliz Surprising Monterey-Governor Victoria to Con- adopted some rules for the enforcement of the colonfront Another Rebellion-His Resignation-Figueroa Gov-ization law, one of which was the secularization of ernor--The Colony Under Hijar Arrives-Santa Ana-the missions. One year before the secularization, in Pronunciamento at Los Angeles-Fourth Rebellion, Alva- 1827, the Mexican government had taken out of the rado, Castro-Alvarado Finally Accredited - Bestowing Pious Fund, the private property of the church, the sum of $78,000; and soon after the whole Fund, consisting of real estate investments, etc., was confiscated by the Mexican Congress. All this being the work of a new party having sprung up, and Governor Ècheandia elected by this party, commenced to enforce the secularization laws in 1830, but his term ran out too soon and his successor, Governor Victoria, put a stop rested and Sent to San Blas, but Released on Appeal of their Countrymen-Quarreling between Alvarado and Vallejo-Gen. Micheltorena Arrives to Remove Both-His Army-Commodore T. A. C. Jones at Monterey. But we must go back to one of the most important events in the history of California under the Spanish regime. In 1822, Mexico declared her independence of to the attempt. The struggle between the two parties Spain, and California followed suit. On the 9th day of April, 1822, ten of the principal officials of California, including the Governor and his proxy, the father President, signed at Monterey a declaration of independence from Spain, transferring their allegiance to Mexico. Thus the province was changed over to a new master without a struggle or bloodshed, making hardly one more ripple on the political sea. When the Indians at San Diego received the news of the doings in Mexico they held a great feast, and closed the ceremonies and the day by starting a bonfire and burning their chief alive. When the missionaries remonstrated, the savages logically answered: "Have not you done the same in Mexico? You say your king was not good, and you killed him; well, our captain was not good, and we burned him. If the new one is bad we will burn him too!” -one for maintenance, the other for the destruction of the missions-went on and was continued with varying success until 1834, when the attempts of the home government after actual colonization, which was formed with the purpose, on the part of the Mexican President, of placing the commerce of California into the hands of the colony, showing the final end of the contest in no far future. The purpose of this plan, however, was never reached on account of the change in politics. Santa Ana, usurping the presidency, he in haste sent counter orders overland to annul the whole plan; and when Hijar, who had been sent thither to become Governor of California, landed at San Diego, September 1, 1834, under this newest condition, entered since his departure from Mexico, he found himself only the leader of a disappointed colony which came with him to the country. This whole colony was sent to the mission at San Francisco de Solano, north of San Francisco, to show their ability in starting a colony without the aid of the government.* In 1824, Mexico again changed from the monarchical system to the republican, similar in form to that of the United States, and California simply had to accept We have to go back to the early time of the the situation, she not having population enough for a Russian occupation in California when the CalState, had no vote in Congress. Thus she became a ifornia officials had been shown and taught the Territory, and as such she was entitled to one dele- great wealth that was stored up in the rivers gate in Congress, who had the right to speak but and lakes of the interior of the Territory, which could not vote; to have a Governor whose title was to could be made an important source of revenue. be "Political Chief of the Territory," and to have a The furs of the different wild animals being of high legislature called the "Territorial Deputation." This value they sold licenses to trappers. And to the deputation came very near making its name renowned trappers, without any doubt, is due the better on July 13, 1827, by entertaining the proposition of knowledge of the country, its value and resources, changing the name of California to Moctezuma," here and abroad. Roaming all over the country, they soon became better informed than the Spaniard ever A colonization law was passed in Congress and had been, and a good many of them stayed here and issued in August, 1824, being in many respects became settlers, making up not the slightest part of so liberal that it served as a manifestation of the change in policy; that California was no longer estimated as a monastic province; that but it failed. * The brig this colony arrived in, and which was wrecked on the 14th of October, in the harbor of Monterey was the "Natalia," the same that on February 26, 1815, had borne Napoleon I on his flight from Elba. that formidable foreign element that took a foothold same favor by both political parties; that it became all along the coast. We have mentioned already that sufficiently strong, however, on the coast to refer to it the missions were not in favor of the colonization in political operations. settlement, but this foreign element was observed with far more mistrust by the church, and even the civil government of one party was not in favor of it, as we will show in the events a few years later. For illustrating how the church watched these foreigners with all possible suspicion, we give an instance which happened in 1827: A company of American trappers, commanded by the first American that ever had set foot on California soil, from over the mountains, were encamped near the mission of San Jose, then in charge of Father Duran; the latter having got notice of the encampment, sent over an Indian to ascertain what for they were there. J. S. Smith, the leader of the party, sent the following letter as an answer : Reverend Father: I understand through the medium of one of your christian Indians that you are anxious to know who we are, as some of the Indians have been at the mission and informed you that there were certain white people in the country. We are Americans, on our journey to the river Columbia. We were in at the mission San Gabriel in January last. I went to San Diego and saw the General and got a passport from him to pass on to that place. I have made several efforts to cross the mountains, but the snow being so deep I could not succeed in getting over. I returned to this place (it being the only point to kill meat) to wait a few weeks until the snow melts, so that I can go on; the Indians here also being friendly, I consider it the most safe point for me to remain until such time as I can cross the mountains with my horses, having lost a great many in attempting to cross ten er fifteen days since. I am a great ways from home and am anxious to get there as soon as the nature of the case will admit. Our situation is quite unpleasant, being destitute of clothing and most of the necessaries of life, wild ment being our principal subsistence. I am, Reverend Father, your strange but real friend and christian brother, May 19, 1827. J. S. SMITH. When Governor Victoria got in office, one of his first acts was to order a couple of convicted cattle thieves to be shot on the plaza. Cattle stealing was stopped for a while, but his enemies declaring this shooting not to be authorized by law, took it up as a pretense leading to another little rebellion. The hostile forces met near Los Angeles, Victoria followed by about thirty soldiers and friends, called upon the rebel leader to surrender, and here he learned for the first time that his friend Portala, whom he had trusted most, was against him in arms. Observing such base treachery, Victoria was seized with fury, and drawing his saber attacked the enemy far ahead of his followers, driving them almost single-handed from the field. The Governor kept up pursuing the enemy to the mission of San Gabriel, but his own numerous wounds forced him to halt, and in this state, not longer being ab'e to defend himself and his defenders, dead or wounded, his only alternative was to give his word to the opposing party, to resign as Governor and leave the territory. He kept his word as a brave man, returned to Mexico, entered a cloister and devoted the remaining years of his life to religious pursuits. In this conflict, and on the Governor's side, one of his bravest supporters, the grandfather of our late Governor Pacheco, found his death. After Victoria had left, California was given to misrule and anarchy, and when in January, 1833, Jose Figueroa was inaugurated as Governor, the country had the happiest day since a long time. He had quite a difficult standpoint, placed right in between the two parties. He was expected to deal justly between these two contending elements, and to render justice to either was to gain the ill-will of the other. More trouble arrived from the outside with a colony of three hundred persons, arriving under the leadership of Hijar, sent by the Mexican government to take charge of affairs in California. But before they reached it, Santa Ana, after having overturned the More serious troubles between the leading parties in home government, and usurped the presidency, sent California culminated in 1830, when, one night, a orders overland which gave Figueroa control over the hundred armed men, under Soliz, surprised the terri- colony and its governor. He consequently sent them torial capital, Monterey, capturing it in a bloodless to the mission of San Francisco de Solano, but eventvictory-no one was hurt. But only a few weeks ually they became a great trouble to the governor later the right and lawful party of Governor Echeandia and the country; some of them, banded together had gained strength enough to get their positions in conspiracy, gathered a discontented element back, and nothing remained to give account of this of more than fifty, and on March 7th, 1835 they insurrection except a clause in the Soliz' manifesto, started a pronunciamento at Los Angeles, but not declaring his intentions to "not interfere with the having friends sufficient, and not getting the looked. foreigners of the country." This evidently shows for encouragement, the affair ended with the day. that the foreign element was not looked at in the Figueroa died six months later. He had been an |