The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-10-24

ernment, inasmuch as il was almost en-
tirely dependent on them. AT many
OF the establishments / saw accounts
against the government amounting to
over one hundred thousand dollars, be-
sides many large amounts owned by
individuals who were never expected
to pay them. This did not, however,
affect the missions nor weaken them in
the least, for their possessions were
continually increasing, and they were
prosperous indeed. But, alas! this
state Of things exists no longer. Since
1884 the priests have been deprived Of
their property, and the missions have
been entirely destroyed, under the
scandalous administration Of certain
hirelings Of the government. The fol-
lowing returns Of 1884 and l842 may
be interesting: s ''.S'a7
81. In 1884 the Indian population of
the 81 missions amounted to 30,o50;
In 1842 to 4,450. 5's5's r. aotFFt,
80. In the former year the number
Of horned cattle was $4,000; in the
latter a8,22o. ara as0 7'a 81 san
"3. At the same period the number
Of sheep. goats, and pigs, was 39l, 500;
at the latter 81 800. fss7 ia'F9 q
~. In 1884 the number Of horses,
asses, mules, &c., was $4,000; in 1842
lit was $500. ~ 's- i1 t'&
"5. The produce in corn, &C., has
decreased in much greater propor-
tion-that Of 10 to A." - sst
These facts will prove the blind zeal
on the part of the government, in its
imprudent measuresfor secularizing the
missions, which have caused such re-
suits, and the return of the Indians to
their old customs in the mountains. fH
For several years after the revolu-
tioh broke out in Mexico in 1922, the
white population Of California was very
limited, and could not have exceeded
four thousand. Atthe different presid-
los, certain officers Were appointed 10
receive such duties as might be obtained
from any vessels arriving in their re-
spective districts; and in this way the
government received small revenue,
by imposing trifling percentages on
the value ofthe goods sold. The same
practice continued till 1928, when Don
Jose Marie de Eachandia was named
commandant general, who placed a
collector at the port of San Diego, and
other subordinate officers at Monterey
and Santa Barbara. The Mexicanstar-
iff was now introduced, and the general
government, to encourage the settle
ment of the CALIFORNIA;, awarded that
two-fifihs of the duties established
should be deducted on all goods land
ed in that country Of foreign importa-
ton. This regulation, however, has
ceased TO exist, and the importer is
now obliged to pay the full extent OF
the tariff rate, which on some articles
amounts to over one hundred and fifty
percent. on their first COST
The nett amount of revenue seldom
exceed, in any year, over eighty thous-
and dollars, 50 that when deficiency
took place, to supply the expenditures
ofgovernment, it had been usual to call
upon the missions for aid. Mexico
would have had to have remitted an
nuaIly, if it had paid its debts and its
soldiers, over one hundred thousand
dollars, of which the exchequer fell
short, TO defray the actual expenses
of the country, This may be quite
sufficient to show the important stand
ing which the missions held towards
sustaining the government, and how
enfeebled il must have become since
their ruin. 10 as8l, W. VI. 1i
Since 1886, when the Californians
drove out the Mexicans, the country
has undergone many changes. Num-
bers of new farms have been created by
the division of the mission estates, and
hundreds Of Englishmen and Ameri-
cans are scattered over the extent of
their domains. There were very few
farmers previous to 1880, whose actual
possessions of horned cattle did not ex-
coed one hundred thousand. In i842.
there were no less than ninety-two
rdncheros located between the ports of
San Diego and San Luis Obispo. These
persons possessing, on an average, one
Thousand bulocks each, making an ag-
gregate of ninety.twothousand. From
San Luis Obispo towards the north, the
farms are more numerous, and may be
supposed TO contain treble the number
Of cattle contained southwark Of that
point; so we may safely estimate the
whole number of horned cattle held by
individuals in the whole country, atfour
hundred thousand. ,sssa y =,
The yearly number Of cattle slaught,
Iered seldom exceeded fifty thousand,
& " ~