The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-06-05
Affairs In California.


Affairs In California.
We have received BY recent arrivals from San Fran
cisco, copy Of the alta Caornssm OF April 9th The
paps. printed weekly 81 San Francisco ss si2
the paper is chiefly occupied with detailed account
Of the local affairs of California and especially Of SAN
at the taken by Col Mason and Gen Smith, and
also ut the neglect Of Congress In not providing the
has been greatly "convused within the last week."
with the intelligence that the military commander had
stract Of the long article in the .qIa Caif.rmi,n
In July, 1876 the American forces found San Fran
cisco governed BY an Alealde an officer whose duties
Seectmen and Justice Of the Peace. He could sell
building lots had control Of the public funds and col
fected and expended the revenue. This state Of
affairs continued by the American authorities
until 1s47, when Governor Mason, In consequence
Of the repeated complaints made to him. author
lied the election Of six persons, to be called town
council, whose duties were not clearly defined, but
with them President of the board, and had
casting vote. One Of the acts Of this town coun-
surer' another to authorize the grading Of streets
third to authorize the erection Of y school, house, q
fourth to repeal the Mexican laws relative to the i'm
required upon lots to entite the
TO valid deed, and fifth to pass law for raisics
revenue. This body continued in existence until the
31st Of December 184S, when 1t expired by limitation
They passed q law on the 9th Of December, autho-
ri1pg the election, Of new town Council Of seven
The election held, but the old members declared
the election Illegal and ordered u new one Four
fths Of the inhabitants deemed the action the old
Council unwarrantabe, and would not vote again A
small faction, however, voted, and then there were
three town Councils in existence at and the
time i. the old Council finally gave up the ghost on
Cross fire Of counter enactments for few weeks
longer The minority town council passed some laws
aiming the power Of the alcalde who ordered in
consequence, the chairman to be arrested, and he
would have been imprisoned, had not the people inter-
In the meantime the alcalde had been twice invited
to resign; but refused convention of the people Of
| tive Assembly Of fifteen members, who should have
power to make laws provided they did not interfere
with the laws and constitution Of the United States
This body to exist year, unless sooner super
| seeded by competent authority.
1t was believed that the election Of this body and Of
three justices Of the peace would have put an end to
the chickering's and strifes at San Francisco; but it
did not so prove. The charges against the Alcalde
were numerous he had squandered the money,
| sold town lots without authority, and did not
count for the dsce IN his hands was
| law depospg him, and ordering him to hand over
his books, accounts and money, into the hands
peace. He addressed note to him. making the re-
quest but received no answer He repeated the ro-
quest, and still no answer had been returned.
1t appears that the Acaldc showed the letters to
General Persiier Smith, who advised him to pay at
tenton to them; that he still Alcalde, notwith.
standing tho action of the Legislative Assembly, but
on what grounds this opinion IL based does MT appear
The Alta Cal TO- mum contends that the Military Co
vernment in operation there which represented
BY Col Mason and General Smith Is wrong and con-
argues with good deal Of force that in the neglect
OF Congress, they have right to form government
for themselves 1t also the right Of tho United
States to tax the people when they give them neither
Representations and therefore protests
against the collection Of Mt their ports The
Acade, whom the Alta Californian thus describes Is
! Mr. r. NJ. Leavenworth:--
tsue Of absurdities and malfeasancesj Justice as dis
| pensed by him, has been mockery and . wrong
| piety, as practised by him, has been hypocrisy
thinly hid, that its utter deformty rendered, II
| possible, more palpable-truth, as taught by him,
has been system Of brazen impudence, and janus
faced exhibition of triakery and fraud and bribery
| has lent her bghting influence to his unhallowed
honost-no man calls him fricnd-and he is only used
for the convenience Of those who make fent OF sup
released from the burtben Of Unconstitutional taxa
tion" and Of military despotism 1t is evidently high
time that something for their relief should be DONE
else gloomy spirit of discentcnt and alienation may
be engendered which may prove disastrous to pos
sess;s the Pacific.
The paper also contains an interesting letter from
Sacramento City, dated March 2sth. The spring has
opened and the rainy season is over, and everybody
getting ready to begin gold hunting New parties
constantly arriving Gold washing has been carried
during the winter with but partial success. On the
Middle Fork average of two Of gold day
for each man has been gathered On the YerbG river
large party of Oregonians have made out about the
All parties anxiousy waiting for the rivers
to fall There is talk of dverting the rivers from
their beds in order to got at the gold the bottom
place called Stanislaus appears to be the favorite
haunt for the gold hunters At Sacramento city tho
men healthy, but the scurvy has broken out at
/
speculating in house lots equals that experienced in
| the West in 1S37-3S millwright has made a diving
bell with which lie expects to pick up gold in deep
water. The writer says:-
Goods are plenty here, and the advance upon San
Francisco prices but proportionate with the times
Lumber is with the greatest difficulty obtained although
the Culloma Saw Mill is running incessanty so
foot is not baked at in many instanceswe should
marvel not to see 1t at one dollar Horses worth
from 900 to $500 each worth did say gross
libel upon horse hesh). Oxen bring 5000 per yoke.
Freight from this place to the dry dggngs is $50 per
hundred. Flour sells at $50. Beef the hook, S45
at this place exclusive of lodging is $40 per week 1t
would be well Of those boarding house vessels
advertised In the United States to arrive. We would
undertake to ensure her fortune up Feather
river the saying goes Certainly at the rate pro-
posed such ON enterprise would be hatterngly encour
aged.
piece Of gold has been found at Stanslaus river by
Mr. Weber of Stockton. which weighs seventy Weight
ounces, the value Of which is 81 ,2S4 Mr. r. A. Par
ker formerly Of Boston, Of David Parker, ESD has
had new warehouse barnt down. which he had leased
the day before at $4,000 per annum. Mr. Geary the
new postmaster from the United States, had arrived
and entered upon his duties Meetings been held
at Monterey and other places to choose delegates to
convention to form territorial constitution.
The Rev. j. w. Douglass graduate Of Yale Col
lcge, and recently from New York passenger in the
steamer California, has received and accepted in
vitation from the people Of the Pueblo de San
take up bis residence there preacher Of the gospel
been promptly raised for his support the coming year
The above comprises all the items of interest which
we can find In this very acceptable vsitant from the
far of Pacifc.-Boson Atlas, June
From Oregon.
The Alta Californian, Of the I'D March, states that
Gen Lane had reached Oregon city, and issued his |
reclamation as governor Of that territory the Sd
of March.
The Provisional Legislature had adjourned on the
Icbruary teeua ne md