New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-12-15
BAyiRD TAYbORS LETTERS,rso, wv.
Lpud the. and Public Land. 10 Cspforn'n

ntsn EN- grsnts a. present thsu the nature snc
lidlty Of land ti''es granted under the Mesicsn
Government. end ths location Of those lands,
which, by TIE treaty ~ SsatsIu2e dslgo, have
become port,on q ooI OWE national DOMAIN. The
rage r.. speculation ~ real estate renders some
knowledge q the subject absolutely necessary, TO
prevent the buyer fop becoming The sObjec, 81
fraud or deception Ny residence here mas gwen
me opportunities of becoming acquainted 9Th
the Mexican laws of settlement and colonization.
the number snd exten. Of the grants made sod
the defects which render imperfect the 'te Oh.
much territory now in the market a cJnc;so
s..tsment n the most important facts Wal b6 Of
Gse 10 future cIDigrsat.. Bes!dss. ihs peculiar
cha scter of the Laws and regu atoms concerning
lsnd may proye a fome interest % your res3en
ct ls-ge.
Ny information u derived entirely from docu-
ments in the Government archives, and pritci-
psliy from Captain Hallecss admirable hepr, on
California AfFals,-s WORK which ia. been made
with the greatest industry ard cars, aod oou.
prises everything necessary & foil understand
ing 4 .he subject.
Inc fret decree on record for the greeting Of
lands is letter dated August IL l173. addressed
b 10 the Commandments Of San Diego and Monterey,
empowering them e. besto~ PonOns Of lard go
,oinirg the Missions, upon soldiers and subject In
disns Thiswas Immediately after the hri, set-
tleuont of the country ond whom the white popa-
lation probably did not exceed 500. In JaHe
l73q. Governor Neyr then established tS this
place, drew up series OF regulations, which we're
approved by the King Of Spai and ')r moro than
frtyyesrs remained 10 force, with little mod tea
tiou throughout this territory. To each settler
Ip0bladorJ was granted q bounty Of enc Il per
snnum for the frat two year,, eco per snrpro lor
the mex; three, with the loan Of horses, cattle
farming utensils &c. from the Government sup
Pile. Settlers 10 puoblos, or towns had Likewise
tho privilege OF pssturng their stock the lands
belonging " the town Many Of the minor regu-
ls,ion, established in this decree Of Gov. Neve,
are sufficiently amusing. For instance. no pob's.
dor is allow eli to SCI. aay Of his animals, until he
shall possess fiteen mares and Que stallion, h'teen
COWS and ous bull, aud 81 on down e cocks a.
hers. He TDust then sell lis extra stock T. tie
Government, which of course, pays its ow- price
Theso regulations. designed only for the frat
rl6e stage OF cOloniz alton, were suPeFsedsdby tAt
decree OF the Mexcsu Republic tor the cooaiza
ton OF its Territories dated Aug. i. 1924, which
was (ur,her limited aad defined by seric' o.
regulations PASSED Nov. O. SOS Cp - the time
whom Ca,fofnis passed into the hands o! the
United States. 70 modhcatio-s were made &
these scts. aud they consequently remain IN force
Their most i'm gorisut provisions are &c follows
TIE Governor OF the Territory Is smPov ereo &c
maize grants OF lands 70 contractors Tor towns OF
colonies and Individuals or heads OF families
Grants q the hrst-Eamed class require the eP-
provsl Of the Supreme Government TO make them
valid. For the latter the ratification OF toe Terri
,oria Assembly 10 necessary but n no case can
the Governor make grants Of any land lyins with.
10 ten leagues Of the sescost or within twenty
lesgues OF the boundaries OF any foreign power.
without the previous approval OF the Supreme
Government The authorities Of towns, now CIV =.
are allowed to dispose OF lands lying within tne
town limits, the prcceeds - be paid into tne
municipal fund. The maximum extent o; a Iin-
sic grant is hked at squsre lesgue o!irrisse!e
land iouy Of Temporal, o. land whore produce De
perds CT the seasons and SIN ofland fer pssturins
aud resi;ns cattle eleven square leagues soou.
80 900 acres 10 all The minimum extent IS 200
varAs square Ia vsra iss little lees than yard
Of irrgsble land, 500 do OF temporal. and 400 Of
I pS.,ursge The SIC " house 10. II any Of ;he
pueb,os Is hxed ST 100 vsrss The irregular aces
aud patches lyinS between the boundaries Of
ant. ,hrouShou, ihe county are 70 be distributed
among the coionlsts who occupy the adjoining
land or their children. preference berg given 10
those who have distiagaised themselves ~ tnoi-
1 INDUSTRY aud moral department.
All grants not made IN accordanc5 win these
! regulations IRON the time OF their Adoption up !
July 7, lsI6 hen she American hsg ". rsi.-c
/ u Monterey and the Departmental Jlnts broker
/ up, sre 70. strictly valid, according 80 Mexlcs
/ law. The restrictions against lanis within tea
( leagues Of The sea coast SeCs Dsys- removed
The only legal grant Of such land, was that made
~ Capt. Stephen Smith, OF the port OF HedeeE
which received the approval OF The Sup-ems tiVS
/ STnment. In the Mscnsus-a Colonl1 alton Gssh',
made BY Pc P,co, only tour days before thS oc.e
patton OF Noaterey BY OsE forces, 10 - expressy
stated that the eorsen, If the Mexican Govern
ment "a Necessary u make IL valid. Yet, IN spite
OF this distipcs provision large tracts OF this
from San Francisco 70 Ssa Diego. were Granted
10 citizens and oolopists by Fs9eros, Award,
! and ether Governors. All these acts, having ueveg
received the sanction of tse Saprene dovenm.nt
would, by hters construction Q! the law, be Eul.
| and void. AS, however, tSey are regular in 81
( other respects and spPeG to have been made h
/ GOOD faith, they viii probably % acknowledge
by the tribunal appointed - decide % s1cA qsss-
l tiOls
Tae only further privilege given 70 the Te-riso-
risi C;,veJn,c vas 10 SIS, when he was OF Pow
erred 10 make grants Of islands or The coast l.
e.t1ets OF Caiiornis. with the conseo' q; the As
.embly The Supreme Government sSs5s e
served 10 itse tle righ: Of using any porIioa q
the coast promonfories, hsrbors or pubic la1d q
tie interior for the purpose Of erecting or'. arse
! nails or rational storehouses-which rlsni . GO"
transferred with the Territory % the Government
| of the United States.
In settling the boundaries OF grants. which ar
sound Ia every respect, there viii still De some di
hculty. Much Of ths land was reve. surveyed
the LEGALITY aid character being rudely skelchec
on papsr by the petitioner, sometimes without
suy specified extent and Sometimes vish gssss