The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-26

minlon and ownership four cdbdlerds" OF irrigable
land, eight, if dependent on the seasons, or six
teen if adapted to stock raising, and also live stock
and agricultural implements; that this distribution
made, (out of the movable property of the mis-
sion,) one half the remainder of said property
should be sold, and the other half reserved on ac-
count Of government, and applied TO the expenses
of worship, maintenance OF the missionaries sup
port of schools, and the purchase of agricultural
implements for gratuitous distribution to the colo
nists.
On the 10th April, 1884, the Mexican Congress
passed an act to the following effect:
|. That all the missions in the republic shall be
secularized.
2. That the missions shall be converted into cura-
cies, whose limits shall be demarked by the gov
ernors of the States where said missions exist
3. This decree shall take effect within four months
from the day of its publication.
The 7th November, 1885, an act Of the Mexican
Congress directed, that 'until the curates men
gust, 1888, (above quoted should take possession
the government should suspend the execution of
the other articles, and maintain things in the con-
dtion they were before said law"
have, far, referred to these various legislative
and governmental acts in relation to the missions,
only to show, beyond equivocaton or doubt, the re-
lation in which the government stood toward them,
and the rights Of ownership which it exercised over
them MY attention was next directed to the
changes that had taken place in the condition of
those establishments, under the various provisions
for their secuarization and conversion into private
property.
Under the act of the Spanish Cortes of Septem-
Der, 1913, all the missions in New Spain were liza
BILE to be secularized; that is, their tsmporaities
delivered to lay administration their character as
missions taken away by their conversion into par
ishes under charge of the secular clergy; and the
lands pertinent to them to be disposed OF as other
public domain The question of putting this law
in operation with regard to the missions in Califor
MIA was at various times agitated in that province,
and in 1880 the then governor, Echandria, pub
lished project for the purpose, but which was de-
ieated by the arrival of a new governor, Victoria,
almost at the instant the plan was made public
Victoria revoked the decree of his predecessor and
restored the missionaries to the charge OF the esab-
iishments and in their authority over the Indians
Subsequent to that time, and previous TO the act
Of secularizaon of August, lS33 nothing further to
that end appears to have been done in California.
Under that act the first step taken by the Central
Government was the expedition of Hijar, above no.
ticed But the instructions delivered to him were
not fulfilled Hijar had been appointed Governor Of
California, well Director of Colonization, with
directions to relieve Governor Figueroa After Hi
jar departure from Mexico however, revolutionin
the Supreme Government induced Hijars appoint
ment as political governor to be revoked; and an
express was sent to California to announce this
change, and with directions to Figueroa to con-
tinue in the discharge of the governorship. The
courier arrived in advance Of Hijar who found
himself, on landing, Tin September, ls34,) de-
to exercise. Before consenting to cooperate with
IIijar in the later's instructions concerning the
missions, Figueroa consulted the Territorial Depu-
tation. That body protested against the delivery
tates-and to a settlement in which the Indian pu-
pills had undoubtedly equitable caim-into
Hjar's possession, and contended that his authori
ty, in the matter of the missions, depended on his
commission governor, which had been revoked
and not on his appointment unknown To the aw) as
Director of Colonization. AS a conclusion to the
contestaton which followed, the governor and as,
sembly suspended Hijar from the last mentioned
appointment and returned him to Mexico.t
Figueroa, however, had already adopted Tin Au-
gust, ls34) project Of seculariEation, which he
denominates provisional Regulation" 1t pro.
vided that the missions should be converted partial
ly into pueblos or villages, with distribution OF
lands and movable property as follows to each in
dividual, head of family, over twenty fve years
of age, lot OF ground not exceeding four hundred
nor less than one hundred varas square, in the
common lands of the mission, with sufficient
quantity in common for pasturage Of the cattle OF
the village, and also commons and lands for muni-
cipal uses; likewise, among the same individuals,
onehalf of the live stock, grain, and agricultural
implements of the mission; that the remainder OF
the lands, immoyable property, stock, and other
Effects should be in charge OF mayordomos or other
persons appointed by the governor, subject 10 con-
firmation by the general government; that from
this common mass should be provided the mainte-
nance Of the priests and expenses Of religious SER
vice, and the temporal expenses Of the mission;
that the minister should choose place in the mis-
sion for his dwelling; that the emancipated In
dians should unite in common labors for the cult
vation of the vineyards, gardens, and field lands,
which should remain undivided until the determi-
nation of the Supreme government; that the do
nees, under the regulation, should not sell, bur-
then, or transfer, their grants, either Of land or
cattle, under any pretext; and any contracts TO
this effect should be null the property reverting to
the nation, the purchaser losing his money; that
lands, the donee Of which might die without leav
ing heirs should revert 10 the nation; that rancho
rias (hamets of Indians) situated at a distance
from the missions, and which exceeded twenty five
families, might form separate pueblos, under the
same rules as the principal one. This regulation
was 70 begin with fen of the missions, (without
specifying them,) and successfully be applied 10
the remaining ones.
The dcputation. in session of the Sd Of November
Of the same year, (l534,) made provision for divid
ing the missions and other settlements into parishes
curacies, according 10 the law Of August, 1888;
authorized the missionary priests 70 exercise the
functions Of curates, until curatcs OF the secular
clergy should arrive, and provided for their sala-
res and expenses Of worship. No change was
made in this act, in the regulations established by
Governor Figueroa, for the distribution and man
agcment Of the property.
Accordingly, for most all Of the missions, ad-
ministrators we're appointed by the governor and
in some but not ALL partial distributions Of the lands
and movable property were made, according to
the tenor Of the regulation. From this time, how
ever, all tracts Of lands pertinent the missions,
but not directly attached TO the mission buildings,
granted any other lands Of the territory 20
the Mexican inhabitants, and to coonists for stock
farms and tillage.
The act Of the Mexican Congress Of 1895, direct
ing the execution Of the decree Of 1888 10 be
pended until the arrival of curatcs, did not, far
policy already adopted by the territorial authorities
On the 18th January, 1899, Governor Alyarado
issued regulations for the government of the adj
ministrators of the missions. These regulations
prohibited the administrators from contracting
debts ON account of the missions from slaughter
ing cattle Of the missions, except for consumption,
and from trading the mission horses or mules for
clothing for the Indians and likewise provided
for the appointment of inspector Of the missions,
10 supervise the accounts OF the administrators,
and their fulhlment OF their trusts. Art III pro-
hibtcd the settlement Of white persons in the estab
hshments, "whilst the Indians should remain in
community" The establishments Of San Carlos,
San Juan Bautista and Senoma excepted from
these regulations, and to be governed by special
rules.
On the first of March, 1910, the governor,
Alvarado suppressed the Office Of administrators,
and replaced them by nayovdomos, with new and
more stringent rules for the management Of the
establishments; but not making any change in the
rules Of Governor Fgueroa, regarding the lands or
other property
Bya proclamation Of the goth Of March, ls43,
Governor Mcheltorena, "in pursuance Gas he
states) of an arrangement between the governor
and the prelatc Of the missiOnsv directed the fol-