Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-05-04

l3. La Soledad. 36 3s October 8, 1871.
cat first the missions nominay occupied the whole ter
rory except the four small military posts of San Diego,
Santa Barbara Monterey, and San Francisco that is the
limits of mission said the intervening space
TO the limits Of the and there other occupants
except the wild Indians whose reduction and
the object of the establishments The Indians fast
they reduced trained labor in the MISSIONS and
lived either within its walls, small villages by
der the spiritual and temporal direction of the priests but the
whole political control of the governor Of the province who
decided contested questions OF right policy whether between
different MISSIONS between missions and individuals,
corning the Indians soon however, grants of land began
to be made to individuals especially retired soldiers who
special favor in the distant colonies of Span and
became the settlers and founders of country they had
duced and protected Come settlers also brought from
the neighborng provinces Of Sonora and Sinaoa, and
the towns of San Jose the head of the Bay of San
Francisco and of Los Angeles eight leagues from the port of
San Pedro early founded The governor exercised the
privilege Of making concessions of large tracts and captains
Of the pedos authorized grant building lots and
small tracts for gardens aud farms, within the distance of
leagues from the presidios By these means the mission
tracts began respectively to have something like known boun
daes though the lands they thus occupied still not
viewed in any light as the property Of the missionaries but
as the domain of the crown appropriated TO the Of the
missions while the state of the country should require it. and
at the pleasure of the political authority.
81 took much pains, both in California and in Mexico
to myself of the situaion in legal and proprietary
point of view, Of the former great establishments known
the mission Of California. 1t had been supposed that the
lands they occupy grants held the property of the
church, Of the mission establishments corporations
Such, however, not the All the missions Upper
California established under the direction and mainly at
expense Of the Government and the missionaries there
had any other right than the occupation and
the lands for the purpose of the MISSIONS and the pleasure
Of the Government This shown by the history and prin
cpes Of their foundation by the laws in relation them by
the constant practice of the Government toward them, and
in fact by the rules of the Franciscan ORDER which forbid its
members to possess property.
"The establishment Of missions in provinces was
part Of the colonial system of Spain. The Jesus by
license from the Viceroy Of New Spain in this
the reduction of Lower California in the year 697
They continued in the spiritual charge, and in considerable
degree of the temporal government Of that province until
1857 when the royal decree abolhing Jesuit order
throughout New Spain there enforced, aud the mission
taken out Of their hands.
"They had then founded fifteen missions extending from
Cape St. Lucas nearly to the head of the of Corte or
California gulf Three Of the establishments had been sup
pressed by order Of the Vceroy the remainder
put in charge of the Franciscan monks Of the college Of San
Fernando, in Mexico, hence sometimes called Fernandnos
The project Of that college, the Rev. Father Jupero Sera
proceeded in person To his charge, and arrived, with
number Of monks Lereo the capital Of the peninsula the
following year, (76s) He there soon after Joined by
Don Jose Galvez inspector general (psador) of New
Spain, who brought order from the King directing the
foundation Of settlements in Upper California.
II therefore agreed that Father Juupero should extend
the mission establishments into Upper California under the
protection of presidios, EARNED posts which the Govern
ment would establish at San Diego and Monterey The ex-
petitions both accompanied by missionaries who are conse
queny fitted out proceed by the other by land to
the territory. In June 1862 they had arrived and that
month founded the first mission, about two leagues from the
port Of San Diego preside established at the
time the port"
OF course, between the various grants there is
constant conflict, one portion of the tenures being
based on Spanish, another on Mexican third on
California, and finally others on Revolutionary au-
thoriiy, bear fag) Mr.. JONES thinks the interest
Of the United States may be secured by judicious
procedures. He says
The grants in California, am bound to say, mostly
perfect titles that IT, the holders possess their property by
titles that under the which created them, equva
len, TO patents from Government and those which
perlechas is which lack orma ty evidence
Of the equity those which
perfect and and would have been equally respected
der the Government which has passed away OF course
aude to grants made in good faith, and to simulated
grants be SUCH issued since the persons who made
them ceased from their functions in that respect.
81 think the state Of land titles in that country will
allow the public lands to be ascertained, and the private