The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-02

aud heroic endurance scarcely inferior TO those Of Core,
and Coronado Tue great work they ACCOMPLISHED on The
peninsula ard Ia The northern provinces OF Mexico IN the
beg,anlog Of the lasl century was followed nyyea later
by Padre Jpnipero sens, who, in i7Os ouadea The mis'
sion OF San Diego, he first settlement in Alta California
In the succeeding year. he landed al Monterey. and by
standing the fort. took possession OF the spot Aer la
boring for thirteen years with interchangeable zeal and ae-
good padre died ia i7sa bnried in graveyard
OF Carmel HIS SUCCESSORS continued the work, and by the
1900 had increased tho number OF missions TO sixteen
Since 'ha' time ONLY three more have been added
The missions are named and located as iolows San
Rafael and San Francisco Soano, north Of San Francisco
bay; Dolores, San Franc SEQ; sans Clara and san
Jose Pueblo San Jose San Juan, Santa Cruz, and
Miguel in the valley Of Salinas river San Luis opi.bo
l. Pursna Santa Ynex Santa Barbara and San Buena.
nando. Los Angeles aud San LUIS Rey San Juan
capisuano. and San Diego, the south OF Los An
geies
The wealth and in the Of these missions
naturally excited The Jealousy OF government after Cao
had been grained almost unlimited sileges by hs eae
veeoys and Tor long lime authority could be found
lSl3 relating the missions OF South America made
The basis o. repeated attempts to overthrow the ,en,noa
power OF the padres, but without effect and from 1900 to
1850 they reveed securely in the full enjoy OF their
and pcosi time, toward which many OF the Callio
nao, and OF the old American residents. look hack
with regret Then each mission llue princi patty
with its hundred thousand and its twenty Thousand
head of cattle All the Indian population, except the
Gentiles OF the mountains the subjects OF the
des, culvang for them their broad lands and
lh:m w'h the same deson faith as they did the patro.
sai OF the settlement The spacious galleries. halls and
couryatds OF the missions exhibited every OF order
houses ftnkng them obedient crowd forth al the
sound Of monlng and evening chimes The tables OF the
from their thrifty gardens and orchards and TASKS of
cei.n wine from their own vineyards The stranger who
came that way was entertained with lavish hospitality
for which recompense proudly refused aud leaving
welcome exchange bis spent horse for his pick
OF the caballada Nearly all the commerce OF the country
o
management and economy gave them great aptitude lo
business of all kinds, aud each succeeding witnessed
an increase OF tneir wealth and au uhorIty"
! Now, sir, commences the history of their downfall
The question Is whether they have been deprived OF
power and right lover these lands by Mexico Ii they
have then the property does no belong TO hem and
not be claimed by them, unless give them that prop
eny by our legislation Now, al!ege according 10 the
law in Mexico a, the lime we took possession OF Cao
MIA, they divessd Of the right to title in this prop
ery. But still many of them in possession; and
now we by our legislation propose to give them the
same power they possessed under The Mexican govern
ment before the DEGREES referred TO by the senator from
Missouri. This amendment now proposed would consum
male that object Now. lei how these lands stood
at the time we acquired this country:
rhe first blow given ,heir privileges was a decree of
the supreme Of Mexico, dated August H. 1888
by which the missions oi Upper and Lower California
versed hy law iao prishes aud he padres ,om being
virtual soveregns Of their domains, became merely
Of ess @ the subjects
paid from 81 900 81 500, the option of government,
principal building for the cnraes house while other por-
tions OF the establishment appropriated to the pur-
"This law. Of course emancpaed the Indians the
authority OF the padres, and likewise absolved the latter
from their obligations MAINTAIN them To provide
support therefore the granted every
head OF family ios ir'm four hundred vara.
square, which assigned 10 the OF themselves and
their descendants bat could mol be sold by them under
atty OF the land revcring back to the public domain"
Here is provision to which wish to call attention.
BY this decree the land belonged 10 them only long
they remained tenants upon the SOIL II they attempted
to transfer The land TO any other person. at
forfeited and became Iart OF the public domain This
is question which should carefully consider before
by legislation decide IN favor OF the actual settler
or the person occupying the lands:
The temporal Of mission placed under
the charge OF an ayuntnmen who was commissioned TO
PLAIN the Indians the relations, and put hem in
possession OF the land portion OF the 'evenue was ap.
piled their benefit, and in return therefor they were
obliged assstn cutivatng the common lands OF the
puebos OF parishes
And here is the other decree TO which call the a,ten-
ton of the senator from Nj ssouT. have doubt he
has il in the report of MIR Jones, though have not
ierred TO that publication lately:
"By iurther decree, in lS40 Governor Avarado sub
situted msjordono, place o the ayunamenos, giving
hem power to manage the temporal affair, OF the mis-
sons but not dsposr OF The revenues contract debts
without the permission Of government
THESE decrecs put stop TO me prosperity Of the mis-
.ous The padres, seeing the establishments taken OF
the hands poyed the,nscve. longer supernreod
ing their cultivation while he Indians, hoogh Tree. lost
the patient sulance and encouragement they lad re.
ceivsd aud icspsed into ,heir hereditary habits OF soh
and stupidity Many of them scaered from their bones
resuming rowing lite among the mountains, and very
several OF the missions almost ceased to have exist
snce Gov Micbeoreua, therefore, in ISt3 IN pompou,
proclamation seing forth his loyal Catholic faith,
ped the former Of things by delivering
twelve OF the missions into the hands OF the priests
/ These missions had bern divested early 1893
The priests eeced from the possession OF some OF
them and IN ls43 Governor Mcbeltorena attempts to
replace these mission lands the possession Of the priests
and he actually did
i lie declared the time, that all the cattle aud
property should be given tem, but that por
lions of be misson estates " boh hsd been granted d
viduss should sua remain IN possession OF the latter
That is that the head rights that had been secured By
The of 1888 should remain in the possession of the
should be Put in The possession OF the padres or priests
The proclamation, far can learn, went into
effect, aud the chasing Of M,chsorens from the country
soon put end to hts plans"
Then he ei, the country and these priests were
stored the possession OF these mission lands when he
abandoned the country. This was late as Isi3-s
short time before we got possession OF Monterey:
Il In the year Isi5 Governor Pho Poo completed the OBJ
Iteration OF the missions. BY government decree he d.
coted missions Of San Juan, Carmel San Ftsn
cisco olsno and San Juan Cspistfsno should be sold
auction specified day One months notice was TO be
given Indian neopbyss Of the missions OF San X,
scl, Dolores Soedsd San Miguel and La Purisima to
rstur the cultivation and occupancy oi the lands
cd them by oherwhe the same should be de
clarcd unoccuped and disposed Of like The preceding"
All the natives, then, who had taken their head nigh
and had left them after the decree OF Mchelio
reAa directed to and reoccupy them and II they
did no, return and reoceupy them they were TO 20 into the
common domain Of the county
I" All the remaining Missions except the Episcopal Ism
sion nj Santa Barbara rented Ot proceed
lofth nd rn