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

rented for the term Of nine yes This swas The last valid
decree t"aehlns the missions The remaining missions
Of santa Clara San Jose, Santa Cruz San Antonio, san
Luis obiso. San Gabriel and San Diego were therefore
.1iown Immediately ato the hands OF the uni'ed osts 1
after possession had been taken by our troops aud all
mission property nelgaly granted o. sold under the laws
| OF Caiii'nia becomes part Of The public domain
But whose possession they IN al The time we ac-
quIred that country That is the question that must be
settled by Knowledge OF the eountry-by reference TO
individuals who know whether they were IN possession
or not And ar as ascertain the facts since TINS
attempt to destroy the mission land and 10 entirely an
nul the claims which the priests had TO them, hnd ten
only oil these missions where any actual attempt has been
had TO diyeAt them and that the priests have continued
IN the possession OF the property all The whie ana nave
been bona Dde IN the language OF that amendment, IN
possession OF them; and honestly, 100. because IN
the settlement OF the country than hundred years
ago. they went into possession oi hem and nave cohn
ued there generation after generation since, notwth-
standing ms proclamation from Mexico diveslg thsm
Of their titles and Notwithstanding everything that
could be done by the government except actually 10 de
pTye them OF these possessions And being IN posses
sion now, the senator from Caonais correct IN saying
that they would be, under this amendment, entitled to
these lands And then would be true, II these mission
lands are to be sustained and the right vestsd by twenty
years possession that the whole land goes into tue hands
of the priesthood:
endeayosed obtain statistics Of the land cattle,
sad Other property belonging to the various missions Tho
character description Of lands Tor which grants
asked found. it is true, account OF the boundaries
If the missions, with the quality OF the land
braced by hem but the particulars, notwithstanding they
given by the resident padres themselves nre very nn-
satisfactory The lands described lying between
certain hin, and rivers embracing certain plains; some-
times they spoken OF canadas or Hanos only Some
OF the mission lands OF San Anono con-
tain hundred and weny five leagues and those
of San Miguel five bundled and ihirytwo The Others
vay from twenty 10 one hundred SQUARE leagues az
rough guess should compute The oglns mission lands at
eight nons OF acres probably four TO hye millions
been disposed OF by sales and grants
Carrying out the idea which I suggested originally,
that part OF these mission lands may have been dis
posed of BY grant under headrgb after the Grocla,
nation OF ls33 leaving The balance undisposed OIL and
at this time IN possession OF the priests
.sTbe remaining millions of acres, comprising the
finest lands in California are the property o. The un,'ed
ate' A much OF II has been Q. capable OF
and vineyards The sale disposal OF II ~ond seem TO re-
quife different regulations from those which govern other
portions oi the public domain.
The mission buildings but wrecks OF their for
condition. The broken walls, deserted corals, and
70, ess dwellings which surrounded them. but melan-
choy evidences OF their ancient prosperity Their charac'
Of The sdes and the vasalage OF the Indians They
had their day. They have fulfilled (and noby too be
| asknowedged) the purpose Of their creation see no
cause for la,nsn,irg & as many do over The
spirit Of enterprise, which has now taken firm root in tn.
deck her fields with abundant harvests"
| come nov to a point of more immediate interest
| specling the validity OF the grants:
"a subject of more direct interest the California emf
grants is that OF the character and validity of the grants
10 settlers previous acquisition of the country
The pitch TO which land speculation has rsen
tons along beid render official exam
and adjustment necessary The amount oi spec
ualion which has already done insecure basis
wl give rise 10 endless litigation when the proper tribunal
shall have been e-tabi.hed. Meanwhile, brief account
the character Of the grants derived partly from Captain
Haec KS admirable report California affairs and partly
from examination OF The grants themselves, may not be
without it's interest and uses
So il seems tina, Mr. Taylor examined while there,
the grants and that he looked into the report oil Captain
Halleck for the purpose OF getting information CON
formation OF two intelligent u,en, himself and Captain
Haleck and such, well entitled TO The consideration
OF the Senate and the country. The subject IS one oil
vast importance and when unfortunate and lmprudent
act of legislation involve US III an immense loss,
and inc injury upon individuals which we never m.
tended to nfici, would repeat what said l intended
to rely on in the begnningtha you had better leave
hi. country 10 the treaty under which IT originally
acquired and lei the courts decide upon the rights OF
parties.
and BY whom did these grans regard to which we are
now seeking leg TO protect TO consummate and
10 enforce favor OF those who may have posse oil
them, originate
The st general FOR the granting Of lands bears
date of June 779 when Governor Neve then established
at Monterey, drew up series OF regulations which were
years remained in force, with little modlhcsuon through
n bounty of Sll6 ~ per Tor the FIRST two
years, and $50 per annum Tor ths three iohowlng,
with the loan OF horses, ostue, and tsrm'ns utensils
from the government suppies Settlers In puebos
had likewise the privilege OF pasturing ther
s miner rrguntions established in this decree OF
Neve sufcieoty amusing For instance, no pooider
is allowed animals untit ne possess
fifteen and stallion, heen cows and one bM,
and so on down cocks and hens He must then sell his
the government which oil course pays Its
/ own price
These regulations designed only the first rude
redcd by the decree OF the Mex
can republic for the ooloniz ton OF ITS territories dated
August Is2I, which urtb- limited aud defined by
\ .ere. OF regulations dated November 81 1928 Up 10
the time when California passed into the hands OF the Unit
ted notifications were made 10 these acts. and
they consequently remain IN iofce'
Hence j, is that the only grants which legal. and
Il l,Vh had
AT the time we acquired California must come in under
the two of 1926 and 1898, IL this writer be correct in
| his statements OF fact:
governor Territory !. powered To make grants Of
lands or colonies) and individuals
or heads OF iamies
Now here is point to which desire to call the atlen
ton OF the Senate before legisate upon this ques-
ton:
.Grsn Of the frstnamed class require the approval OF
the supreme make them valid For the lat
ter Of the territorial assembly Is necessary
hu, in the make grants OF any land
lying within leagues the within twenty
leagues Of the boundaries OF any foreign power without
the previous approval of the supreme government"
So within leagues OF the coast the territorial gov
ernment had power TO grant lands There has never
vet been a grant consunmated in California within ten
leagues OF the And why Because the territorial
government of California had not the power to issue
grants OF that kind and the government OF Mexico could
never affirm such titles But there are many grants
within that distance OF the seashore now. which lands
NAV have been in the possession Of individuals more
than twenty years, and by our legislation IT is proposed
to confirm them But by the Law OF Mexico Y neveS has
been DONE could have been done, and thlpk
ouite doubtful il il will be done by us