Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-11-12

r \ country clothed with such unparallelc
a interest, becomes an important weight
i the national scale, and deserves the attentc
n due her political and moral dignity ]
4 this essay, California will be considerc
r Historically. Intrinsically, Morally, Reli.
f iously, and Prospectively.
4 [. Historically. New or Alta Califol
Ma was discovered, about 1912, by Jua
Rodriguez Cabrillo. who explored til
coast as far as the Add degree. Portion
Of the coast were visited by Sir Franci
Drake in 1873, and by Francisco CALI i
1882. In the month of Nov 1908, tn
harbor south of Alta California was dis
tarbci by fleet of antique vessels seekin.
an anchorage. They were manned b.
Spanish advcnturers, led by Sebastian
Nascayna, who had sailed in quest of un
discovered lands, which might be available
for wealth or conquest. Accompanied b.
the ever-present Friar, necessary appur
tenanca to Spanish enterprise, landing
was effected on the following morning, anC
an exploring party despatched to recon
n3itre the country. They found beautiful
region, abouniing with small oak and Other
trees, and profusoly supplied with aromatic
and useful herbs. From the summit
of the ridge they beheld the spacious bay
stretching out for leagues beyond theiG
anchored vessels, and presenting harbor
not only beautiful, bat capacious and secure.
They erected large tent on the shore for
rel, ,5ous purposes, and in their canvass
cathedral performed mass as 4 prelude to 4
protractod stay. In short time the natives
wore entirely conciliated, and foothod
Obtained in the territorywbich the Spaniarls
were not slow, subsequently, to improve
When they departed, they carried away
with them a large quantity Of skins and
fars, but had 10 intimatiou Of the bed of
gold which lay 50 near them. After touching
at Monterey and Mendocino, at which pla
ces results equally favorable attended their
enterprise, they returned to New Spain.
This was the commencement, or rather
preliminary movement, Of the settlement
Of California. So successful had been
this expedition, that an enthusiasm pre-
vailed in the minds Of the Spaniards to
subdue this territory to their sovereign and
their faith. After a series of unfortunate
efforts, formidable expedition set out
under the patronage and direction of Don
Gaspar de Portala and Father Junipcro
Sierra, by whom the desired object was
achieved. At San Diego, on the very
spot where, a century and 4 half before,
Lortes and hi. daring band had held inter
course with the untutored NATIVES, the Span
iaris built a permanent settlement, and
surrounded themselves with all the imp
res5iye paraphernalia Of the Romish church.
In a few years, the results of their opera
tons were seen in multitules of proselyted
savagcs. There is no spirit of ecclesiastical
accommodation anywhere, like that cvinccd
by the Papal priesthood The Indians
knew of the Great Spirit before but the
crucifx brought down Deity to them in a
tangible form. They knew that by sacrifices
they could turn away the wrath Of the
Almighty but the sprinkling of THEN
faces was a more agreeable mode of obtain
ing forgiveness. Who would not be
Christian on such accommodating terms.
At meeting of the New York Histori-
cal Society some time since, document
was read, intended to show that Capt Geo
Shclvocke, of the ship Speedwell, fitted
out by number of London merchants to
cruise in the South Seas, discovered gold
in California in l721. In most of the
valleys about Puerto SECURE, was found
black mould, which, as it was turned up
in the sun, had the appearance Of being
intermingled with gold. Though ridcul-
ing the idea of its value, box of it was
taken on board in order to ascertain what
it was but the box was accidentally lost |
in China. If this statement be correct, it |
is forcible illustration Of the significance
of minor events in their relation to impor-
tant consequences.
In 1867, the Jesuits, by whom the set
tlcment Of California had been effected,
fell under the displeasure of the Spanish
government, and were expelled from the
Peninsula their place being supplied by
the rival order of Franciscans. Up to 1886,
the relations of parties continued the same
For long time previous to this year,
spirit Of opposition to the missions had
been gathering strength in Mexico and
in 1889, under the administration of Gomez
Farias, an act was passed by which the
missions were secularizcd. This was fol-
lowed by other acts, suspending the salaries
of the monks, directing them to liberate |
the Indians from servitude, and to provide
them with districts Of land for their main-
tenance. At length, the division of the
property among Indians and settlers
was decreed, and an extensive plan was
adopted for the settlement of the country
by emigration. The new order of things
brought with it the termination of the
agrarian system, which had so long made
the populace the slaves of the church. The
property passed into the hands of
more worthy owners and individual enter
prise effected such revolution in society,
that instead Of the people being dependent
on the priests for sustenance, the priests
obtained their support from the people.
In 1s45, the population Of California
was about 10000, exclusive of Indians.
Of this number, 1000 were from the
United States. This latter class, it became