Calaveras chronicle., 1853-03-19

/ GOVERNORS OF CALIT0RNIA.-W0
find, in the San Francisco Herald, tho
following historical sketch of the Gov
ernors of California and their duration
of Office
The first Spanish Governor in Upper
California was Gasparde Portola, who
with the title of captain-generaD was
sent to the territory in 1869. In ITS,
he was succeeded by Felipe de Neve.
Pedro FACES assumed command in 1882,
and he was relieved in 1892 by Josef
Romeu. In 1895, Diego Borica was
invested with the charge Of affairs.
Jose Joaquin ArriIlaga became Cover
nor in 1906, and to him succeeded, in
1912, Jose Maria Arguello. In 1915,
commenced the term Of Pablo Vicente
Sola, during whose administration the
! Prept:.cG Of Mexico declared it's inde-
pendence of Spain. All these officers
derived their authority from the Crown,
and were clothed with the chief militia
ry and civil command in the Territory.
After Portola, they bore the titles of
Governor and Military Commandant.
1t was, of course, some months after
the Plan Sf Iguala was published, be-
fore the news Of the establishment of
Mexican independence could reach this
distant province and it was not until
the spring of 1922 that Sola acknowi-
edged the change of affairs. Mean
while, Iturbide had been shot, and it
was to the Regency of Independent
Mexico that the California Governor
took the oath Of allegiance. Sola took
the title of Political Chief and Military
CopHnpdant, and remained in Office
untiffN2S, during which year he went
to Mexico, leaving as Political Chief
tad interim, Luis Antonio Arguelo. He
acted until 1925, when Jose Maria
Echeandia arrived from Mexico, with
a Commission as Political Chief.
Echeandia was superseded in 1879
by Don Manuel Victoria, who was ex-
PEELED from the country by the people
: in November, 1880. California was
then governed in an irregular manner
the southern portion recognizing the
former Political Chief, Echeandia, who
remained in the country, at Los An
geles, while the northern portion was
under the control of Captain Agustin
V. Zamordeu, native Of Florida, who
commanded the troops at Monterey.
At length, in the beginning Of 1888,
General Don Jose Figueroa arrived
from Mexico with a commission as
Political Chief and Military Comman-
dant, and with his arrival commenced
in fact the regular administration of
government according to the laws Of
Mexico. He died on the 29th of Sep
tember, 1885, having previously, in the
beginning Of that month, resigned the
government to Don Jose Castro, the
eldest member of the Territorial Depu-
tation, or Council Of Government. Cas-
tro, in a short time afterwards, resign
ed the government to Colonel Nicolas
Gutierrez, who held. it until the arrival
of Don Mariana Chico with commits
sion from Mexico. Chico was expelled
by the people of Monterey, in the month
Of July, 1886; Gutierrez recovered the
command, but was in like manner ex-
PEELED in November following.
In the meantime the Federal Consti-
tuition of Mexico had been Overthrown,
and the Central system was in progress
Of establishment. The Californians
were opposed to the latter, and upon
the expulsion of Gutierrez the Deputa-
ton declared California independent,
and called on Don Mariana Guadalupe
Vallejo to assume the government Of
the State. He, however, hesisated,
and Don Juan Bautista Alvarado, as
eldest member of the Deputation, took
the place of Governor. Don Carlos
Antonio Carrillo, of Santa Barbara, was
appointed by the President of Mexico
as Governor of the Department in 1887;
but Alvarado soon drove him and his
adherents into the Peninsula, and AlVa-
, RADIO was, in 1888, confirmed in his Of
fee as Governor by President Busta-
mente, with Vallajo as Commandant-
General.
These officers continued to govern
the country, in peace, until the latter
part of 1912, when General Manuel
Mcheltorena arrived as Governor and
Commandant-G General. Alvarado and
Vallejo were at first inclined to resist
} his authority, but at length they acqui-
esced, and in the beginning of 164S, he
, took command and maintained it until
February, 1914, when, by sort Of revo-
luton, he was expelled. As we have
before intimated, the principal cause of
complaint against him was the charac-
ter of the troops which had accomPa-
MED him from Mexico. The otilce OF
Governor being thus vacated, Pho Pico,
eldest member Of the Departmental
Assembly, undertook the functions OF
the chief civil authority, while Jose
J Castro possessed the Office Of Com
} mandant- General. They remained in
} power until the occupation Of Califor-
l L., ~ TIn;tad Gtofoa