American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-03-21

Qld yeOfuhu strsiCc lH tuc cueHfl t&huf
galiantly, though unsuccessfully, storm
ing the heights of Chapultepec, (where
General g. was wounded, and entering
the Belen Gate under terrific FIRE from
the enemy Their gallant service, and
that of their commander, was at ohce ac-
knowledged by placing him in command
of the citadel. Although strict in disci-
pline, ho was kind of heart and as quick
to overlook the trifing faults which had
their origin in ignorance and inexpericnce,
as determined to punish such as persisted
in evil-doing.
On the return of peace Col. Geary
brought his regiment to this city from
Mexico, (without the loss OF man by the
way) where they mustered some four
hundred of the eleven who had gone to
the war Our citizens well remember the
ovation given the soldiers of that war en-
their arrival at our wharves, and the
speech of our venerable wilkins now no
more, on their reception. 1t has not been
excslled by any thing of the kind in the
twenty years which have since elapsed.
For year or two Col. Geary returned
to private life, until called from retire
msnt iy President Polk, early in lSi9,
when he was sent to California as POST
master of San Francisco, with authority
to establish post Offices, mail routes, &c,
in that partially explored territory, just
annexed to the Union, but, from the dis
covery Of its golden treasures, increasing
in Importance with rapidity never be-
fore eIampled. Probably no better Sc
lection could have been made for the po-
sition, and tho incumbent gave such gen
eral satisfaction that, on his removal
from it on Gen. Taylor's accession, he
was eight days after unanimously chosen
Acalde of the city, under the Spanish
laws, an office comprising the position of
alderman, mayor, coroner, public admins
traitor, chairman of councils, register, re-
corder, and generally oil the county Offices,
the duties of which he executed with
great ability, and celebrity which better
suited the vast Anglo Saxon population
flowing into the new State than the POGO
tempo habits of the hoarbres 'to the man,
or born"
During the month which Col. Geary
was, with his family, detained on the
Isthmus, ho succeeded in organizing the
Masons and the Odd Fellows among the
transient and resident Americans there,
for the alleviation of the distress of the
sick amongst the crowds of our country
men continually subject to detention at
Panama, through the paucity of shipping
on the Pacific side. On his quarters be-
ing robbed by the guard, in that city, he
compelled the thieves to march back with
their plunder, and deposit it in his room,
after struggle with the sergeant and his
men, in which nothing but great coolncss
and determination saved his life
General Bennett Riley, then Military
Governor of California, also (on his elec
ton as Alcalde,) commissioned him as
Judge of First Instance, which he sub
ssquently resigned in favor of Judge Al
mond of Missouri, since deceased. Re
elected Alcalde by vote lacking but
twelve unanimity in poll of four thous-
and, he held the position until the Office
was abolished, and the American system
of city and county government establish
ed in May, 1850, when he was chosen
Mayor. On the expiration of the term
he acted as one of the Commissioner of
the Funded Debt of the city until Feb
ruary, 1852, when he returned to "the
States"-intending, like many others, to
return to California, but was prevented
by severe domestic Affections, and pecu.
MARY losses caused by the failure of 9TH
ers.
/ Having resided in San Francisco dur.
ing considerable portion of Cen Gea
rys administration of its affairs, and h av.
ing been for part of the time placed i q
position which gave us an opportunity
of seeing his mode of conducting the
city Government, we can say that it was
as safe city as residence, so far as re.
CARDS security for life and property dur
ing that period, as the city of Pittsbure
and Allegheny is to-day--that, nothwith
standing its numerous drinking houses
and gambling-shops, and its hetsrogen.
eous population, much of it the offscour.
ing of creation, and all thrown suddenly
together, the robberies and murders we're
not more numerous than they are now in
our own cities. Before he was Alcads
the "hounds," IAN exaggeration of oul
"mudlarks") roamed the streets and rob-
bed in open day, and after his mayorality
q vigilance committee of thousand arm
ed men was deemed necessary to purify
the city of scoundrelisu.
We well know that, slthough allowed
to grant the city lands to whom he pleas
ed, under Mexican law, on condition o.
Improvement, he sturdily refuted to sac
rifice her real estate when he could have
realized many thousands of dollars fol
himself by such lawful piece of rascal
ity-and that, when mere tool of som,
spectators was appointed Justice Of thu
Peace to effect such fraud, he sturdily
opposed the notorious "Colton Grant" Il
the bitter end. His energy during tn,
first great FIRE in the city, in December
1S49, in checking the flames by the FIRE,
use of gunpowder, the only "6re extin
guisher" available, and his courage il
personally conveying much Of it in bull
dings already in flames, saved property o
vast value, but led to heavy Judgment
against himself, which, however, the citl
subsequently assumed. Taken altogeth
or Ais whole administration of the pos