The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-17

cuities for The incoming administration Mr.. Pedrin
Gspenasd rom once The Geie De Hacienda q, a. st ais
whom he knew there was no money-he having
emptled the treasury IN payment OF his own salary
smallpox, brought by the returned soldiers to spread
over the territory and In addition, Having done ali me
sy ne cS NED o% the capita ana .ns oar q
his successor. Such is Mexican politics under tne
socalled 'beral" administration which In reality Is
nothing but an administration OF ROBBERY, piuhoer
On the LIST day Of January $685. Mr.. Galan took his
seat He found about S7OODO debt on hand, audited
and ordered paid by his predecessors s27 in the rea
sury and all the offices In the most complete dis
order TO increase the difficulties there were ru-
mOrs of revolution, headed by Navarro ana Gotta,
enemies leagued as friends Tor love OF PLUMBER sus
tanned by the returned soldiers, who naked and
hungry, were disposed to do anything Tor anybody
who ofYered to pay them for their services. The
smallpox, too, was decimating the population. All
expected that Mr.. Gaan's administration would be
far better than that OF any OF his predecessors, all
had confidence in his integrity ana honor in mis-
desire to add to the welfare and happiness of the
common people and In his determination and energy
to put a stop to all their troubles In fact,
more was expected Of him than 1t was possible
for man to accomplish under the circumstances.
Nevertheless undismayed by the arduOus task before
him, Mr.. Gaan set TO work to accomplish the much
needed reforms He first ordered the people to be
Revolutionary leaders were made to declare that thew
would commit no acts to disturb the public peace.
Nineteen common schools were established through
out the territory upon The American common school
principle, and endONmentS created necessary for
their support. In La Paz three night schools were
established where the adult population to the num-
Der of one hundred and fifty attended and eagerly
commenced learning TO read and write or this
number Of scholars nearly all were natives (ndians
MANUAL 90 eSpoyments. s' New Judges we're ap
pointed barbarous and lnhuman punishments
Were a5ossed s such has as the cepo isStocks)
criminal law OF the territory were also abolished.
In facts new system OF law and government, such
as characterzes Chistian nations, seemed to spring
up If by magic upon the ruins of deceit treachery
crime and barbarity. simultaneously with the above
remarkably pleasant American innovatiOns," as
some traveller called them, the Governor pardoned
all political prisoners TRAITORS excepted), made the
government house haDtaDe by painting and fur
ton by repairing and making Streets building
bridges and other public institutions. Several new
buildings were started by private parties people
feeling that new era OF prosperity had dawned The
new Governor watched jealousy the entries in the
Custom House, and began paying the territorial debt
by admitting in payment Of duties audited paper to
the amount OF forty per cent OF the total to
be paid. He reported to the general government
the actual condition Of the country, asked authority
to pay the returned soldiers and the territorial debt
The general government, silent on many points,
authorized him to pay $4,000 Of the territorial debt
hand, instead OF lettering the condition of the
administration, had the contrary effect. The terri
tory had no revenue, except That derived from the
Custom House. The insignificant imports from San
Francisco were the only resource, and as forty per
cent Of these were paid In paper, the remainder was
hardly enough to cover Che bare expenses Of the
OF bonds, who were not merchants, had not
the slightest probability OF ever being paid,
or at least they must wait for indefinite period,
or sell their paper at a discount OF fifty, sixty,
or even ninety per cent. The poorer classes,
the soldiers, who were literally starving, began to
sell their paper at these runous rates and murmured
against and cursed the government that called them
to battle and yet compelled them to make sucn
sacrifices. The anti-Amerlcan faction bought most
OF this paper because they knew they could get back
their money their first shipments, besides making
an enormous percentage. About this time revOlu
Martinez
found many sympathHers In Lower California
among the returned soldiers: 1t was indispensable
to prevent outbreak, and there was no other way
but to pay the soldiers and thus appease their in
creasing discomfort At this juncture the Ameri-
sight, laden with Valuable cargo, which would pay
about 5000 duties The moment the fact was
known every one was clanorous that the ship
should be allowed to discharge and the proceeds OF
the duties applied to the paymentsOf debts. The !
owner Of the cargo went on shore and stated to the
Collector OF the port that he would land them provi-
ded certain reduction was made upon the duties |
and would pay cash Immediately II his proposition
was acceded to- II had been the custom in all the
ports Of the Pacific to make reduction of duties,
owing to various causes-which causes / saw fully
set forth in the HERALD Of March In letter from
to forty and fifty per cent In contravention of the
tariff. The general government, from its weakness
and inability, has had TO wink at these things. In
the Just cited the owner OF the goods produced
a letter from the Collector OF the port at Quay
mas Offering to MAKE deduction OF twenty
La Paz that Martinez would make reduction OF
double that amount. or the latter TACT there could
be doubt and the letter spoke for ITSELF Governor
Gaan taking into consideration these facts, and the
further fact that If the ship went to Mazatlan the
money would increase the power OF the revolution 10
the damage and injury OF the general government,
ordered the ship to be discharged The Collector OF
the port feeling that such just measure would
greatly increase the popularity OF the Governor ana
instlgated by the Hidagos, denied himself to be
participation in the affair upon the ground that the
law forbade IL, although he had frequently been a
party to such acts before. The Governor, however,
was resoute. He felt justified In his conduct. and
az the people were becoming more impatient, he
TO suspend from Office the Collector OF
the Port There sufficient reasons TO justify this
step. Among others 1t was notorious throughout
the territory that the Collector was sranng every
nerve In secret to start revolution ms dsobedlence
to his SUPERIOR his ayowed contempt OF the govern
meut and his inability to fulfil the duties OF his Office
Tne general government as far back as 1852 had
authorized the Governor OF the territory to appoint
employees OF the Custom House, and under this order
Navarro had been appointed. The order being
In and the Governor taking for granted that the
10 create implied the right to suspend
suspended Navarro and appointed one OF the most
dangerous OF the returned soldiers TO ill the once
and civil elements. The ship was discharged,
every cent Of the duties went TO payment Of
the territorial debts and to pay The soldiers,
Custom House and other public Offices. some
OF whom the government owed for five years. All
bills were paid and the territory declared free from
debt thing that had never been known in Lower
California up 10 the administration OF Governor
Galan. The enthusiasm OF the people knew no
bounds; the soldiers were contented and peace re-
stored In cancelling the debts Navarro himself
ceved over $1,000, the Hidalgos over $4,000, and
some OF their bills looked dubious; but they had been
audited and ordered paid by the former Governor
and there was remedy. The acting Governor
might have followed the general custom In afairs OF
this kind by getting around the provisions OF the law
AID pOcketing the money. But he preferred 10 act
hon0rably and honestly, and Is now suffering the
consequences OF his upright dealing. Had he been
an Official rObber, an Official assassin Official
murderer but OF the same time q rabid American
hater, be would still be Governor Of Lower Cali
fornia
After his successful administration of affairs al
La Paz, the Governor paid visit to the interior OF
the territory and at meetings everywhere held he
was received by the people with the greatest enthu
sias SIN. he made the municipalities become self-sus-
tanning ordered a census To be taken, abolished op-
pressve locu taxation and la all his efforts was the
recipient OF the heartfelt sympathies Of the masses
Meantime his enemies were hard at work. Lopez
the Gefe de Hacienda, deposed by Pedrn and Ma
varro came 10 haZatlan, and here interested in Their