Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-08-04
Papers on the Early History 01
California.
PAPER NO. a.

AhC OCAoyB hui4ucA uo ih 1a-
guna, having approved the project
of entrusting the Jesuit fathers
with the conquest of the Califor-
MAS, the fathers were Informed of
the fact. They declined, however,
to undertake the measure, for the
reason that although they were
willing to attend to the conversion
Of the Indians, yet they could not
assume the civil or military re-
sponsibility because 1t was incom-
patible with their spiritual mis-
sion. This resolution of the fathers
frustrated for the time all hopes of
reducing the CALIFORNIA; to civil
and Christian life. 1t is said that
Captain Lucenilla again asked to
be authorized to undertake another
expedition at this time, but the
government declined to grant him
permission.
In 1890, Charles the H., moved
by the religious spirit of the GEN.
tury, desirous Of converting the In-
dians to Christianity, and also by
the reputed wealth in pearls of the
country, urged the Viceroy of Mex
leo to send out new expeditions.
The Conde de Galve, now Viceroy,
having ascertained that it would
take about thirty thousand dollars
to establish and maintain a mill
tary post in the new country, or
dered that this amount should be
placed in readiness. Unfortunate
ly at this time orders were received
from Spain to send five hundred
thousand dollars to the old coun-
try, and this absorbed the amount
set aside for the expedition.
In 1896 the General OF the Soci-
ETY. OF Jesuits requested and was
granted the permission to reduce
and convert the natives of the
new country with the in
strumentality of the fathers
of the church and at their own ex-
pense. The Jesuits were moved to
this step by the frequent COM
plants made of the bad treatment
that the Indians experienced al the
hands Of those engaged in the
pearl fisheries. The government
had been compelled to prohibit the
traffic in pearls on this account.
The individual to whose efforts
this new movement was due,
was Father Juan Maria de
Salvatierra, who had obtained all
the necessary Information from
Father Kino. The last priest it
will be remembered had accom- =
| panied OtondO in his expedition
and had remained three years ex-
ploring the new country. Father
Salvatierra commenced immedi-
ateIy to collect funds by subscrip-
ton of the pious. The Count of
Miravalle anu the Marquee de
Buena Vista, each subscribed two
thousand dollars. The congrega-
ton of our Lady of Dolores pledged
itself to defray the expenses of es.
tablishing q mission, and the great
father of QueretsrO Don Juan
Caballero y Oslo promised to pay
the expenses of founding two mis-
sions. Don Pedro Gil de Sierpe of
Acapulco offered to furnish ves-
sci for the transportation of the
people that were to settle, and be-
sides small transport for the car
rying of provisions. the jealousy
of the civil power was som what
all of sudden excited and it was
hotly debated in the audiencia, !,
whether it would be good policy to
entrust religious body with such
an important mission. This
seemed somewhat inconsistent,
years before when the power Of the o
government had been baffied in
their efforts to subjugate the
country, it had applied 10 this very
society of Jesuits to undertake the
enterprise ut the expense of the
government. However, all was
settled, and the expedition under
the Jesuit missionaries was to go,
the government imposing only
two conditions: That no expense
should be incurred by the govern.
| 0hu tuab tbO ucW
should be occupied in the name OF
Charles II. Fathers Salvatierra
and Kino, who were the leaders oil
the movement, were to have am.
pie and exclusive power to select
the captain and soldiers, with au'
thority to discharge, remove and
control them, only reporting the
fact to the Viceroy. About this
time landed in Mexico the new
Viceroy Don Juan Sarmiento Val
ladares, a descendant of the Aztec
Kings. He was Count Of Monte
yuma and Tula. He entered the City
of Mexico on the 18th of December
1897. In the meantime Fathe.
Saivatlerra, leaving in Mexico O.
his agent the we'll known Father
Juan de Ugarte, a man possessed
of great mental and moral quail.
ties, proceeded to the Yaqui, Sono-
ra, to accumulate and keep in
readiness the necessary provisions
for the undertaking. Salvatierra
fearing that the Tarahumora tribes
: should endanger the lives of the
missionaries, went amongst them,
experiencing great sufferings, anC
with his tact, tirmness and gentle.
ness, pscified them and made then
recognize the Spanish rule. Hav-
ing arrived at the Yaqui river, be
there found the vessels, with peo.
pie and provisions, which Gil dt
Sierpe, his friend, had sent from
} Acapulco, according to promise
I A II hainU raadv On the 9Th of Or
tober Father Salyatierra set sail,
with five soldiers, commanding
. officer and three Indians of differ.
I ent provinces, In search Of the Cal
ifornias. 1t strikes US with wonder
the insignificance of the power
which undertook with twelve mer
one of the most difficult enterprise
, which the new world had seen
Although some rough weather wal
experieuced, still the trip was sue