The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-08

OF local autonomy. At the time. therefore. OF
tho Spanish conquest OF Mexico. It was to
verylarge extent the Roman municipal organi.
zptlon and the Roman law including tho To-
man system Of provincial administration. aud
the Roman method Of treating public lnnd
which were transplanted to tho new world.
Tho relation Of tho Spanish colonies in Amer
lea to tho central Government vas in many re-
spccts similar to the relations which tho Roman
colonies in the provinces had held toward
Rome. In ono particular, however. tho Span
iards departed from Roman presidents. Wher-
over Rome hud found IN existing social organ.
izntion, tho retention OF It's institutions was
permitted II they did not seriously interfere
with tho ascendency Of tho ruling power Tho
Spnniurds. on tho other hand. considered
worthy Of recognition NJ institutions which
they found existing In the new world. With
this exception 1t may be affirmed that Roman
institutions were transmitted through Spain to
the American colonies. and were still recogniz-
able In the southwest territories obtained by
the United States from Ms&ico nj tho timc OF
the ccssion in 1913.
II We proceed 10 examine in dr.ai, the Spun
tsh colonial municipalities we observe at tho
outset that the purely civic colonies OF Cali
fornia were called pueb!os to distinguish them
from missions on tho ono hand nnd prcsidios
on tho other In its most extended meaning
the term pueblo may embrace towns of every
description. but rs used specifically 1t denotes
a corporate town possessing certain rights OF
local jurisdiction aud administrations A
true pueblo had II town council layuntamientol.
Judges uicaldcsl anu a MAJOR 1t Is obvious
that the members Of this town council corrc-
sponded to the Roman decuriones. and that
fh,y i,,.lr a.t..lt tnR
duovirL. Another point Of resemblance was
tho fact that in the Spanish pueblo.
as IN the Roman provincial town. there
was less sharp demarcntion Of judi
cial. legislative. and administrative powers
than Is observed in Teutonic municipality.
or true Spanish pueblos in California. San
jose and Los Angeles may be taken as
types. They covered large area. which
as a rule was 10000 varas tyards)
square. OF which the collection OF houses
would occupy but n small part. Every pueblo
included strips OF common pasture and wood
land which could not be alienated to individ.
ual use except by royal order. Also within the
pueblo. ut some distance from the village.
were situated arabic lands. or suertes tallot-
mcntsl which were granted to settlers for the
purpose OF agriculture. As each sneyie con-
sisted Of plot 700 varas tyards) square.
every settler received about twenty eight
acres OF tillable soil besides his own house lot.
All citizens We're treated alike in the
distribution Of land. in which respect the
Spanish colony differed from the Roman. where
land was distributed according to the rank OF
officers and civilians. In connection with the
pueblo II Is convenient to mention another i'm
portant feature OF the Spanish aGrurian sys-
tenn. Individual settlers who desired to rear
cattle might obtain outside Of their pueblo
what was termed a sitio tsite). which In its
primary legal sense meant the grant OF o
square league Of land. Gradually. however.
tho stio increased in size. until under
Mexican rule the law fixed the maximum
grant that might be made to a single person
at eleven square leagues Of land. or about IL.
square miles. 1t was through tho legislation
governing sitios that the extensive Spanish
grants OF land in California originated.
What were presidios? Tho torn. obviously
derived from the Latin word presidium.
meaning garrison town or fortress was
applied to tho forts which 1t was the
policy Of Spain to erect along tho from
tiers OF remote provinces. As fast as
missions were established in California
presidios were built in their neShborhood to
guard the religious establishments and to pro-
tcct the civil interests Of the country. In proc
ess OF time town would grow up around a
Spanish American preside Just as il had
around "A Roman prcsidum. The prosdios
were all framed on the same PLAN They formed
a Iuadrilateral GEO feet square surrounded by
n brick rampant twelve to fifteen feet high.
llankcd at tho angles bybastions and defended
by cannon. Within the enclosure were IL
church,the quarters Of tho officers and soldiers.
the houses Of the colonists storehouses.
workshops. wells. and cisterns. Outside were
grouped some houses. md at little distance
was the kings farm. which furnished pasture
tn the horses and beasts OF burden of the gar
rison. To each preside wore also assigned
four leagues Of land. which the Captains were
authorized to grant and distribute to soldiers
and citizens In house lots and fields. TO what
extent this authorization WIS acted on. Is jim
certain. but there Ia no doubt that n small vii
laGc was soon formed around each presido
OF such rresidinl towns there were four in Cal
ifornia. viz. San Francisco. Monterey. Santa
Barbara. and st. Diego. Ur 20 the discovery
OF gold, Monterey, whose central position gave
il strategic importance. was the residence Of
tho military Governor and the capital of Cali
fornia Each Of the four rrrsidinl towns uti
Innt"ly acquired municipal institutions dis
tinct from the military rrlc OF the adjoining
fortrcsscs.
Tie settlement OF Alta California was pros
ccuted upon "a plan which involved the CO.
operation Of the civil. military. ind religious
forces Of the Government. We have glanced
at the pueblos and prcsidios: let us now look
at tho missions" term applied both TO the
missionary communities and 10 III. buildings
which they occupied. The usual method Of
founding u mission In Spanish territory was
as follows: Alter the construction Of few rudo
huts the firms would by n disOlny o. banners
and pictures attract tho attention Of the ma
tlyes. and proceed to gain their confidence by
gifts Of food. trinkets and bits Of cloth. 1t
seems that n banner bearing ~ picture of tho
Virgin exercised a most powerful attraction
by appealing to the suporstitous nature 81 the
Indians. Ultimately the natives would be led
to listen to tho teachings OF religion. and in
ducsd to engage In work about the mission
buildings. As soon as possible they were per-
sunded TO live in huts, In or near the mission.
and to adopt the forms OF religion and civiliza-