The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-09-21

brought At auction $22 ana the girls
petticoat $26.
While the above appurtenances of a
young lady's wardrobe were not part
of the necessary equipment of a pay
masters office, 1t is perfectly safe to
infer that the standard of morals in
the community, from the governor
down to the lowest peon, was not as 1t
is today. The difference in the practice
of actual morality, however, is, per-
haps, on close examination, not so strik-
ing. In the most matter-of-fact way,
we find Governor Borica addressing the
viceroy in a letter dated Monterey,
September 81, 1897, in the following
terms:
ORDER FOR HUMAN FREIGHT
"Send me out about nineteen more
vagabonds sentenced for light crimes,
and the same number of young women
that are sound. The Indian women do
not like to leave their friends and the
priests will not marry them to men who
are not well conducted, and such are
very scarce"
There is an air of "naivete" and meas
ured confidence about this letter that
Is quite refreshing. That large pro-
portion of the soldiers and hangers-on
were Ishmeailites in the truest sense
of the term can be we'll understood, and
that the good old padres should guard
the female members of their Indian
flock from these ravening wolves OIL
civilization is simply in line with their
benefcient rule in the early days of the
upward progress of this state. Inc or
der for vagabonds and sound women
is given in the matter-of-factW way tnat
a consignment Of ordinary merchandise
would be ordered. However, when 1t
is remembered how similar conslgn-
ments were sent out to the British
American colonies, in the early days.
and by the French to the LOUISIANA col
onists there is not much room Ior sur
prise at the action of Governor Borlca
is asking for such cargo Oh human
freight
Some idea, however, may be, formed OF
the class from which these enIorceu
emigrants were recruited, when we read
the final directions Of the governor. lie
says: lilo
the last lot. Each one ought to nave
some petticoats, common reboza, q
jacket or waist, two shifts, a pair o.
stockings and pair OF stout SHOES.
Not a very extensive wardrobe Ior
young girl-and a bride, at that, Tor IL
was as manageable women that they
were shipped north to California. II Is,
perhaps, as we'll that pride of lineage
does not distinguish the American peo-
pie. IF the reverse were the case, then
one might, with Sidney Smith, the noted
wit profess dislike to trace their pedi-
gree in the fear that only few genera
tons back the hangman's moose might
confront them.
A NAPOLEONIC "REMINISCENCES.
To the newcomer in California today,
whether he comes from the east or from
the old world, there is for a time sense
of remoteness from all that has hither-
to been of paramount interest in his life.
Having readjusted himself to this new
environment, this feeling passes away. 1t
can be we'll understood, however, now
in the early days, when the officials
governing the dependency on the Pacific
shores came from old Spain. there was d
constant desire to hear from the mother
country, and, so soon as 1t could be done
with honor, a return made there. Trav-
el in those days was very slow, and the
forwarding of letters, etc, took long
months in transit. 1t can be imagined
with what delight the following words
were read by Gov. Arrillaga, domineer-
ing official, who only ruled in California
for two years-1792-94. They are found
in letter from Manuel Rodriguez, pay
master-general in Mexico, and run as
follows:
''Affairs go we'll in Spain. A few
Frenchmen are left, but deaths and
prisons have disposed of these ragamuf
fins; 100000 men of the 100000 we have
under arms will visit France, and the
vile Napoleon, the cowardly fox, will be
terrified.
1.-THE Spaniards are killing the French
rapscallions like flies in the spring. 1t
only remains to capture the farcical king,
Joseph. Our viceroy. Lturrigarey, is
crazy. They say that Napoleon is also
crazy in Paris"
The tone of this letter is easily to be
understood. The writer had breathed
the exhilarating air of the Mexican PAM
pas and was indulging in what we now
know as "buncombe." During the PENN
sular war the few Frenchmen" gave
good account Of themselves, albeit fight
ing in an unrighteous cause, and the
100000 men alluded to found quite
enough to occupy their attention at
home, without crossing the Pyrranean
border into France. The "farcical king,
Joseph"-the Senior Rodriguez was
about right in so denominating him
did not fall captive to his Spanish sub
jects (?), and as for the paymaster-
generals reflections on the viceroy and
the great Napoleon, he failed to carry
out the Scriptural admonition of his
church, viz: mot to speak evil of dig