The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-09-21
IN THE OLD MISSION DAYS
Curious Records of the
Past Dug Up
FROM OUT THE DUSTY ARCHIVES
Lesson in Manners Given to
Ygnacio Vallejo
FIRST STATE FLEECE LAW
Paymaster Carrillo's Uniform Confis.
Gated and His Girls Wardrobe
A Wholesale Order for Men and Women to
Be Shipped
FIRST STATE FLEECE LAW
Paymaster CarriIIo's Uniform Confis.
Gated and His Girls Wardrobe
A Wholesale Order for Men and Women to
Be Shipped
The Padres Care for Their Mission
Converts-Slave Immigrants from
Mexico-A Spaniard's Comments
on the Great Napoleon.


Seen through the misty haze of long
intervening years the Golden Gate of to-
day appears then to have been envelop-
ed in halo of romantic interest. Those
halcyon days. however, had their draw
backs and in reviewing the past one
seldom stops to consider that romance
more often than not, is a mere synonym
for pain and suffering.
The fascination of the old days when
Alta California was, in large measure,
terra incognita even to the Spanish con-
querors, lies almost entirely in the
strong contrast between the modes of
life then existing and the manners and
customs of our own time today. and not
in any intrinsic good or exquisite hap
piness then existing.
Those were the days of simple pleas
ures of sense; these are the days when
the ideal of the multitude seems to have
not arisen much higher, but when all
the powers Of developed intellects are
being twisted to enhance the sense ex-
periences of the simple minded people
of the mission days.
An attorney in this city has had occa-
sion recently to search through the ar
chives of the United States surveyor
generals office at San Francisco, and the
other day some of the notes he then
made gave rise to some curious specula-
tons among a group of attorneys in the
court house.
The first was an extract from a COM
munication sent by Pedro Farges, gov
~ Cn1s
Ygnacio Vallejo. commissioner of the
pueblo of San Jose. under date Of Oc-
tober "a, 1855. The autocratic governor
wrote as follows:
AN AUTOGRAPHS METHOD.
with order Of mine in your hand
think not but to obey to the letter. If
afterwards you have anything to say,
say 1t in submissive terms by formal
letter, since these papers are to be
guarded in the archives and to last for
ever.
received letters without the honored
sir and I kiss your hands, he will say
and say truly, that I have not eXacted
veneration from that office which the
king has bestowed upon me-"
With the modern American contempt
for the mere outward forms of courtesy
such an autocratic demand to be utterly
meet with no prompt compliance, but
the commissioner thought otherwise and
made the "amende honorable" to his
superior. AS indicating the spirit of the
time, however, it is but fair to notice
that Governor Farges insisted on the
courtesy being paid to his office rather
than to him, inasmuch as the papers
are to be guarded in the archives and
to last forever"
At the same time it is curious to note
how with the lapse of time the Spanish
race have learned little regarding the
government Of people: At the height
of the Spanish glory the luster of the
throne was put there by brute tlorceA
abstract right cut little figure in thu
case. The same animating principle OBJ
tains today. The animal in man is con-
stantly seeking such outlet among all
nations, but, perhaps, among no other
of the highly civilized nations-though
is the old time adage of might is
right" so rigidly observed as by old
Spain.
1t is wrong, however, to suppose that
then as now there were not good men
and true; that were animated by the
kindliest feelings to the people under
their sway and moved by spirit of true
humanitarianism. This is seen in a let
ter from Governor Borica, whose rule
extended from 1791-1SO0, to Commander
Goycoechea, dated from Monterey, Oc-
tober %, 1895. He says:
FIRST FENCE LAW IN CALIFORNIA
My friend, let us look upon our
neighbors with that love we wish him
to feel for us. You have herds of cat
tie and horses and fertile gardens of
vegetables and fruits. Is it just that you
should prevent the poor soldiers from
having two or three COWS for the use
of their families simply because the
cows may do some slight damage to
your gardens?
No, sir. Fence, I say. fence in your
gardens; a whole community should
not suffer for the benefit Of two or three
individuals.
This letter shows the governor in
the good light as having some sense of
justice, not then at all common, regard
ing the rights Of the community as talk
ing precedence of an Individual right
Governor Borica appears to have, ac-
cording to his light and capabilities, TO
have been very decent sort of a fellow
and no details of his territory were too
small or insignificant to receive his at
tention.
Paynaster Raymundo Carrillo had,
| it appears from note made adopted
| habit not only means unknown in our
own day, of enhancing the bulkiness
of his Golfers by appropriating govern
ment money. In order to cover the de-
| felt in his accounts, they took his
uniform, coat and breeches, a girls
petticoat, skirt, reboza, ETC." Clothing
| Of all kinds brought high prices in those
| days, and so it is not surprising to
| find that the second hand breaches