Part 3 (1/2)
California Pa.s.ses From Mexican to American Rule
The year 1846 found the Mexican government in California struggling with a poor exchequer and some of its leaders in an unfriendly mood towards one another on account of petty differences, while France, England and United States waited eagerly for an opportunity to seize California, nor may their desire be termed dishonest since a change of government each day seemed more inevitable.
Americans had often been treated with hostility and not given their lawful rights under the existing form of government in California. Just about this time United States Consul, Thomas O. Larkin had been sent to Monterey and Captain John Fremont to Northern California, the latter presumably to survey the country of the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Coast in the interests of travel, but the real reason of the presence of these gentlemen in California was thought to be, that they should keep a close watch on the turn of affairs.
When circ.u.mstances shaped themselves for the worst, a party of Americans at Sonoma headed by Captain Ezekiel Merritt gave the first signal of uprising which led to the establishment of the Bear Flag Republic of California. These men applied to Captain Fremont for help, but as Fremont was an officer in the United States army, he could not personally take a hand in the affair without authority from the United States Government, but left his men free to join Captain Merritt's ranks, and many did so. Under Captain Merritt the Americans captured horses and arms from a Mexican regiment on the march for Sonoma, also the garrison of Sonoma; encouraged by this William B. Ide, one of Merritt's chief advisers and successor issued a Proclamation which launched the Bear Flag Republic into its existence of twenty-four days.
This Proclamation was a praiseworthy doc.u.ment, stating the grievances of the American settlers, namely unfriendliness and threats of expulsion, also declaring the justice of overthrowing a government which had confiscated mission property calling upon the a.s.sistance of peace-loving citizens of California and promising not to molest persons who had not taken up arms. The Bear Flag of the Republic of California was then designed by a Mr. William Todd and hoisted in Sonoma on June 14, 1846, also in Monterey. The American flag could not be hoisted because the actions of this party of Americans had virtually been unauthorized, and they would have been responsible to the United States for so doing, however, it was their intention to turn over their conquests to the United States as soon as possible. But the Mexican military authorities regarded the actions of these Americans as a gross hostility, and from all sides prepared to attack them. The position of this plucky little band now became very perilous, and again they laid their cause and dangers before Fremont, who was in his camp on the American River. Now the Captain did not hesitate in his decision and with a small mounted force began action on the field. Fremont was a man of many commendable qualities, possessed of bright mentality, unwavering and extremely loyal to the American cause, but he had his failings, among them being that on several occasions he took advantage of the tangled state of affairs, to seize upon personal property considered without the range of his lawful power to take, hence the dislike that exists for him among many old California residents; still it was the ”Pathfinder” as he was called, who with Commodore Robert Stockton, Lieutenant Archibald Giliespie in command at Los Angeles, General Stephen Kearny and some others fought the brief battles which terminated in the raising of the American flag at the Custom House of Monterey on July 7, 1846, thus was California admitted into the Union as a territory. By a treaty of peace which followed the Mexican War, California was ceded to the United States for the sum of $15,000,000 in 1848. Among Monterey's landmarks Colton Hall is pointed out as the place where representative men from various parts of California convened and framed the first American Const.i.tution for the State, September 3, 1849. On November third of the same year the first election was held, with the result that Peter H. Burnett was elected Governor, John McDougall, Lieutenant-Governor, and Edward Gilbert and John Wright first Congressmen from California. From Monterey the State Capital was removed to San Jose, where John Fremont and William Gwin were appointed senators, and it was they who pressed the Government to admit California as a state, with the result that California was admitted as such on September 9, 1850. Major Robert Selden Garnett, U. S. A. designed the state seal.
In 1854 the capital was removed to Sacramento from Benicia which held it one year, San Jose having held it two years as, also Vallejo.
The discovery of gold in 1849 brought on a mad rush of all cla.s.ses of people into California and acts of lawlessness and violence became numerous and frequent; for the purpose of checking these disorders the ”Committee of Vigilance” was formed in San Francisco in 1851. This committee was composed of responsible men and much good came of it but like in so many enterprises of the kind, many abuses were committed and many innocent persons were unjustly punished.
As soon as affairs became settled and order established, American rule in California became marked by progress and order, the discovery of gold brought on a wonderful increase in population and more towns and cities sprung throughout the state.
Much indeed could be said of the present, but as our story is only a brief sketch intended to deal chiefly with the beloved old missions and missionaries, and unravel if but a few of the tangled skeins of misrepresentation cast about the older history of the state which is more wrapt in mystery, with warm grat.i.tude for what the present is and for what the future will bring, we will return to the traces of the good fathers whose missions are still the wonders of California, with them we can still hear the chimes of mission bells.
Chapter VII
Mission Anecdotes and Hymns
Told of Father Vicente Sarria
Father Vicente Sarria, a venerable and saintly missionary in charge of Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad at the time the first two acts of Secularization were pa.s.sed, was one of the keenest sufferers from the injustices of the times, undergoing untold labors and hards.h.i.+ps, which in no small degree contributed to his death in 1833, which found him at his post of duty at the mission. Father Sarria's reputation for sanct.i.ty was well known throughout California, particularly in Monterey and Soledad, and after his death it was no strange thing to hear both from Caucasian and Indian such an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n as ”alma de nuestro Padre Sarria, ayudanos con tu intercesion” (soul of our Father Sarria help us by your intercession). Of course this pious demonstration was not public because for many wise reasons, the church forbids the public veneration or invocation of a saint until the required process of canonization has authorized it, however, the allowable private invocation was freely practiced as it has been done in the case of other saintly missionaries, namely, Junipero Serra, Magin Catala and others. And the following sweet legend is told of Padre Sarria. As the Indian carriers lowered the humble redwood coffin which contained the Father's precious remains into the mission vaults, the edifice was filled with an exquisite fragrance as of roses, and this story told with all earnestness was given much credence about the mission towns. While not authenticated by infallible investigation, may not this incident be cla.s.sed at least as a probability by the spiritual minded? For is it not in the power of the G.o.d of the beautiful in nature to proclaim thus His appreciation for the heroic charity of one of His servants, especially to strengthen the faith of the sorely tried convert Indians who clung so lovingly to the mission in the days of its trials?
Father Junipero Serra's Promise
One beautiful summer day while walking about the San Carlos Mission Garden, Junipero Serra pondered over the wonderful progress of California both in the spiritual and material order; filled with joy the good priest blessed the land, and made a solemn promise to celebrate one hundred ma.s.ses for the future peace and prosperity of California, moreover he promised to begin the fulfillment of his promise on the following November, twenty-fourth, feast of Saint Charles, the patron saint of the mission. Soon after, the venerable Serra was overtaken by his last illness and went to his reward before November, the twenty-fourth. But every year on the eve of the feast of Saint Charles just before midnight a ghostly procession wended its way to San Carlos Mission, for all the missionaries, Spaniards, or their descendants who had ever lived in California would arise from their graves and with them all the Christian Indians of the mission towns joined the ”ghostly throng” to San Carlos where Junipero Serra would arise from his tomb and celebrate ma.s.s while the spirits sang their ancient hymns, after which all the scene vanished like silver fumes of smoke, and this continued for one hundred years. This most unlikely legend has been told in beautiful Spanish and English poetry, and for all its unlikelihood has found its way with its weird charm into many homes.
A True Story
Somewhere in the eighteen fifties a non-catholic of very irreligious character, made targets of the eyes of a statue of Saint Benedict, belonging to San Carlos Mission, taking advantage of the neglected condition of the place at the time. A few days after this proceeding the man was struck blind. This incident is no legend, but within the remembrance of many old residents of Monterey. The unfortunate man later acknowledged that his calamity was a direct visitation of Almighty G.o.d for his gross and intentional irreverence to the image of a saint. The writer refrains from giving the name of this man who has long ere this pa.s.sed to the ”Great Beyond” but many Montereyans, who will read this sketch will know it.
Countless stories and legends of mission times are told and written without the least foundation for veracity, for example the story of ”The Lost Pearls of Loretto;” others are founded on facts but distorted beyond recognition. Still this is not startling in a land as full of sentiment and romance as California, where so many writers, (most of them ”New-comers”) have given vent to their poetical imaginations, and it is not hard to believe that the eventful history of the state contained many authentic stories, and legends with some ground of truth.
Hymn to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary [6].
”Para dar vida mortal A Un Dios Autor de la vida Sois Maria concebida Sin pecado original.”
”Para humillar la serpiente Que con su mortal veneno Dejo todo el mundo lleno De su aliento pestilente Que marco a todo viviente Con el sello mas fatal Sois Maria concebida Sin pecado original.”