States. T soldiers wh discharged notified the and reques governmen he said, exc military an country, sa

he issued his proclamation announcing the ratification of a
treaty of peace and friendship between the United States
and Mexico, by which Upper California was ceded to the
former country. By the terms of the treaty, he declared,
those residing in the ceded territory who wished to become
citizens were absolved from further allegiance to the Mexican
republic. Those desiring to retain their Mexican citizenship
might do so, and they would be secured in
and
person prop-
erty as long as they rendered strict obedience to United
States officials. Congress would soon confer the constitu-
tional rights of citizenship upon the people of the country,
and doubtless would provide a regularly organized terri-
torial government within a few months. "Indeed, there is
every reason to believe that Congress has already passed the
act, and that a civil government is now on its way to this
country, to replace that which has been organized under
the rights of conquest.' In the meantime the holders of
civil offices were to retain their positions. All vacancies
which might occur were to be filled by regular elections
held by the people of the several towns and districts after
due notice of such elections had been given. The existing
laws were, of course, to be retained until others were made
to supply their place. With rhetorical promises of future
commercial and agricultural prosperity for the country and
an appeal for union and coöperation between Americans
and Californians, the document closed.

Two days later Mason issued orders discontinuing the collection of revenue as military contributions and substituting therefor the revenue laws and tariff of the United

self. To t

divil manag probably le and yet wh trol in time if sedition meet it? T

by desertio only militar

compelled guard the la

regiment of New York volunteers and other period of service ended with the war were In a communication dated August 19th, he jutant general at Washington of these orders further advice regarding his duties. No civil d existed in California for the past two years, that which had been controlled by the senior aval officers, "and no civil officers exist in the the alcaldes appointed or confirmed by myw off upon them or the people at large the ent and control of the country, would most o endless confusion, if not to absolute anarchy; ight or authority have I to exercise civil conpeace in a territory of the United States? or rebellion should arise where is my force to companies of regulars, every day diminishing that cannot be prevented, will soon be the orce in California; and they will be of necessity remain at San Francisco and Monterey, to depots of powder and munitions of war, which oved. Yet, unsustained by military force, or instructions, I feel compelled to exercise conlcaldes appointed, and to maintain order, if country, until a civil governor arrive, armed ns and laws to guide his footsteps."3

ason's own ideas of his position, of his duties,

cage and Correspondence, 1850, 592.

He

of his responsibilities, and of his difficulties after he learned that a treaty of peace had been signed between the United States and Mexico. He had sane, common sense ideas of what should be done, but he lacked adequate resources for dealing with the problems. That he could not abandon the growing population without exerting himself to afford protection and preserve order he felt quite positively. believed that legally he had no right, and physically he knew he had insufficient force to accomplish his purpose. Under ordinary conditions his position would have been a most trying one, but when news of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo reached him he was governing a United States territory under most extraordinary circumstances-so extraordinary in fact that it is doubtful if anything like it is known in history. It will, therefore, be interesting to notice briefly those things which rendered his position so trying, and which induced his successor to provide for the organization of a government.

and San mines, foll soldiers. discovery, middle of

eastward a and bearin exhibition November

of 1848, M gust 17th Washingto

this repor 1Bancroft

? Ibid.,

II

CHAPTER III

GOLD AND ITS PROBLEMS

eginning of the discovery which we are about interest of the narrative shifts from the rulers s to the gold rush and the resulting events. ly afternoon of Monday, January 24, 1848, overed gold at Coloma on the south fork of the er. During the following month additional re made, and the news was dubiously received By the month of May all doubt was removed ncisco's population began deserting for the ed a few weeks later by Governor Mason's June 1st Larkin forwarded official news of the ich was received at Washington about the tember. A second official messenger started le later, sent out this time by Governor Mason box of the precious metal, which was placed on he war office at Washington during the last of the first of December.2 In the early summer n made a tour of the gold mines, and on Auwing sent a report to the adjutant general at It will be necessary to notice the content of

Mason's Report

Mason and his attendants left Monterey on June 12th and reached San Francisco on the 20th. There he found that nearly all the male population had gone to the mines. "The town, which a few months before was so busy and thriving, was then almost deserted." From San Francisco he went by way of Bodega and Sonoma to Sutter's Fort, arriving at the last named place on the morning of July 2nd. "Along the whole route mills were lying idle, fields of wheat were open to cattle and horses, houses (were) vacant, and farms (were) going to waste." At the Fort they found all bustle and confusion. "Launches were discharging their cargoes at the river, and carts were hauling goods to the Fort, where already were established several stores, a hotel, etc." The only two employees Captain Sutter had at the time-a wagon maker and a blacksmith—were receiving ten dollars per day. Merchants were paying him one hundred dollars monthly rent per room, and a two-story house in the Fort was rented as a hotel at the rate of five hundred a month.

pans, othe
jority with
of four me
dred dolla
Proceed
of the Am
another pa
working w
of streams
pointed ou
four feet v
William I

Remaining long enough to take part in "the first public celebration of our national anniversary at the Fort," the Governor and his company resumed their journey on the 5th. They proceeded twenty-five miles up the American river "to a point now known as the lower mines or Mormon diggings." There they found the hillsides dotted with canvas tents and bush arbors. A store and boarding shanties were in full operation, and about two hundred men were at

work washing for gold in the full glare of a hot sun, some with

worth of

val. "Ca

that he kn a hundred

they paid
of gold.

vicinity fr
"Hundred
untouched
i

not seen,

their truth

had been

and showe

lars ($200

education

gaged, wi