Messrs. Nye, Winters, and Fitch, were also candidates. Twenty-nine votes were necessary to elect, and Mr. DeLong received twenty-seven: then, by the withdrawal of Messrs. Winters and Fitch in favor of Gov. Nye, the latter was elected.

In the convention which nominated Gen. Grant for the Presidency, Mr. DeLong was chairman of the Nevada delegation, and was placed on the Committee on Platform and Resolutions. He was one of the sub-committee of six that drafted the platform of the Union Republican party of 1868. He is a member of the National Republican Committee, and one of the executive committee from the Pacific coast. He has also for several years been chairman of the Republican State Central Committee of Nevada, holding that position until shortly before his departure for Japan as Minister Resident of the United States. He took an active part in the election of Gen. Grant, having been chosen one of the presidential electors of the State of Nevada, and afterwards, by his associates, selected as messenger to carry the vote of the State to Washington.

In the fall of 1868, Mr. DeLong removed to the new mining region of White Pine, establishing himself at Treasure City, in partnership with Judge Lewis Aldrich, Hon. J. S. Slauson, and Mr. Thomas Wren.

Gen. Grant, shortly after his inauguration as President, in 1869, tendered to our subject the appointment of Minister Resident of the United States at Japan. The appointment being confirmed by the United States Senate, was accepted by Mr. DeLong, who, after devoting several months to the proper arrangement of his business affairs, departed upon his mission in September, 1869, accompanied by his family.

In 1862, Mr. DeLong married Miss Elida F. Vineyard, youngest daughter of Col. James F. Vineyard, then a senator from Los Angeles, by whom he has several living children.

Mr. DeLong is an indefatigable student, and a close reader not only of legal but poetic and miscellaneous writers. He is a man of genial temper, frank in his

manners, fond of humor, and gifted with the rare faculty of attaching to himself sincere friends wherever he goes. His tastes and active temperament especially fit him for the practice of his profession in a mining community. His fame as a lawyer is firmly established in Nevada. He is a graceful speaker, is decidedly entertaining in conversation, and delights to tell or listen to an anecdote.

In Mr. DeLong's case, success has been the test of merit. He has won fortune and position by solitary, unaided study and effort. He came to California a boy, without friends, means, or experience. By patient industry, and the pursuit of an honest, straightforward course, he has battled with the disadvantages and checks of youth, poverty, and inexperience, and conquered them. Few men have overcome greater obstacles-none are more worthy of achieved success.

MARIANO GUADALUPE VALLEJO.

BY CHAS E PICKETT.

BEFOR

EFORE proceeding to sketch a condensed biography of the most distinguished of living HispanoCalifornians, a short allusion to his ancestry will be of interest, as well as appropriate to the subject. The Vallejo family-all claiming relationship-occupied for many generations a most honorable position in Spain; and the branches of it which immigrated to America were alike distinguished, chiefly, however, as church dignitaries of the Jesuit Order. A genealogical statement or table of these latter was filed in 1806 in the Spanish archives of California. One of the name-Don Alonzo Vallejo-commanded the troops on board the vessel in which the royal commissioner, Bobadillo, came over to take back Columbus a prisoner to Spain. Another was with Cortez in making the conquest of Mexico, and afterwards became Governor of the province of Panuco. The grand-parents of the subject of our history came from the province of Burgos, near the city of Bilbao, in the northern part of Spain, sometime during the early portion of the last century, and settled permanently in Gaudalajara, Mexico, where Don Ignacio Vallejo, his father, was born. Like the most of the members of the family (including a number of the females) Don Ignacio was educated for holy orders; but taking a dislike to that sober life, and his youthful ima

gination being fired with the spirit of adventure, then so animating the Castilian stock, he managed to quarrel with the officiating clergyman upon the day of his ordination--threw off, in simulated anger, his sacerdotal vestments, and fled for refuge to the royal standard. The company he joined was upon the eve of departing northward upon that famous propagandizing and exploring expedition which accompanied the historically renowned Father Junipero Serro-founder of the California Missions, and discoverer of the Bay of San Francisco. Landing with him at San Diego in 1769, Don Ignacio traveled, in company with that daring and zealous missionary and other members of the party, over a large portion of the country, soon thereafter going as far north as the valley of Petaluma. As military commissioner and engineer, he was employed for a number of years in planning and superintending the building of fortifications, laying out the various towns of the territory, and in directing the construction of irrigating canals and the waterworks of the Missions.

General M. G. Vallejo was born in Monterey, upper California, July, 1808, being the eighth of thirteen children. He was educated at the college there, and entered the military service at the age of sixteen, as a cadet and private secretary to Governor Arguello. Being rapidly promoted, he reached the rank of Brigadier-General in 1840. In 1829, as Lieutenant commanding, he was placed in charge of the Northern Department, which included all the country to the north of Santa Cruz, having his headquarters at the Presidio of San Francisco; in which capacity he remained until 1837, exercising, until 1835, both civil and military functions for the section north of San José, when, at his own suggestion, Governor Figueroa ordered an election of civil officers for the Partido or District of San Francisco, whose seat of government or cabeza should be at the Mission of Dolores; which was duly carried into execution, and dates the foundation of the first organization of the character at such important point.

In the fall of 1829, soon after assuming command of

his department, a man by the name of Solis inaugurated a revolutionary movement against Gov. Echandea, chiefly because the latter preferred to reside at San Diego, instead of at the capital, Monterey. Vallejo was importuned to join the revolutionists, and upon refusing, was confined in the calaboose at Monterey, from which he shortly managed to escape by sea: joined the Governor's forces at San Diego, and met the insurgents near Santa Barbara, where Solis was defeated.

In 1831, he was elected a member of the Territorial Deputation. At this period, Victoria was Governor, and had rendered himself obnoxious to the Californians by his arbitrary and cruel conduct. Vallejo having been selected by his fellow-deputies to prepare and present articles of impeachment against his Excellency, the latter, during a recess of the session, strove, by tendering him a superior commission and making other friendly overtures, to quash the indictment; but finding the young Lieutenant too true to his California countrymen, to accede to his propositions, he determined to arrest him and the others engaged in the proceedings. This precipitated a revolution in which Victoria was defeated in a battle fought at the Cauenga Pass, near Los Angeles; after which, the Governor was sent out of the country in an American vessel then lying in the port of San Diego.

In 1832, he was married to Francisca Benicia Carrillos, by whom he has had seventeen children-ten now living, five of them married-General John B. Frisbie, proprietor of the City of Vallejo, etc., being his eldest son-in-law. In 1834, he was, with Bandini, elected a delegate to the Mexican Congress, but did not attend.

In 1836, Governor Chico got by the ears with the leading Californians; was deposed by them, and sent from the country in an American vessel. Just before leaving, he appointed Gutierez his provisional successor, which arrangement was acceded to by the revolutionists. But Gutierez, proceeding to carry into execution the objectionable measures of Chico, the whole country arose in opposition, proclaimed Vallejo General-in-Chief and revolutionary Governor ad interim, who immediately con