Rancho, at the site of the present city of Vallejo, were accepted by the Legislature and confirmed by a vote of the people. In compliance with the terms of the agreement, he erected a State House or Capitol and various other public buildings, as well as expending large sums otherwise in connection therewith; expecting, besides the great honor of the business (his chief incentive) to reimburse himself from the sale of lots in the new city, and the rise in value of the adjacent lands. The Legislature twice met there, but the hotel accommodations not being esteemed sufficient, and certain very strong influences being brought to bear to induce adjournment to Sacramento, the place was finally abandoned as a capital, and Vallejo induced to cancel, upon his part, the contract made with the State, at a loss, as he alleges, of several hundreds of thousands of dollars. And to this heavy damage and the unexpected rejection by the Supreme Court of the United States of his title to that most valuable rancho, may be chiefly ascribed the downfall of his fortunes.

In January, 1847, Vallejo and Dr. Robert Semple (subsequently taking in T. O. Larkin as a co-proprietor) laid out upon the same rancho the town site of Benicia, which was first christened Francisca, after the first name of Señora Vallejo; but the title of Yerba Buena being soon thereafter officially changed to that of San Francisco, the similarity of the two induced the proprietorsafter an angry protest by Semple, through the columns of his paper, the Californian, against such action upon the part of the Alcalde at Yerba Buena-to adopt Benicia (Venitia) instead; being the second or middle name of Mrs. Vallejo.

The General possesses a handsome residence-"Lachrymo Montis"-situated in the edge of the town of Sonoma, built after the plan of Bonaparte's villa at Bordentown, N. J., but is unable to preserve it in proper repair for the lack of sufficient income. Sonoma being selected as the headquarters of the United States army in the fall of 1849, his commodious mansion upon the Plaza, fashioned in the old Hispano-Mexican style, was

long the almost homelike resort of all its officers, and where many, besides, met with that open-hearted and frank entertainment characteristic of its hospitable proprietor. Being, during that period, a gentleman of ample fortune-possessing near thirty leagues of choice land lying immediately around the northern border of the bay of San Francisco, and many thousands of horses and horned cattle-he dispensed his hospitality, as well as rendered much assistance to the newcomers, with a prodigal and generous hand. In 1865, he made his first visit to the East, and was received with great consideration in Washington by his old army and navy acquaintances, whom he met there, as also by the leading officials of the government.

As Mayor and also a Councilman of his home-town, he sought to have its public grounds properly ornamented and improved, proffering to bear the larger portion of the expense; but such not being responded to by the new citizens, his plan was only partially carried out. He expended, however, large sums in setting out vineyards and fruit-trees in the immediate vicinity, being the first to start vine-culture and wine-making on the north side of the bay. For several years, his wines and brandies took the first premium at the State Fairs, and at the Mechanics' Fairs in San Francisco.

Notwithstanding his vicissitudes of life-loss of fortune, inability to keep pace with the progressive ideas and practices of Young America, and the many harassing cares besides the General (now over sixty) preserves in a remarkable manner his youthful appearance and activity. This may be attributed, in part, to a welldeveloped physique, and active, outdoor exercise all his days, and to the strictly temperate habits he has constantly adhered to, rarely partaking of wine or spirits, and being a moderate and fastidious eater. In character he is not alone a pure-blooded Spaniard of the Hidalgo class, but true to many of the leading traits and likenesses of that grandly historic race; being generous, hospitable, high-spirited, of courtly address and distinguished presence, and possessed with a happy ad

mixture of dignified pride and condescending affability. Like them, in general, his mind dwells much in the regions of romance; is somewhat addicted to idealistic fancies-air-castle building, or the concoction of magnificent schemes and projects, difficult of being, or never to be, realized. He is likewise addicted, at times, to that hyperbolical style of phraseology so common to the Spanish character, and which causes many, unacquainted with such peculiar modes of expression, to impute intentional want of veracity. And to these amiable qualities, and the more materialistic natures of that throng of "practically-minded," greedy, grabbing gold-seekers flocking to the Pacific shore, who have so greatly wronged the larger portion of the unsophisticated stock found here, by despoiling them of their heritage, may be attributed the passing away from his possession of that vast estate once held by him. Proud of the past glories and still prominent position of the Spanish race, the General-who is a fine scholar, especially as an historian-loves to dwell upon their close relationship with ancient Rome, and the undeniable fact that Spain, more than any nation of Europe, transmitted the wisdom and the virtues of that august civilization down to and connects herself with the modern. Excluded from taking any official or other influential part in American affairs, (with which government he has become much disenchanted of late years,) he takes a deep interest in observing the revolutionary progress of events in Spain; and is somewhat more than a mere beholder of those transpiring in Mexico, being the trusted counselor and assistant of certain military aspirants and Pronunciadores of this latter perpetually revolutionized and revolutionizing land.

ELIAS S. COOPER.

BY L COOPER LANE, M. P.

THE

HE life of each illustrious man is a drama, of which the various acts are subjects of the most lively interest, when properly detailed by the faithful historian. The task of the latter, however, is no easy one, in case he attempts to trace those links which, as fractional parts, unite and truly represent the original.

Every great man's life, if studied comprehensively, reveals a purpose; and the historic painter would fall far short of what art claims from him, if, in the imagery of his picture, he omitted the delineation of glimpses of such a purpose, which, like a sunbeam in the background of a painting, illumines and brings into view each point and feature of the picture. Preeminently, in the life of him whose name appears at the head of this sketch, do we observe such an inspiring aim and continued purpose, that, like glory following virtue as its shadow, "lived with and accompanied him as an ever present genius." Besides the intellectual endowments with which he was gifted, he possessed those of the heart no less unusual. To depict these, with that simplicity of coloring which comports with nature, is no ordinary undertaking.

ELIAS SAMUEL COOPER was born in the southern part of Ohio, in the Miami Valley, one of the most beautiful sections of that State. His father, Jacob Cooper, emigrated at an early period to the West, from South Carolina.

Every mind, in its growth, finds the elements for its development and ultimate shape, in intrinsic and extrin