would leave the territory en masse if too hard pressed. Had the situation of affairs, from a financial and military point of view, been more reassuring, the territorial authorities would not have been averse to assuming entire and immediate charge of all the missions; while the people, for the most part, would have rejoiced at the prospect of getting new lands and new laborers. But as matters stood, the rulers and leading citizens understood that any radical and sudden change, effected without the aid of the friars, would ruin the territory by cutting off its chief resources, and exposing its people to the raids of hostile Indians. Thus a conciliatory policy was necessary, not only to the government, but to the friars themselves. The latter, though they knew their power and often threatened to go, were old men, attached to their mission homes, with but a cheerless prospect for life in Spain, fully determined to spend the rest of their days in California if possible.
Sarría's condition of nominal suspension and arrest continued for five years or more. Once, in 1826, his passport was made out, and he went so far as to call upon his associates for prayers to sustain him on his voyage. There was no countermanding of the orders, but a repetition of them in November 1827, yet the padre remained. He seems to have been included with the rest in the proceedings against the friars as Spaniards, and the special orders in his case were allowed to be forgotten,[1] though as late as the middle
- ↑ May 1826, one of the padres claimed to have refused to perform mass, etc., by Sarría's order, and he signed a certificate to that effect. Dept. Rec., MS., iv. 39. Oct. 31st, Echeandia notifies S. that he must leave Mexican territory. Nov. 13th, Sarría says he is ready. Arch. Arzob., MS., v. pt i. 24. Beechey, in 1826, speaks of S. as waiting at Monterey to embark. Voyage, ii. 12. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., ii. 56-8, speaks of a personal interview between the gov. and prefect at Sta Bárbara. Oct. 31st, E. notifies S. that a successor will be named and a passport issued. Dept. Rec., MS., iv. 11. Nov. 30th, sends the passport from S. Diego to Capt. Gonzalez at Monterey. Id., iv. 17. Dec. 11th, S. to the padres. Has received his passport from the pres. of Mex. Is resigned, but asks for prayers. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxviii. 89. 1827, Duhaut-Cilly, Viaggio, i. 254-5, found S. kept as a kind of prisoner, and was asked to take him away, but declined, much to the gratification of the padres. Nov. 21, 1827, order from Mex. that S. be made to obey the
