A final meeting of the diputacion was held April 7th, when the majority were in favor of punishing recalcitrant friars by taking from them the management of the mission temporalities,[1] and then on May 2d the sessions were suspended by the governor, until new instructions could be obtained from national authorities. His reason for this action was that the term for which the body had been organized according to the Spanish constitution had now expired, and the new constitution made no provision for a territorial diputacion.[2]
General Miñon, appointed the year before to be ruler of California, did not accept the position, so that in January 1825 a new appointment had to be made.[3]
The choice fell upon Lieutenant-colonel José María Echeandía, an officer said to have been director of a college of engineers in Mexico. His appointment as gefe político superior and comandante general militar of both Californias was perhaps dated the 31st of January.[4] In June he sailed from San Blas to Lo-
- ↑ Leg. Rec., MS., i. 41-6. more of this topic when I come to speak of the missions. From Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 725, it would appear that at a session held early in this year the office of comisionado for the pueblos was restored.
- ↑ May 21, Argüello to comandantes and prefect. Dept Rec., MS., i. 119. May 22d, Argüello to ayuntamiento of Los Angeles on same subject. Dept St. Pap., Angeles, MS., i. 82. June 3d, comandante of S. Francisco has published the order. St. Pap., Sac., MS., xiv. 36.
- ↑ As early as April it was known in Cal. that Miñon would not come. With his successor Argüello at that time expected 60 artillerymen. Apr. 11th, Argüello to P. Duran. Arch. Sta B., MS., xii. 321-2.
- ↑ His instructions seem to have been issued on that date, St. Pap., Miss. and Colon., MS., ii. 42, and it was on Feb. 1st that his appointment was announced by Minister Pedraza in a letter to Argüello. Sup. Govt St. Pap., MS., iii. 3. Feb. 28th, Echeandía to Herrera, announcing his appointment with a salary of $3,000. Dept St. Pap., MS., ii. 1. The fact that he was director of the college of military engineers in Mexico rests on the statements of Valle, Lo Pasado, MS., 1, and Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 42-3, but is probably accurate.
describes the ratification at S. Diego, where not only the Franciscans but apparently the Dominican padre Menendez, who chanced to be present, refused to assist. Estudillo, Doc., MS., i. 209. May 10th, certificate of ayuntamiento to the taking of the oath at San José, and to the three days of bull-fighting and other diversions that followed. S. José, Arch., MS., vii. 22; Dept St. Pap., MS., i. 116-17. I find no record of the event at Sta Bárbara. Dec. 4, 1826, the governor sends copies of the constitution and acta constitutiva to be circulated among the escoltas and padres. Dept St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., lvii. 23.
