new governor in accordance with the laws were presented for investigation and approval at nearly every session. To these grants attention will be given in the proper place. The Híjar and Padrés colony, to be treated fully later in this chapter and in the next, furnished the assembly matter for discussion in the later sessions of the year. Action on municipal government, and many minor items of legislation, will naturally come up more or less fully in connection with local annals; here it need only be stated, that not only were the older pueblo governments perfected, but ayuntamientos, or town councils, were organized at San Diego and San Francisco, where they had never existed before.[1] With the abstract of proceedings already given, the references of this paragraph, and the mention of a grand ball given on November 1st, at the capital, in honor of this body,[2] I dismiss the legislative doings of 1834; but append at some length the reglamento of the diputacion en résumé, not only as a document of some interest and importance, but as the first book ever printed in California.[3]
- ↑ Leg. Rec., MS., ii. 188-9, 244-5. Figueroa's edict of Aug. 6th. Dept. St. Pap., Mont., MS., vi. 33. F.'s orders on boundaries. St. Pap., Miss. and Colon., MS., ii. 217-20; Vallejo, Doc., MS, ii. 316; xxxi. 133, 137, 140. S. Diego, Arch., MS., 30, 36, 56, 63. There is some dispute respecting S. F., but of that more elsewhere.
- ↑ Printed invitation to this ball in Earliest Printing in Cal.
- ↑ Reglamento Provisional para el Gobierno interior de la Ecma Diputacion Territorial de la Alta California, aprobada por la misma Corporacion en sesion de 31 de Julio del presente año. Monterrey, 1834. Imprenta de A. V. Zamorano y Cᵃ. 16mo. 16 p. I have never seen any other copy of this rare little work than that in my possession. It was presented to me by Cárlos Olvera, son of Agustin Olvera.
Tit. i. — Installation. — Art. 1. Regular sessions will open May 1st, new members taking the oath before the president. 2. Sessions to close on Aug. 31st; but the dip. will meet in extra sessions whenever convoked by the gefe político. 3. Form of oath. 4. Then the pres. shall say aloud: 'The dip., etc., is declared legitimately constituted.' 5. One more than half the members must be present for an ordinary session.
Tit. ii. — Presidency. – Art. 6. Duties of the pres.: (1) to open and close the sessions; (2) to see that all observe 'órden, compostura, y silencio;' (3) to present all communications; (4) to determine what subjects shall be discussed,
MS., ii. 238-53, much more fully than in the Leg. Rec. proper; and the results were printed in the edict of Aug. 6th. Plan de Propios y Arbitrios para fondos Municipales, 1834, in Earliest Printing in Cal. I shall speak of financial topics for 1831-5 in chap. xiii.
