$1,500, the tratamiento of 'excellency' and a secretary at $1,000,[1] to which position Cosme Peña was soon appointed. Of Alvarado's inauguration, of the speech that he may have made, and the proclamation he may have issued, there is no record.
Three important decrees were issued the 9th of December. By the first, each ayuntamiento was directed to choose at its next session a diputado to join the members of the congress and aid in the formation of a constitution. A second divided the state temporarily into two cantons, or districts, the first that of Monterey, including the municipalities of San Francisco and San José; the second that of Los Angeles, including Santa Bárbara and San Diego. Each canton was to have a gefe político, to be the governor in the first, and in the second a man subordinate to the governor and appointed by him from a trio to be elected at Los Angeles January 15th by comisionados named by the ayuntamientos. As no such election was ever held, and as the system never went into effect for reasons that will appear later, it seems unnecessary to go further into details. By the third decree some of the late restrictions on commerce were removed; duties were fixed at forty per cent on foreign
- ↑ Castro, Decretos de la Dip., no. 5, Dec. 7, 1836; Petit-Thouars, Voyage, iv. 6-9. Art. 1. Alvarado to be gov. ad interim. Art. 2. To serve until the appointment of another to serve 'constitutionally.' Art. 3. His attributes are: 1. To appoint officials in accordance with the bases and laws. 2. To care for the security and tranquillity of the state. 3. To command the militia. 4. To enforce the bases and laws, and issue the necessary decrees to that end. 5. To see that justice be promptly and fully executed. 6. To appoint and remove administrators of missions, take accounts through comisionados, and report to congress on mission matters requiring attention. 7. To fine corporations, subordinate authorities, and private individuals to extent of $100 for disrespect to the govt, or $200 for failure to comply with duties; or to suspend officials, reporting at once to congress. Art. 4. To have the title of excellency. Art. 5. To have $1,500 per year. Art. 6. In case of disability, his duties to be performed by the pres. of the congress. Art. 7. To take the oath of office before the pres. Art. 8. To have a secretary and a clerk, or more than one if necessary, appointed by himself. Art. 9. The secretary's duty is to extend the minutes and sign all decrees and orders. Art. 10. Sec. to have a salary of $1,000, and clerk $375, without fees. Art. 11. The sec. to take the oath before the state govt. Art. 12. This decree to be published, etc. Signed by Castro and by Guerra. Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 184-5, tells us that there was much discussion about the title of the new ruler, between gefe político, president, and governor.
