SESSIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
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be described in the next chapter, having passed, the governor went at the end of March to the capital, where he succeeded with some difficulty in getting together four of the vocales,[1] and regular sessions were held from July 10th to October 7th, save that for one month during this period the members were allowed leave of absence to attend to their harvests. I append in a note an abstract of legislative action, much of which is noticed more fully elsewhere in connection with the special topics treated.[2]
The electoral junta which met at San Diego and
- ↑ Dept Rec., MS., viii. 25, 53, 61; Dept St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., ii. 4; Leg. Rec., MS., i. 130. The four were Buelna and José T. Castro, with Salvio Pacheco and Cárlos Castro as suplentes. Other members came in later.
- ↑ July 10th, the four members sworn in. Alvarado was still secretary. Castro and Buelna were named for 1st committee; Pacheco for the 2d; and Cárlos Castro for the 3d. July 14th, a proposition was presented by the committee on education, that schools be established at such missions as had none. July 16th, Juan B. Alvarado was appointed contador de propios y arbitrios (municipal treasurer), in accordance with a decree of the cortes in 1813. Salary, $15 per month. July 16th, secret session. Regulations on the proposed mission schools. July 20th, the matter of instructions to the newly appointed contador was referred to a com. The reglamento adopted in 1837 was modified in some respects, the changes including provision for 3 sessions a week, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The president then submitted to the diputacion his plan for changing all the missions into pueblos. See chap. iv. July 23d, voted $30 dollars a month to P. Menendez as chaplain. The president made a speech on the necessity of making a beginning of establishing an ayuntamiento at Monterey and Sta Bárbara, according to the bando of Dec. 15, 1820, and decree of June 23, 1813, and consequently of assigning bounds to pueblo lands. A salary of $20 per month was voted for the teacher of S. Diego. July 21th, boundaries of the egidos of Monterey were fixed. See local annals. July 28th, boundaries of the jurisdiction of Monterey, continued. July 29th, same subject, continued. Also the secularization project taken up, and the first articles approved. See chap. iv. July 31st, Aug. 3d, approval of Echeandía's secularization plan concluded. Aug. 6th, the subject of convict settlers discussed, the dip. strongly disapproving the sending of any more of them to Cal., expressing a desire to get rid of those now here as soon as possible, but approving Echeandía's plan of a public workshop for such as had trades. It was voted to ask the sup. govt that only good and useful families be sent in the future. Aug. 10th, a reglamento in 6 articles for the contador de propios y arbitrios discussed and approved. Details of keeping the books of the office, etc. Aug. 13th, establishment of two convents approved as a supplement to the secularization project. Aug. 17th, a tariff of duties on timber established. See chap. v. Aug 21st, 24th, certain members ask and receive leave of absence for 15 days. Others were to be summoned, but it seems this was not a success, since there were no more meetings for more than a month. Sept. 29th, at Bandini's request the difficulties of getting a quorum in attendance were put on record. Sept. 30th, approval of land grants to Ignacio Vallejo and Dolores Pico, in accordance with the colonization law of Nov. 24, 1828. Oct. 7th, sessions closed because several members wished to go home to attend to private business. Leg. Rec., MS., i. 130-72.
