History of the State of California / From the Period of the Conquest by Spain to Her Occupation by the United States of America

by John Frost

At the present time, it is a matter of doubt, whether the Americans or the foreigners predominate in the population of California. It is certain that the former have things pretty much their own way in the various cities and in the mines. But that may be from a want of unity of action among the foreigners. The habits and modes of life belonging to the Americans are generally prevalent in the cities; but in the smaller and older towns, the native Californians conduct every thing in the old Spanish mode. The difference between the society of Los Angeles and Sacramento City, is wide, and affords a good contrast between the restless, enterprising, utilitarian spirit of the Americans, and the indolent, pleasure-loving spirit of the Californians. With the Americans, in the cities where they are in the majority, business is the uppermost consideration upon all occasions, and profit and loss, and chances of obtaining a competency, the constant subject of thought. With the Californians, the enjoyment of the present, which alone is theirs, is at all times a matter of prime importance; and gambling, drinking, dancing, guitar-playing, and riding on horseback, are the principal sources of their pleasures. Which of these modes of passing away life is the most philosophical, we leave to the speculative. But it is apparent in California, that the energy of the American character is exercising a great influence on the descendants of the Spaniards. Their spirit is infectious. In some of the towns upon the coast, one half of the buildings are occupied by persons who have emigrated from the Eastern States; and the contrast between their log and brick houses, and the adobé houses of the Californians, is singular, and seems as if the old dead looking trunk of the tree had suddenly sent out new branches full of life and freshness.

All the vices consequent upon a heterogeneous population, suddenly thrown together and stimulated to an extraordinary degree of activity, have fully exhibited themselves in California. Nearly every body in the mining regions carries deadly weapons of some sort, and with the promptings of avarice, and the excitement of passion, many shocking, secret murders, and many open, revengeful encounters are continually occurring. The practice of carrying deadly weapons can only be abolished when a stronger feeling of security, induced by a confidence in the protection of the laws, shall take the place of constant dread. The mining population is of as mixed a character as that in the commercial cities; and national jealousies will occur occasionally. The elation consequent upon successful gold digging and speculating, leads to excess in drinking and gambling, and these lead to frequent quarrels and deadly encounters. The remedy for these things is only to be found in the reaction to which a few years will lead, when the power of the law shall be supreme throughout the gold region.

The principal thing which has contributed in some degree to influence the prospect and the labors of the miners, is the government tax upon the foreigners who wish to work upon the public lands in digging and washing gold. The tax is certainly a just one, but many are of opinion that it is too high. A lighter tax would more readily receive the assent of the mass of foreigners; but whether it is not just that they should pay a tax of eight dollars for every ounce of gold they obtain from the land of others, is another question. The greater portion of the gold region belongs to the government, and was paid for by the government. The people of the United States should, therefore, have the sole right to occupy it; and it is but just, that those people of foreign nations who wish to reap a profit from it either by digging gold or cultivating the ground, should pay for the use of it. The effect of the tax is, that those who must pay it, either must give up mining or work harder to reap sufficient profit. In either case, the country is benefited.

The mining region is constantly increasing in extent. The placers first worked still yield a profit sufficient to reward the gold seeker for his labor, and the frequent discovery of new ones by parties prospecting, keeps up the heat of excitement. The region is constantly extending towards the north. The vicinity of Trinity River is the most northern part of California where gold is obtained in any considerable quantity, and the source of the San Joaquin, is the most southern. The entire region embraced between these two points is known to abound in the precious metal, and is traversed by the gold "prospecters." Of the gold obtained, a great quantity—a third, at least, remains in the country. Another is carried out of California by the foreigners, and the remainder is sent to the Atlantic States of the Union. This is but a rough estimate; but it seems warranted by the facts of the number of foreigners in the country, and the necessary current money of the residents. Certain it is, that were we to judge of the quantity of gold obtained in California, by the amount received in the United States, we would fall far too short of the truth.

The growth of the commerce of California necessarily carries with it the growth of all those cities and towns which have any commercial advantages, or which are connected with the various ports. Not only has San Francisco constantly in her harbor a tremendous fleet of merchant vessels from all parts of the world, pouring into her lap the commodities necessary to a new country and a rapid building city, and Sacramento, the commerce of the mines continually passing through it, but all the towns along the coast have felt the impulse, and have become the seat of a traffic of some sort. San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Pedro, and Monterey, are all commercial ports, which have become the resort of those traders who wish to escape the crowd of competitors to be met with at the more northern towns, and to have a pleasant place of residence besides. Los Angeles, twenty-five miles from the port of San Pedro is the centre of an extensive inland trade, and from its being a delightful place of residence, will contribute to the building up of San Pedro in a greater degree than the commerce of San Pedro can influence it.

At present, San Francisco is a city of about thirty thousand inhabitants, and in spite of the repeated visitations of the calamity of destructive fire, it has suffered no stoppage in its rapid progress. On the contrary, these fires seem to give a new impulse to the energy and enterprise of its inhabitants, and, by impressing upon them the utility of building their houses and stores of the more substantial brick, to have been of permanent benefit. Like the water of a rapid river, which, meeting with a serious obstacle in its course, is checked for the moment and then, having gathered new strength, surmounts the barrier and springs forward with renewed energy, San Francisco has pursued her course. The late fire, decidedly the most disastrous the new city has experienced, produced for awhile a general stand in business. But the go-aheadative principle was too strong for a continuance of a stagnation; and all the sufferers set about doing their utmost to retrieve their fortunes. Success must wait upon such persevering energy.

Sacramento City is fast treading upon the heels of her commercial sister city. Improvements are constantly being made to the appearance of the city and the comfort of its inhabitants. A levee is in course of construction, which, it is thought, will effectually protect the city from being flooded during the season of the rise of the river. The overland emigration of which Sacramento is the goal, contributes to swell the population rapidly; and, during the rainy season the greater portion of the population of the northern mines flock into the city for refuge till the digging season commences.

Stockton, Benicia, San José, and Sutter are each increasing the number of their residents and their trade very fast. The first is the depot of the southern mines; the second, the military and naval station, chosen by the government officers; the third is the capital of the State; the last is a thriving town, near Sacramento, but in a better situation.

One of the most interesting features of California is the number of the missions in various parts of the State. They are and will continue to be interesting, because of their age, and the self-denying and energetic labors with which they are connected. They were the centres, established by a few Catholic priests, from which the rays of enlightenment and civilized enjoyment were spread to the native Indians of California. Each mission was a little principality, with many leagues of land attached, with some thousand head of cattle, and all the neighboring Indians subject to the control of the padre, and cultivating the land for their own and the padre's benefit. In 1800, these missions were sixteen in number, and three only have been added since that time. They are named and located as follows:—San Rafael and San Francisco Solano, north of San Francisco Bay; Dolores, near San Francisco; Santa Clara and San José, near Pueblo San José; San Juan, Santa Cruz and Carmel, near Monterey; Soledad, San Antonio, and San Miguel, in the valley of Salina River; San Luis Obispo, La Purisima, Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara, and San Buenaventura, near Santa Barbara; San Gabriel and San Fernando, near Los Angeles; and San Luis Rey, San Juan Capistrano and San Diego, on the coast, south of Los Angeles.

The wealth and power of these missions have fled, and they are all, more or less, in a state of decay. The Indians who were prospering under the care of the priests have either taken refuge in the mountains or linger about the old mission buildings, in a degraded and ignorant state. The immense quantity of land which was once attached to them has been taken from them from time to time, and now they but seem the ruins of former greatness. The beauty of the country surrounding those of the missions which are still existing, and the picturesque appearance of those which are in ruins make them well worthy a visit to the lover of the antiquated.