MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, April 21, 1847. SIR: I learn that you have been appointed collector of the customs for the port of San Diego, which appointment is hereby confirmed to you. I enclose herewith a printed circular of March 1st, signed by Commodore Shubrick and myself, announcing the duties confided by the President of the United States to the senior officers of the land and naval forces; a proclamation of my own of the same date; and instructions to you, of March 29th, from Commodore James Biddle, commanding the Pacific squadron. You will please send to me copies of such instructions as you may have received relating to your duties as collector, and inform me what salary has been allowed you, and what public funds you may have re'ceived and have on hand. Very respectfully, &c., S. W. KEARNY, Don SANTIAGO ARGUILLO, SIR: I have received yours of the 21st relating to a room in the public buildings at San Francisco, now occupied by you as an office, and, taking all things into consideration, I am of opinion that the municipal authorities of the town should provide a room elsewhere, so that the military may have the exclusive control and management of that building. Very respectfully, S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier General, and Governor of California. EDWIN BRYANT, Esq., Alcalde, &c., San Francisco. MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, April 24, 1847. SIR: Your communications of the 17th March and 7th April have been duly received. During the existence of the present war between the United States and Mexico, there must of necessity arise many cases of great hardship and injustice, which for the time being are without remedy. This state of affairs is inseparable from a state of war, and your case, as represented by you, may be considered as one of that class. I sincerely hope that ere long the restoration of peace will lead to the establishment of a permanent civil government for this Territory, which will secure to all their just rights. Very respectfully, &c., S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier General, and Governor of California. rnia. Mr. GEORGE W. BELLAMY, MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, April 26, 1847. SIR: I learn that you have been appointed collector of the port and har Dor-master at San Pedro, which appointments are hereby confirmed to you. I enclose herewith a printed circular of March 1, signed by Com. modore Shubrick and myself, announcing the duties confided by the President of the United States to the senior officers of the land and naval forces, a proclamation of my own of same date, and instructions to you of March 29 from Commodore Biddle, commanding the Pacific squadron. You will please send me as early as possible copies of such instructions as you may have received relating to your duties as collector and harbormaster, and inform me what salary has been allowed you, and what amount of funds you may have received, and how much on hand. You will please settle your accounts quarterly with Lieutenant Colonel Cooke, at the City of the Angels, or with such officer as he may desig nate, turning over to him all money, &c., received by you for customs and fees under your appointment of collector and harbor-master. His receipt will be your voucher for the same. You will receive nothing but specie, treasury notes, or drafts. I have received from Colonel Mason, 1st dragoons, the instructions to you of 21st March, signed "J. C. Fremont, governor of California, by William H. Russell, secretary of State," ordering and permitting you to receive from Mr. S. Hultman "government payment," (that is, as I understand, due bills of the paymaster and quartermaster of the late battalion of California volunteers,) in payment of his custom-house duties; and I learn that you have received seventeen hundred dollars of that paper, bought up by Mr. H. at 25 or 30 per cent. discount. As you have by the act of others been led into this mistake, what you have received from Mr. H. must be passed to your credit. Very respectfully, S. W. KEARNY, Mr. D. W. ALEXANDER, ornia. SIR: In addition to the instructions sent to you by me on the 21st instant, I have to direct that you will receive in payment for duties and fees, under your appointments of collector of the port and harbor-master at San Diego, nothing but specie, treasury notes, or drafts; and that you will please settle your accounts quarterly with Lieutenant Colonel Cooke, (commanding the southern military district,) or with such officer as he may designate, turning over to him all money received by you for customs and fees, and his receipt will be your voucher for the same. Very respectfully, S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier General, and Governor of California. Don SANTIAGO ARGUILLO, Collector and Harbor-master, San Diego, California. MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, April 26, 1847. SIR: In addition to the instructions of Commodore James Biddle of March 29, which I have forwarded to you, I have to direct that you will receive for customs and fees, as collector of the port and harbor-master at Santa Barbara, nothing but specie, treasury notes, and drafts; and that you will please settle your accounts quarterly with Lieutenant Colonel Burton, commanding at Santa Barbara, or with such officer as he may designate, turning over to him all money received by you. His receipt will be your voucher for the same. You will please send me a copy of such instructions as you may have received (which have not passed through my hands) relating to your duties as collector, and inform me what salary has been allowed you, and what money you have received as collector, and how much on hand. I am of opinion that I have written to you a letter similar to this, but it has not been copied in my letter-book. Should you have received one from me, please send me a copy. Very respectfully, &c., S. W. KEARNY, ornia. Brigadier General, and Governor of California. Don PEDRO CARRILLO, SIR: I have received your communication of the 30th March, relating to a decree made by me on the 26th of that month, in the case of Gabriel Castro vs. Antonio Hernano; and I have since learned that you have, contrary to that decree, "given judgment and issued an execution, to be levied by a sheriff against various portions of the property of the defendant, A. Hernano.” I have now to decree that you stay all further proceedings in this case until you hear further from me on the subject. Very respectfully, &c., JOHN BURTON, Esq., S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier General, and Governor of California. Alcalde, &c., Pueblo de San José. MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, April 27, 1847. SIR: I consider the order of Captain Montgomery in the case of the Russian American Company against J. A. Sutter as having been given by competent authority, and as still remaining in full force. All steps in disobedience of that order, until it is revoked by the proper authority, must therefore be considered void. As Captain Montgomery was no doubt as well or better acquainted with the facts of the case above mentioned than myself, I do not feel disposed, for the present at least, to interfere with his order in reference to it. You will consequently please to restore that case to the situation it occupied at the time Captain Montgomery issued his aforesaid order. Very respectfully, S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier General, and Governor of California. EDWIN BRYANT, Esq., Alcalde, &c., San Francisco. MONTERY, CALIFORNIA, April 27, 1847. SIR: Yours of the 22d instant has been received. By my decree of the 10th ultimo I conveyed all the right of the United States and of this Territory in the lots mentioned in your communication to the town of San Francisco. By that act I lost all power and control over those lots. Having already relinquished all claim to those lots to another, I have no right now to recall, annul, or modify that relinquishment in any manner whatever, and am unable, therefore, to do anything for your relief, but must refer you to the authorities of the town, who, I hope, will do you full justice. Very respectfully, S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier General, and Governor of California. Mr. Wм. PETTIT, San Francisco. MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, April 27, 1847. SIR: Your communications relating to the cases of Thomas Russell and John Warner have been received. I regret to learn that Mr. Warner refuses obedience to your decree. If he remain refractory, you are authorized.to call upon the military officer most convenient to you for men to enforce your decree. This authority is also delegated to you in any other case in which the military may be required to give effect to you: dicial In the case of Thomas Russell, I see no difficulty. You can either fine Russell or imprison him, or both fine and imprison him. The amount of the fine and the duration of the imprisonment are left to your discretion. Very respectfully, &c., S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier General, and Governor of California. H. D. FITCH, Esq., MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, April 27, 1847. SIR: Your communication of April 16th has been received. You will obey the order of the alcalde at San Diego with regard to the property in your possession. You will return to the owners all the property you may have, and which was taken by the Indians. Very respectfully, &c., Mr. J. J. WARNER, S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier General, and Governor of California. San Diego, or Agua Calienta. MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, April 30, 1847. SIR: Your communication of the 15th April has been received. I desire that you continue to discharge the duties of alcalde; and it is hoped that a sufficient number of good citizens will be found, who, in the absence of the military, will be ready to assist you in carrying into effect your decrees. I have not abolished the duty "established for the sale of aguardiente," nd your informant had no authority for saying that I have done so; I have made no decree on the subject. Very respectfully, &c., S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier General, and Governor of California. Don J. MARIANO BONILLA, Alcalde, &c., San Luis Obispo. MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, April 30, 1847. SIR: I have received a communication from W. E. P. Hartwell, in which he states that the mission of San Rafael, under the charge of Mr.. Timothy Murphy, has long been owing him (Hartwell)" the amount of $267 33, and that the former governor of California, Don Manuel Micheltorena, sent to said Murphy, in the year 1844, two separate written orders for him to pay the said amount out of whatever property the mission might have." Hartwell also requests that I should give you an order to pay the same. In order that I may understand this matter, and the nature of the debt in particular, I have to request that you will at the earliest opportunity furnish me with a full statement of the subjects mentioned in the extract from Mr. Hartwell's note above quoted. Brigadier General, and Governor of California. Mr. T. MURPHY, San Rafael, California. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Ciudad de los Angeles, California, May 13, 1847. SIR: My letter (No. 10) of May 3, informed you of my intention of coming to this place with Colonel Stevenson and two companies of his regiment, (7th New York volunteers.) We reached here on the 9th, and |