The foregoing and other reasons render it, in my judgment, improper to remove Mr. Hyde from office. Every man must be deemed innocent until his guilt is clearly established. I am, gentlemen, your most obedient servant, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California. Messrs. JONES and LEIDESDORFF, San Francisco. P. S.-You request, as the conclusion of the P. S. to your above-men-tioned letter of the 18th, that it may be considered as a private communication, as there were but two of you to sign it. The letter relates solely to official matters, and gives much information touching the subject of which it treats. I can, therefore, only receive and reply to it as a letter on public business. R. B. M., Colonel 1st Dragoons. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, SIR: The resignation of your appointment as the first alcalde of the district of San Francisco is accepted, to take effect on the 31st of the present month. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California.. GEORGE HYDE, Esq., Know all men by these presents, that I, Richard B. Mason, colonel 1st regiment of dragoons United States army, and governor of California, by virtue of authority in me vested, do hereby appoint John Townsend first alcalde of the district of San Francisco, Upper California, vice Hyde, who resigned, to take effect on the 31st of the present month. Given at Monterey, the capital of California, this 27th day of March, A. D. 1848, and the seventy-second year of the independence of the United States. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th of January, enclosing the accounts of the collectors at La Paz and San José, together with your own for the third and fourth quarters of the last year. I have endorsed on your abstract of expenditures, and on the accounts current, "examined and approved," and will forward them to the War Department by the express, Lieutenant Carson, mounted rifles, who will leave Los Angeles for the United States, via Santa Fe, on the 1st of May. In relation to the coasting trade you must consult the commodore, and whatever, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, is thought most advantageous to our cause, will surely be approved. During the continuance of hostilities in Lower California, every effort should be made to bring these people to their proper senses, their property captured, and their trade and communication-especially with the Mexican coast-destroyed and cut off whenever practicable. Those who are friendly or contribute aid to our cause, should of course be treated differently. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, commanding. Lieutenant Colonel H. S. BURTON, New York Volunteers, commanding, Lower California. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 28, 1848. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th instant, asking that no duties be charged on a theodolite imported by you. It is not in my power to comply with your request, as it would establish a precedent injurious to the public interests, and cause numerous applications from others to be exempted from the payment of duties. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California. Mr. C. S. LYMAN, HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 28, 1848. SIR: You have above, agreeably to your request, a copy of my letter of the 25th instant addressed to Messrs. Jones & Leidesdorff. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Mr. GEORGE HYDE, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, commanding. 1st Alcalde, San Francisco district, Present. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, SIR: On the next page you have a copy of the translation of a note addressed to me by the vice consul of Spain, dated on the 12th instant, respecting the brig Primavera. I have to request that you will give the information he states he has called for. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, To the ALCALDES R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California. at Los Angeles and Monterey. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITAry Department, Monterey, California, March 29, 1848. SIR: Your account current and abstracts of disbursements of military contribution fund for the fourth quarter of the last year have been received, and endorsed by me "examined and approved," and will be forwarded to the War Department by Lieutenant Carson, mounted rifles, who will leave Los Angeles for the United States, via Santa Fe, about the 1st of May. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain W. G. MARCY, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, commanding. Acting Assistant Quartermaster, Present. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 29, 1848. SIR: I herewith transmit to you the translation of some papers that I yesterday received from the Spanish consul at Santa Barbara, and also a copy of my reply thereto. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel J. D. STEVENSON, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, commanding. New York Volunteers, commanding S. M. District, Los Angeles. P. S.-Be pleased to return to me the translation above mentioned. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 29, 1848. SIR: The undersigned has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 14th instant, and the document accompanying it relating to the mission of San Buenaventura, and the calls of Colonel Stevenson upon Señor Amas to account for property, &c., appertaining to said mission. Colonel Stevenson has authority to investigate the affairs of all the missions south of Santa Barbara, with a view to their preservation and the security or recovery of the property that may have been fraudulently disposed of. If Señor Amas has an honest title to the property he claims, he has nothing to fear from making an exhibition of it to Colonel Stevenson, and rendering such personal explanations as may be called for. Colonel S., when he has completed the duty assigned him concerning the mission, will make a full report to me; in the interim Señor Amas must confer with the Colonel, and show him by what title he claims to hold the mission of San Buenaventura and the property appertaining thereto. The Juzgado at Los Angeles and this place have been instructed to give to you the information asked for in relation to the brig Primavera. Be pleased to accept the assurances of my high esteem and consideration. R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California. TO DON CESAREO LATAILLADE, Vice Consul of Spain for California, Santa Barbara. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 30, 1848. SIR: I herewith enclose to you a copy of the letter asked for in your communication of yesterday. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California. GEORGE HYDE, Esq., HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 30, 1848. SIR: On the next page you have the copy of a letter that I have just received from Don Manuel Dias, complaining that Mr. William Fisher continues to trespass on the lands of Don Augustine Narvaez, and will not attend to your orders. You will be pleased to report to me the facts in this case, and what steps you have taken, together with the orders you have given to Mr. Fisher. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California. CHARLES WHITE, Esq., Know all men by these presents, that I, Richard B. Mason, colonel 1st regiment of dragoons United States army, and governor of California, by virtue of authority in me vested, do hereby appoint Elam Brown an alcalde for the section of country lying along the Contra Costa, and embracing the settlement in the valley of the San Joaquin-vice Estradillo, whose term of office has expired. Given at Monterey, the capital of California, this 30th day of March, A. D. 1848, and the seventy-second year of the independence of the United States. R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, April 1, 1848. SIR: Since writing my letters of the 29th of March, I have received yours of the 22d of the same month, the answer to which has been anticipated by my reply to the Spanish consul, a copy of which was enclosed with my letter of the 29th ultimo. Amas has been here, and I have directed him to go to you, show his papers, and answer such questions as you might ask him; and told him that, if he were the proper owner of the mission and mission property, he had nothing to fear; but that if it came fraudulently into his possession, it would be restored to the mission, &c. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, - Colonel J. R. STEVENSON, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, commanding. New York Volunteers, commanding Southern HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT; Monterey, California, April 1, 1848. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 28th of March. I do not see how these conflicting titles to land can be settled before the proper law courts are established in the country, unless the interested parties themselves settle them by compromise or by arbitration. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Mr. S. A. WRIGHT, Santa Cruz, California. R. B. MASON, Governor of California. |