hould first be presented to the prefect of the district; and, should he not accept it, you then have the right of appeal to the governor. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, RAFAEL SANCHEZ, H. W. HALLECK, Brevet Captain, and Secretary of State. Syndico, Monterey, California. STATE DEPARTMENT TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 13, 1849. SIR: The governor directs that you will make inquiries as to the probable cost of erecting buoys at the following points in the bay of San Francisco, viz: on Blossom rock; on the bar near Yerba Buena point; on the sunken rock off the Presidio; and on the bar or rock in the channel above Angel island. You are requested to consult with Captain Ringgold, United States navy, (who is now engaged upon a survey of the bay and its tributaries,) and report for what sum the work can probably be done by contract. The anchors and chains purchased by Captain Folsom for this purpose, and which the quartermaster was authorized to loan to Captain Ringgold, will be used in the proposed work. An early answer is requested. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain E. A. KING, H. W. HALLECK, Brevet Captain, and Secretary of State. Harbor-master, San Francisco, California. STATE DEPARTMENT TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 13, 1849. REVEREND SIR: I am directed by the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your reverence's letter of July 23, complaining that a Protestant minister did, on the 9th of July, in Monterey, before the very eyes of the governor, solemnize a marriage in which one of the contracting parties was a Catholic, such act being in violation of Governor Mason's prohibitory order of August 23, 1847. The governor was absent from Monterey from the 5th of July to the 9th of August, and consequently had no official information of the marriage alluded to, until he received the communication of your reverence. The order of Governor Mason above referred to was one issued under the laws of war, and before California became a part of the territory of the United States, and it ceased to have any force on the ratification of the reaty of peace. Indeed, it was evidently intended to be only of a temorary character, and to continue only during the military occupation of he country. Neither Governor Mason nor Governor Riley has claimed uthority to make any new laws for California since the war, that power eing vested in Congress alone; and even Congress is prohibited in the onstitution from making any laws respecting an establishment of religion, r prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The governor has, therefore, no power either to enforce or to renew the order of Colonel Mason above referred to. The governor directs me to express to you his high regard and consideration, and to thank you for the very liberal and generous sentimentsexpressed in your letter. While it will always be his earnest endeavor to protect the Catholics of California in the rights and privileges secured to them by the laws of the land, he cannot consent to interfere in matters touching religious opinions, for by so doing he would evidently violate the spirit of the constitution of the United States, which makes all religious denominations equal before the laws. He would, however, suggest to your reverence, as a friend rather than in his official character, whether the dispensation already given by the Roman Pontiff for the solemnization of marriages in the United States is not applicable to California without any new order. California is now a part of the territory of the United States, and must, it is believed, be regarded as such in all its civil and religious relations. If this view be correct, does it not relieve your reverence from all difficulty and responsi bility respecting marriages between Catholics and Protestants? I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your reverence's most obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Brevet Captain, and Secretary of State. Very Reverend F. JOSE MARIA DE JESUS GONZALES, Governor of the Bishopric of California, Santa Barbara. STATE DEPARTMENT TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 13, 1849. SIR: I am directed by the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of July 30, and to inform you that he can take no measures towards renting the missions of San José and Santa Clara until a full examination is made into the affairs of these establishments, and the tenor by which the priest claims to hold them. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Brevet Captain, and Secretary of State. J. B. STEINBERGER, Esq., STATE DEPARTMENT TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 13, 1849. MAJOR: I enclose herewith an extract from a circular from this depart ment, dated February 24, and also a copy of a circular dated July 4, 1849. As "Treasurer of California" you will strictly observe the instructions contained in these circulars, respecting the keeping, expenditure, and accountability of the "civil fund" of this Territory. All your quarterly returns and papers will hereafter be rendered to this office in duplicates, one copy of which will be forwarded to Washington, and the other retained in this office for the information of the governor. Until the arrival of the new collector appointed under the laws of Congress, it is made your duty to receive at the end of every month from the temporary collector of San Francisco all the proceeds of the customs, and to examine and audit his accounts. As charges of a serious character have recently been made respecting the management of the custom-house affairs at San Francisco, and the official conduct of some of its subordinate officers, the governor directs that you will immediately make a thorough examination of the customhouse affairs at that place, and official conduct of all the employés of that establishment, and he authorizes you to associate with yourself for this examination two other persons of suitable character and capacity, to each of whom you will pay the sum of ten dollars per day for every day they are so employed. All the books of the custom-house will be submitted to your inspection, and you are empowered by the governor to administer oaths and send for persons and papers. A full report of your proceedings will be made out and signed by yourself and the other members of the commission, and sent to this office for the information of the governor. Arrangements will be made by you for the payment at San Francisco and Monterey of the salaries of the civil officers of California at least every quarter, and due notice given of the times and places of such payments. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major ROBERT ALLEN, H. W. HALLECK, Brevet Captain, and Secretary of State. Treasurer of California, San Francisco, California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, GENTLEMEN: Your letter of March 12, addressed to General Mason, has just been received by General B. Riley, the present governor of California, who, directs me to say, in reply, that the Congress of the United States has, as yet, passed no laws for the sale of public lands, or for the working of the mines in California; but it is supposed that these matters will receive the early attention of that body at its coming session. Our government has always pursued the most liberal policy towards foreigners settling in the country, and the public and the mineral lands have been brought into market on such terms as to place them within the means of the smallest capitalist; and it is presumed that the same liberal course will be pursued in enacting laws for California. The vast mineral wealth and agricultural resources of California, and the rapid increase of the population, enable her to offer greater attractions to new settlers than almost any other country. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Messrs. JOHN MCDOUGALD, H: W. HALLECK," Brevet Captain, and Secretary of State. WILLIAM E. CORMACK, ROBERT MITCHELL, and others, Aukland, New Zealand. STATE DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 13, 1849. SIR: I am directed by the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of July 15, respecting the conduct of the captain of the steamer California, and to inform you that your letter has been referred to the Postmaster General of the United States. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Brevet Captain, and Secretary of State. Don MIGUEL PEDRORENA, STATE DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, SIR: I am directed by the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of July 4, asking, on the part of the ayuntamiento, his orders respecting the construction of a jail in Santa Barbara. As soon as the ayuntamiento shall have made arrangements for the purchase or erection of a suitable building for a jail and court-room, and raised money for that purpose, the governor will assign to Santa Barbara, from the "civil fund," a corresponding sum, not to exceed $6,000. The governor requests that the ayuntamiento will take immediate measures for the accomplishment of this object, either by subscription or a municipal tax, and report to him the amount of money so collected, in order that he may make the assignment required. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Don RAYMUNDO CARRILLO, Know all men by these presents, that I, Bennet Riley, brevet brigadier general United States army, and governor of California, by virtue of authority in me vested, do hereby appoint Hopeful Toler a notary public and translator in and for the district of San Francisco. Given under my hand, at Monterey, California, this 13th day of August, in the year of our Lord 1849. Brevet Brig. Gen. U. S. Army, and Governor of California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, MAJOR: I am directed by the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of July 8, respecting the claim of Señor Arguillo to the mission of San Diego. The United States being in possession of that mission, it cannot be delivered up till the title of the claimant is properly established; and it is hoped that a proper tribunal for deciding upon those claims will soon be established. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major L. P. HEINTZELMAN, H. W. HALLECK, Brevet Captain, and Secretary of State. Commanding at San Diego, California. Know all men by these presents, that I, Bennet Riley, brevet brigadier general United States army, and governor of California, by virtue of authority in me vested, do hereby appoint H. F. Page a notary public in and for the district of San Francisco. Given under my hand, at Monterey, California, this thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty-nine. BENNET RILEY, Brevet Brigadier General United States Army, and Governor of California. Know all men by these presents, that I, Bennet Riley, brevet brigadier general United States army, and governor of California, by virtue of authority in me vested, do hereby appoint John McVickar a notary public in and for the district of San Francisco. Given under my hand, at Monterey, California, this thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty-nine. 'BENNET RILEY, Brevet Brigadier General United States Army, and Governor of California. Know all men by these presents, that I, Bennet Riley, brevet brigadier general United States ariny, and governor of California, by virtue of authority in me vested, do hereby appoint and commission William Shaw a notary public and commissioner of deeds in and for the district of Sac ramento. Given under my hand, at Monterey, California, this thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty-nine. BENNET RILEY, Brevet Brigadier General United States Army, and Governor of California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 14, 1849. This is to certify that John Mackay this day filed in this office his writsen declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States, and |