California Under Spanish Rule
With the landing of Serra and Portola at San Diego in 1769, began the
Spanish period of California. The chief events of this period are in
a pith, the following: The establishment of the missions, the
christianizing of the Indians and the exploration and colonization of
California. It is from the Spanish period that the history and standing
of California date. The ten Spanish Governors of California as well as
the officers of the Army and Navy were men of honor and ability, and the
record left by the Spanish settlers is one of which any country might
be proud. During the Spanish period the geographical lines of California
were settled and her harbors surveyed [4]. It was during this period
that most of the present cities of California were founded, Spain
following the plan of building the towns around the missions. The first
Governor, Don Gaspar de Portola, was a great and good man as well as
a brilliant officer, gentle and reasonable in every respect, he was
beloved by all; to him California owes the discovery of San Francisco
Bay, and the great co-operation he gave to Junipero Serra, as well as
his reverent esteem for this saintly man has endeared his memory to
every true Californian, and immortalized his name in Spain. After a
period of two years in office Portola went to Mexico, then under Spanish
rule, and from there returned to Spain.
Portola was succeeded by Gov. Felipe de Barri, who after three years
was removed from office on account of infringing on the rights of
the missionaries and siding with Captain Rivera Y. Moncada who was a
somewhat arrogant man, who also on several occasions infringed on the
rights of the missionaries; but the faults of the latter have been
very exaggerated by some historians, namely, some declare that he
was ex-communicated from the church on account of insolence to the
missionaries, whereas there is no record of such a fact. Excepting their
officiousness and arrogance, Barri and Rivera were moral and able men.
Barri was succeeded by Felipe de Neve, a statesman, scholar and worthy
governor who at once declared himself the friend and protector of the
missionaries. It was Governor de Neve who drew up California's first
code of legislation dated from the "Royal Presidio of San Carlos at
Monterey" in June 1779. This code known as the "Reglamento" is regarded
by capable judges as a most remarkable and valuable document. It was
also Governor de Neve who founded the present city of Los Angeles,
the original name of which was Neustra Senora de los Angeles, later
shortened into Los Angeles. The towns of San Jose and Santa Clara also
owe their foundation to de Neve, who selected the location of these
cities around the mission sites. After eight years of office de Neve was
marked for higher honors, and was succeeded by Governor Pedro Fages.
Governor Fages was a good and energetic man, but better fitted for
the army than for the state; he was noted for his lofty principals of
morality. Fages resigned his office and returned to Spain; he was not a
tactful ruler, but like many others his name has suffered at the hands
of unscrupulous writers. Fages was succeeded in 1790 by Governor Jose
Antonio Romeu, a bright and able but very sickly man. Dr. Pablo Soler
the excellent physician and surgeon of the Province of California was
unable to help him; and Romeu died in Monterey in less than two years of
office.
Jose de Arrillaga was the sixth governor. This governor was a finished
general, and placed the presidios of California on a solid basis; he
was painstaking and careful of detail. He resigned on account of private
business affairs but later returned as he was reappointed governor of
California.
The seventh governor was Diego de Borica. Around this Governor cluster
many beautiful pages of Spanish history in California; his was a
character as gentle, religious and home-loving as he was scholarly and
tactful. It was under Borica's administration that the boundary lines
of Upper and Lower California were clearly defined. Borica, however, was
not a man who courted public life or honors, and resigned his office,
returning to Spain with his charming wife and daughter who always longed
for their mother country.
Before leaving Borica did a good service to Spain and California in
recommending the reappointment of Jose Joaquin Arrillaga. Arrillaga
continued to organize strong military defenses for California. He served
as Spanish Governor of California fourteen years, and first of all
declared himself on all occasions "a loyal son of the Church." He died
at Mission Soledad on July 25, 1813, and was buried there. The only
Spanish Governor to be buried in California.
The ninth Spanish Governor was Jose Dario Arguello, who was in office
one year, the interval between the death of Arrillaga and the advent of
Pablo Vicente de Sola the last Spanish Governor of California.
When Governor Sola took office in 1814, California had already bloomed
into a garden of beautiful men and women, many of them from the mother
country, others their children born in this distant province of Castile.
Also many Yankee, Russian and English trading ships came to California
then, and the Spanish presidios were the scenes of many brilliant dances
and entertainment's. These foreign vessels were always welcome; while
the Governors were careful that the power of Spain was not infringed
upon, perfect courtesy and friendliness was always maintained by both
Spaniards and visitors. Thus when Governor Sola arrived to take his
office he was given a royal welcome. Of course, it was in Monterey that
every governor took up his residence (at the Royal Presidio) and their
first act was to attend Solemn High Mass at the Royal Chapel of San
Carlos of Monterey. Sola was no exception to the rule; amid salutes
from the cannon of the Presidio and the cheers of loyal subjects, by
the Catalonian cavalry, and their officers in their gorgeous velvet
uniforms, gold swords and plumed hats, Sola proceeded to the Royal
Chapel where the Franciscan Fathers awaited him in their priestly
vestments. Three days of carnival followed, but on the second day
Governor Sola withdrew from the festivities, made the Stations of the
Cross [5] which the fathers had erected between Monterey and Carmelo,
and on reaching San Carlos of Carmelo was shown to the tombs of Junipero
Serra, Juan Crespi and Francisco de Laseun. Here the Governor knelt and
remained long in prayer.
In California Sola found a pleasing contrast from the conditions of
affairs he had seen during his sojourn in Mexico. In that country clouds
of revolt against Spanish rule were rapidly gathering. California he
found intensely loyal to the Crown. The neophytes and converted Indians
greatly touched his generous soul, and the beauty of the country
delighted him. Sola was in office eight years; his work was well done,
and if California was lost to Spain under his administration, no less
credit can be given to his ability and high principals of honor. Many
times did Sola quell disturbances from revolutionary vessels which
landed in Monterey from Mexico, and several attacks from pirates, and
many a noble act is recorded of this loyal governor as well as of the no
less loyal Spanish subjects of the Province. If the Mexican Government
supplanted Spanish rule and "laid desolate" much of the work done
by this brilliant period of California, we repeat it was due to no
treachery or cowardice of Sola and his compatriots as we shall see
elsewhere in this sketch. Spain came into possession of California with
honor, maintained it with honor, and after her three-fold honorable
policy of exploration, colonization and christianizing of its heathen
natives, left it with honor, but her monuments remained. If a few
political troubles and abuses existed, they pale before the light of the
myriad of great deeds and purposes, and where is the country or people
who are utterly flawless individually? No cruelties or uncleanness can
ever be proven against Spain or her people here. Spanish society
and refinement was the first which California saw; under Spain were
thousands of Indians rescued from savagery, and under Spain was
California made known to the world, as well as discovered. Under Spain
too were the first land grants made to her subjects in California.
Some historians and casual observers are inclined to blame Spain for not
having lent more aid to her loyal California colonies and enabled her
presidios to have more and better fortifications. But let us examine
these points more coolly. First of all this province was far away from
the mother country, means of travel and communication were then far
different from what they are now, and Spain was also busy with political
troubles at home; she had always sent her most representative men as
governors and officers, her settlers were no less worthy, most of
them coming here with no "empty purse" as adventurers, but were men
of education and standing in their country. The galaxy of saintly
missionaries is superfluous to mention, so above are they of the least
sting of reproach, and lastly so clean are the pages of Spanish history
in California that no serious student of whatever race or creed he or
she may be, can but deplore the calumnies that have at times been hurled
at this golden period of California history. It was from the Spanish
period of California that the present capital of the state dates having
been named Santisimo Sacramento (Most Holy Sacrament) in honor of the
Eucharistic Presence of the Altar. Thus we see the vein of piety of the
Spanish settlers who gave names of religious significance to so many
of the towns they founded, and even to their land grants. In fine these
sterling men were worthy compatriots of those giant men and women which
have appeared at different times in Spain. We refer to Saints, Ignatius
of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Dominic, Theresa of Jesus and a myriad
others, also to the fair array of kings and queens, poets, artists,
explorers, whose illustrious names would fill volumes.
When treading El Camino Real and kneeling by the sacred tombs of
Junipero Serra and his hero band of soul-conquerors we may well recall
that passage of the beautiful Hymn of the Knights of Columbus.
"Brothers we are treading Where the saints have trod."