--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1845 to 1846. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 6 number: 19 published: 1845-12-15 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“California,” *Times and Seasons* 6, no. 19 (December 15, 1845): 1068–1070." printed_title: CALIFORNIA. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-12-15_6_19 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v6n19.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-12-15_6_19 start_page: 1068 end_page: 1070 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1845 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-12-15_6_19 publication_year: 1845 --- # California Albert M. Gilliam, late U. S. Consul at California, is of the opinion that the government of California must saon [soon] fall into the hands of the American race, and that a railroad direct from San Francisco, either to New Orleans or some point on the Red river, might be made to great advantage. Mr. G. is engaged in writing a work on Mexico, &c. The following letter from a correspondent of the New York Journal of Commerce, furnishes interesting particulars: California, July 1845. By almost every newspaper from the United States and many from England, we find extracts and surmises respecting the sale of this country. One month England is the purchaser; the next month, the United States. In the mean time the progress of California is onward; and would still be more so, if Mexico would not send every few years a band of thieving soldiers. Should the supreme government allow the Californians to rule their own country they would have peace and prosperity. General Don Jose Castro, a native of Monterey, is now at the head of government as commandant general; Don Pio Pico, as governor. Mexico promised General Micheltorena, eight thousand dollars per month from the Custom house of Mazatlan, and all the duties entering the custom house of California, to support his troops. General Castro has sent Senor Castanares to Mexico as commissioner, giving his reasons why he drove all Mexican officers and soldiers out of the country; puts himself at the disposition of President Herrera, and asks for only three thousand dollars per month from Mazatlan, promising with this sum and the resources of the custom house of Monterey, that he will maintain peace and order throughout California; and objects to any civil or military officers from Mexico. This, Castro can perform; but Herrera will not put confidence in it. We have now news that Mexico is fitting out an expedition of troops in Acapulco for California, the expenses to be paid by two or three English houses in Mexico, who, it is said, are responsible for the pay for eighteen months. In December last, when General Micheltorena, was met in the field by the Californians about half way between Monterey and the Yerba Buena, (San Francisco) he agreed to a treaty with the natives, obligating himself to send out of California, within ninety days, all his soldiers. Senor Castro in the mean time to withdraw his forces to a mission, whose resources were placed at his disposal, on the field. On the signing of the treaty, the Californian agent of the Hudson's Bay Company and his clerk were present. This gentleman resides at the Yerba Buena, where the company own land and buildings, selling goods and purchasing furs and hides. Their last shipment was in April. Within a month after the signing of the treaty, the Californians found that General Micheltorena had sent his chief officer to Mazatlan for more soldiers, and made no preparation to ship the soldiers who were with him. They therefore again collected and on February 23d, after fighting with cannon, General Micheltorena capitulated, and was sent with all his forces to San B[?]as, where most of his men ran away from him. The business of the Hudson's Bay Company, is now under the charge of the English vice consul for California, who has brought a bill against the new government of California for powder, lead, and lances, supplied by the late agent to the natives last October and November, when they rose against the supreme government of Mexico. General Castro has promised payment for the amount demanded. The British government have appointed one of their subjects who formerly resided in New York, (where he owns property), vice Consul of California. The salary is small, but as he can live on his rancho or farm, he has no expense in entertaining company &c. The French consul lives in Monterey, with a salary of over four thousand dollars yearly. There is not one English or French vessel doing business on this coast, nor has there been for years. These consuls therefore have nothing to do apparently. Why they are in service, their government best knows, and Uncle Sam will know to his cost. Almost the whole foreign trade of California is in the hands of Americans. There are now seven Boston ships and barks here. The American consul has a jurisdiction of one thousand miles of sea coast, while the nature of the trade is such, that he has barely any fees. Government allows no salary. The fees of the consulate are under two hundred dollars the year. The stationary bill about the same; which is now allowed by the department of state. There are many owners of large tracts of land in California, who hold them under the idea of the country changing owners; having no present use for them, as the Indians, tame and wild, steal several thousand head of horses yearly from the ranchos. Most of these horses are stolen for food. The Indians cut up the meat in strips, and dry it in the sun. While this continues, grazing of cattle cannot be profitably conducted. There is no expectation that the government will find a remedy. Nothing but the fear the Indians have of the American settlers will prevent it. They steal but a few horses from foreigners, as there is too much danger of being followed. Mexico may fret and threaten as much as she pleases, but all here in California, governors and generals, give California land to all who apply for it; and from the nature of things they will continue to do so. Foreigners arriving here expect to live and die in the country;-Mexican officers to remain two or three years, and then to be shipped off by force, unless they choose to marry natives, and become Californians body and soul. The ports of California, with the exception of Mazatlan, are the only Mexican Pacific ports that flourish. All others are falling and falling fast. Here there is much advance in every thing, and the country presents each year a bolder front to the world. It must change owners. It is of no use to Mexico, but an eyesore, a shame, a bone of contention. Here are many fine ports; the land produces wheat even to an hundred fold; cotton and hemp will grow here, and every kind of fruit there is in New England; grapes in abundance of the first quality; wine of many kinds is made, yet there is no facility of making. Much of it will pass for Port. The rivers are full of fish; the woods of game. Bears, seal, and whales can be seen from one view. The latter are often in the way of boats near the beach. Finally, there is the bay of San Francisco, with its brnches [branches]. This bay will hold all the ships in the United States. The entrance is very narrow, between two mountains, easily defended; and perhaps the most magnificent harbor in the world; and apparently of as much use to the civilized world as if it did not exist. Some day or other, this will belong to some naval power. This every native is prepared for. When Captain Armstrong called on the governor (a native) to give back the country in the name of Commodore Jones, Senor Micheltorena and officers were expected here in a month, to take command. The governor said he preferred Com. Jones should retain the command rather than Gen. Micheltorena. Words cannot express the advantage and importance of San Francisco to a naval power. There are five hundred to one thousand American whalers, with twenty thousand American seamen, in the Pacific; half of them will be within twenty days sail of San Francisco. But while the port belongs to Mexico it is a safe place for whale ships. In a war with England, France, or Russia, should one of these nations own the port, and at some future day declare war against the United States, what will be the result? San Francisco must be obtained, or the Oregon and California must become a nation within themselves.-Time is continually bringing this into notice; and one of the two must soon be consummated. If the Oregon dispute continues, let England take eight degrees north of the Columbia, and purchase eight degree south of forty-two, from Mexico, and exchange. The Oregon will never be a benefit to the United States, if England owns San Francisco. Vessels sometimes lie within the bar of the Columbia thirty or forty days, waiting an opportunity to go out. When once out, they can reach San Francisco in four days; a steam boat in less than two days. The time will soon arrive when, by steam, a person will go from Columbia to Monterey and back, in less than four days. For navigation, the Columbia is of little use. A few English ships could prevent any vessel going in, even if the wind allowed them Whalers from the north west now pass the place for California. This letter contains many facts well known to the writer, and which should be known to his countrymen. Each paragraph contains matter for much thought and reflection; and it is sent to you, because from your paper the writer has read many paragraphs respecting California, and gives you this information in return. The settlers of the Oregon anticipate the supplying of California. Under present circumstances, they may. A Californian will not work, if he can avoid it. The time will come, must come, when this country must be peopled by another race. This is fully expected here. Many children have been sent to the Oahu (Sandwich Islands) English school [school], to learn the English language, in order to prepare them for coming events, (and a company bas [has] been formed to send to New York for a schoolmaster, to conduct an English school) be the visit from John Bull or Uncle Sam. One of the two will have the country. When once this is accomplished, the place will teem with a busy race. As I before observed, all fruits will grow here, hemp, cotton, every variety of grain, timber, from the tender willow to trees seventeen feet in diameter. The natives are now expecting troops from Acapulco to reconquer the country, and are drilling many young men in preparation intending to surround the first port the Mexicans arrive at, drive away the cattle, prevent all intercourse with the ranchos, and by this means expel the invaders from California. If they cannot exceed in this, they will take to the montains [mountains] and worry the invaders out. Many think these soldiers are sent by Mexico at the instigation of the English, under the pretext that the Americans are settling in California too fast, and will one day obtain possession. In the mean time the Californians do not believe this story, but give land to all that come, be they from what nation they may; and the less from Mexico, the more it meets their views.