Indeed, it is probable that such a suspicion was but a pretence.
The junta, or four of its seven members, assembled at Monterey February 16th under the presidency of Alvarado, holding regular and extra sessions till the end of May. I append a résumé of the proceedings in a note.[1] The prominent matters presented
- ↑ Feb. 16, 1840, Jineno, Castro, Argüello, and Gonzalez were present and took the oath. Requena and Carrillo absent on account of sickness. Pico not heard from. The gov. delivered an address on the state of public affairs under the following heads: police and municipal regulations, agriculture, commerce, education, administration of justice, and ways and means. 'It is for you as a body to shower the most abundant benefits on the country you represent, reaping as the fruit of your tasks the eternal gratitude of its dearest sons.'
Feb. 18th-22d, a Reglamento para el gobierno interior de la Junta Departmental, 1840 (variations from the former reglamento given in Leg. Rec., MS., iii. 66-9), was formed by a committee and adopted. Regular sessions were to be held from Jan. 1st to June 30th of each year, on Tuesdays and Fridays. The junta was to have a sec. and two subordinates at $800, $300, and $200. The changes in detail from the reglamento of 1834 (p. 252 of this vol.) were for the most part unimportant. Feb. 18th, Argüello was made temporary sec., and Feb. 22d Pico appeared and took his seat. Feb. 25th, proposition on tribunals of justice. Committees formed: taxes and municipal administration, Pico; education, agriculture, and industries, Castro and Gonzalez; commerce and constitutional changes, Argüello. (Feb. 27th, various doc. from Mex. submitted, including Alvarado's appointment as gov. p. 94.) Feb. 29th, excuses of Carrillo and Requena. (Dr Den's certificate of Carrillo's illness. p. 66.) March 3d, 9th, 10th, 13th, tribunal of justice; land grants; excuses of Carrillo and Requena; suplentes to be summoned; Zenon Fernandez chosen as sec. March 18th, question of the capital. Fernandez sworn. March 21st, Gonzalez asks for leave of absence on account of illness, age, and incapacity. About salary of vocales, $1,500 per year. March 24th, capital. (March 26th, Gonzalez's excuses not accepted. 'Every public functionary is a mark for the shots of scandal,' p. 82.) March 27th, 29th, 31st, lands, capital. (Salaries to date, $725. p. 99.) (April 1st, secret session to consider acts of Vallejo, Pico, and Carrillo. Gov. authorized to arm the civil officers, as elsewhere related. p. 63-4, 69-78.) April 3d, land grants: April 4th, 9th, 23d, threatening attitude of foreigners. Graham affair (April 8th, Jimeno's report on coast and mission lands. p. 90-2.) April 9th, Jimeno's report passed to com. April 28th, prop. to forbid distillation and importation of liquors from wheat, corn, and barley, as being injurious to Californian farmers. Castro allowed to go home to attend to matters left pending by his son who had gone to Mexico with the prisoners, (Jimeno's land report approved by com., also prohibition of distilled liquors on April 30th. Salaries for month, $500. p. 79, 83, 87, 92, 96.) May 1st, land bill approved. May 5th, liquor bill approved, except the article on importation. Census. May 8th, census. May 12th, eleven land grants referred to com. Census bill. Secretary's salary raised to $1,000. May 15th, census bill. May 19th, land grants. 27 referred and 11 others approved. May 22d, land grants, 14 referred and 27 approved. May 26th, 29th, 30th, 16 grants approved. (May 30th, Alvarado reported perfect tranquillity, obtained per mission to leave the capital if necessary, and declared the sessions closed. p. 78.) Leg. Rec., MS., iii. 49-65, with additional records of various dates not
