San Luis Obispo County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter V Secularization And Decay 1883
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Book Title: History Of San Luis Obispo County California

CHAPTER V.
SECULARIZATION AND DECAY.

Hidalgo's Insurrection—Mexican Independence — Native Civil. Sen-ice Reform—A
Clerical Soldier—Independence in California—Theory of the Missions—Government
Interference— Colonists against the Missions—Pacheco and Avila Killed— Rival
Governors—Arrival of Gen. Jos6 Figueroa in 1833— Decree of
Secularization—Distribution of Property and Lands —Political Government of the
Villages—Restrictions—General Regulations—Provisional Regulation for the
Secularization of the Missions—Pious Fund—The Hijar Colony—Santa Ana's
Revolution—Land Grants—Secularization Completed—Death of Governor Figueroa—The
Missions of Alta California— Wealth and Population—Varying Statements.

WHILE the missions were moving on in the even tenor of their way, with a happy
or a depressed people, as the priests in charge were devoted to their trusts, or
hard and avaricious tyrants, changes and revolutions were occurring in the
central Government of Mexico; but the spreading wave of these disturbances did
not reach the distant outposts of California until many years afterwards.

  Father Hidalgo, a priest of Mexico, on the 15th of September, 1810, at the
head of a small party, arose in insurrection against the Government of Spain,
and that is the day since celebrated by the Mexican people as the day of their
independence, although it was not until 1822 that their independence was
acknowledged. In 1824 a Republican Constitution and form of Government was
adopted similar to that of the United States in its general features. In this
system California was regarded as a Territory. Of this insurrection a native
Californian writes:—

. For three hundred years the power of Spain had dominated Mexico; and during
that long period no man had arisen possessed of the necessary fortitude to
combat and reform the misgovernment of the European tyrants; alone, without
friends, resources, or arms, depending solely on the grandeur of his enterprise,
and taking advantage of the unguarded security of the oppressors, the Priest
Hidalgo, struck the first blow for independence, on the 15th of September, 1810,
and in a few months found himself at the head of a numerous and well disciplined
army. It was, however, his fate to die in the cause. He was taken prisoner, and
ascended the scaffold—to him a throne of glory—and cheerfully surrendered his
life for the regeneration of his country. The war which he had
inaugurated—cruel, fratricidal, horrible—continued for eleven years. The sacred
blood of Hidalgo was the fertilizer which brought forward a band of heroic
martyrs—Morelos, Allende, Guerrero, Bravo, Abasolo, Mina, Galeanar, Matamoras
and Rayon; all of whom offered up in a grand holocaust their lives on the sacred
altar of liberty. These sanctified and completed the work begun by Hidalgo.

MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE.

  The war of independence was long, and several severe battles were fought, the
Spanish commander, Don Augustin de Iturbide, winning the battles of Valadolid in
1813, and Puruaran in 1814. The revolt seemed crushed out, but in 1818 Iturbide
espoused the cause of Mexico, and through many changes at last declared for a
Mexican Empire, and was proclaimed Emperor by the soldiers, May 18; 1822, under
the title of Augustin I. By his arrogance and disregard of constitutional
restrictions he was forced to abdicate, and was banished in March, 1823,
Congress allowing him a pension of $20,000 per annum in consideration of his
services in 1820. He retired to Italy, but returned in 1824 to make another
effort for the crown, was recognized upon landing at Soto la Marina, and was
ordered by the Governor of Tamaulipas to be shot, and was executed at Padilla,
July 19, 1824.

  Through the long War of Revolution, and the changes of Government, California
remained undisturbed and the Spanish Governors, Don Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga,
Don Jose Arguillo, and Don Pablo Vicente de Sola continued in the peaceful
occupation of their offices.

NATIVE CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

  The news of the execution of Iturbide set an example to the Indians of San
Diego, which they followed in a


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
CALIFORNIA

WITH

Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
OF ITS
PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.


OAKLAND, CAL.
THOMPSON & WEST

1883.


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