rally charged with committing the outrages upon the Indians north of Sutter's Fort not long since. I desire that you will cause a jury of twelve good men to be empannelled for their trial. The jury, after having pronounced upon their guilt or innocence, will, if guilty, pronounce sentence. I desire that you see the accused persons have a full, fair, and impartial trial; that the jury, witnesses, and interpreters be all properly sworn; and that a full and fair record be made of each trial, which you will be pleased to forward to me for my further action, together with your views and recommendations in the respective cases. Enclosed are the charges upon which the prisoners are to be tried, copies of which be pleased to furnish them in due season, to prepare themselves for trial. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California. · General M. G. VALLEJO, and Captain J. A. SUTTER, Sub-Indian Agents, Upper California. CIRCULAR. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 19, 1847. SIR: You have been appointed collector of customs and harbor-master for the port of The commander-in-chief of the naval forces having been authorized by the President of the United States to establish port regulations, to prescribe the conditions under which American and foreign vessels may be admitted into the ports of California, and to regulate the import duties, you will be governed in respect to these matters by such rules and regulations as that officer may deem proper to establish. The governor of the Territory directs that you receive for customs and fees nothing but specie, treasury notes, and drafts, which at the end of every quarter you will turn over to the authorized receiver, and settle with him all your accounts. The receipts of such authorized receiver will be for you full and sufficient vouchers. The receiver has been directed, after settling and auditing your accounts at the end of each quarter, to pay to you the amount of your quarterly salary, provided revenue to that amount be collected and received in your office, the authorized expenses of the office being first paid. În case of any attempt to smuggle, you will immediately give information to the nearest naval and military officers, and report the circumstances to the governor for his instructions. You will make out, at the end of each quarter, quarterly returns of all imports and exports; a quarterly return of all vessels arriving at and sailing from the port; a quarterly account current of customs; and a quarterly abstract of disbursements, with accompanying vouchers. These papers will be made out according to the accompanying blank forms, in duplicate, one copy of which will be filed in your office, and the other turned over to the authorized receiver, to be transmitted by him to the governor of the Territory. Enclosed herewith is a copy of a "circular" of this date to the receiver of customs. Lieutenant of Engineers, and Secretary of State CIRCULAR. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 19, 1847. SIR: You have been appointed to settle and audit the accounts of the collector and harbor-master of the port of You will settle the accounts of said collector at the end of every quarter, receiving from him all funds in his hands arising from customs. Before auditing these accounts, you will compare them with the entries on the custom-house books of the port, and see that the proper amount of duties have been collected on all goods entered at the custom-house. After having audited the accounts of the collector at the end of each quarter, you will pay him the amount of his quarterly salary, provided funds to that amount, collected and received by you from the revenues of the port, remain in your hands after the authorized quarterly expenses of the collector's office have been paid. When the same officer is appointed to settle and audit the accounts of two or more collectors, the receipts and disbursements for each port will be kept separate and distinct, so that if there be not sufficient funds for the full payment of the collectors, each collector may be paid the money actually accruing from the receipts of his office, as specified in the letter of his appointment. Where there are not sufficient funds at the end of any one quarter for paying the full quarterly salary of the collector, the deficiency will be made up at the end of the next following quarter in which there shall be sufficient funds derived from the custom-house revenues remaining in your hands for that purpose. In case the collector should fail at the end of each quarter to settle his accounts, or to turn over to you all public moneys in his hands, you will withhold the payment of his salary, and immediately report the circumstance to the governor of the Territory for his instructions. The funds received from the collector of customs will be kept by you separate and apart from all other public funds in your possession. They are to be used for the civil government of the Territory, and will be paid out only upon the written order of the governor. You will transmit, at the end of every quarter, an account current of the civil funds in your possession, and an abstract of disbursements, with the proper vouchers, for all your expenditures. You will also transmit the quarterly reports and other papers of the collector, seeing in all cases that they are made out according to the instructions received by him from the proper authorities. Enclosed herewith is a copy of a circular to the collectors of customs, and also blank forms for returns, &c. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieutenant of Engineers, and Secretary of State for the Territory of California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, SIR: It appears from the records of this office that Captain Richardson was appointed collector of the port of San Francisco on the 28th of September, 1846. You will please ascertain if his accounts have been settled, and his salary paid from that date. John Vioget is one of Captain Richardson's securities for the amount of twenty thousand dollars on his bonds. Will you make the proper inquiries to ascertain for what amount Mr. Vioget is reputed good, and report to the governor? After reading the enclosed papers for the collector of the port, you will turn them over to Captain Richardson. Please to impress upon his mind the importance of immediate and strict compliance with the directions therein contained. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Lieutenant of Engineers, and Secretary of State Captain J. L. FOLSOM, Assistant Quartermaster, San Francisco, California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, SIR: The governor of the Territory directs that you will immediately make out and turn over to Captain Folsom your quarterly returns and other papers for the quarter ending June 30, 1847, in accordance with the accompanying "circular" and blank forms. Your quarterly returns and accounts will hereafter be made out and forwarded immediately after the close of every quarter. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Lieut. of Engineers, and Secretary of State for the Territory of California. WM. RICHARDSON, Collector, &c., &c., San Francisco, California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, SIR: I am directed by the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, with your account current of customs for the second quarter of 1847, and the enclosed vouchers. The governor directs that you will examine the accounts of the collector of the port of San Pedro back to the date of his first appointment after our occupation of the country, in order to ascertain for what purposes the funds of the custom-house have been expended, and see if he has turned over to you all moneys due the government. You will report to the governor the result of your examination. After reading the enclosed papers for the collector of the port, you will turn them over to Mr. Alexander. Please to impress upon his mind the importance of immediate and strict compliance with the directions therein contained. Very respectfully,,your obedient servant, Lieut. of Engineers, and Secretary of State Lieut. J. W. DAVIDSON, A. A. Quartermaster, &c., Los Angeles, California. STATE DEPARTMEN ent of the TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 20, 1847. SIR: I am directed by the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of July 16, enclosing the quarterly accounts and returns of the col lector of the port of Santa Barbara. These papers are satisfactory, except that there is no return of imports and exports. You will see that he makes out one immediately. After reading the enclosed papers for the collector, you will please turn them over to him, and endeavor to impress upon his mind the importance of immediate and strict compliance with the directions therein contained. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Lieut. of Engineers, and Secretary of State for the Territory of California. Captain FRANCIS J. LIPPETT, Santa Barbara, California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, Monterey, August 20, 1847. SIR: I am directed by the governor of the Territory to say to you that your accounts and returns for the last quarter are satisfactory, except that you make no returns of imports or exports. You will please make out such returns and turn them over to Captain Lippett. Your quarterly accounts and returns will hereafter be made out and forwarded immediately after the close of every quarter, in accordance with the accompanying "circular" and blank forms. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Don PEDRO C. CARRILLO, for the Territory of California. Collector, &c., &c., Santa Barbara, Culifornia. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, SIR: The governor requests that you will furnish him with the names of all persons owning or claiming land within the limits of the survey which I received from you this morning, and the amount of land owned or claimed by each individual; and also, that you will give your opinion of the character of the title or claim in each case. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Lieut. of Engineers, and Secretary of State for the Territory of California. WALTER COLTON, Alcalde, &c., Monterey, California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, August 23, 1847. SIR: I am directed by the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of August 5, asking for a new district, with an alcalde, &c. In accordance with your request, the governor has consulted Mr. Larkin on the subject, and they are both of the opinion that the matter had better be postponed for the present. It is quite possible that the increase of population in the district of Sonoma may render it necessary to establish a new district in the course of another year; but for the present it is deemed advisable to establish no new court, unless the state of public affairs absolutely requires it. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Lieut. of Engineers, and Secretary of State for the Territory of California. R. SEMPLE, Esq., Benicia, California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TRRRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, SIR: In reply to your letter of the 19th instant, the governor directs that you do not interfere in the land question now in dispute between Mr. Forbes and Mr. Cook. All questions of land titles, unless they can be settled by arbitration, or some other amicable arrangement between the parties, must remain as they are until the proper judicial tribunals can be established for investigating and settling them. This order is in no way to affect the just rights of either of the aforesaid parties. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Lieut. of Engineers, and Secretary of State for the Territory of California. JOHN BURTON, Esq., Alcalde of Pueblo de San José, California. STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERRITORY OF CALIFORNIA, SIR It appears from a letter just received from Lieutenant Carnes, that the collector of the port of Santa Barbara has called on him for payment of the collector's salary for the last two quarters. You were appointed by Lieutenant Colonel Burton to settle and audit the accounts of the collector of Santa Barbara, and receive from him the revenues of the customs; and the governor directs me to say that you |