good authorities, perhaps it had rise from the
fact that disturbances against Spanish rule were felt in Mexico as early
as that period and echoes of it reached the small Mexican faction of
California, causing much uneasiness to the missionaries. But three Acts
of Secularization of the missions were passed in the years 1826, 1829
and 1835. And what did not the good fathers with their neophytes and
converts suffer! And what did not the many loyal friends of these
beloved fathers not suffer with them through sympathy! Indeed no
Spaniard or his descendants can speak of those Acts without the crimson
of just indignation mounting to the cheek. But Spaniards were powerless
to check the lawlessness of the times. The missions were gradually
but slowly dispossessed of their lawful property, and all their wealth
confiscated, several times were many of the dear Spanish fathers
deported; they returned to Spain where a warm welcome awaited them, but
how sad to leave their missions reared by the most heroic labors of
the "martyr stuff" within them or their immediate predecessors, Serra,
Lasuen, Lopez, Dumetz, Crespi, Palou, names "held in benediction;" and
what would become of their poor converted Indians who clung to them so
faithfully and whom they had raised to the plane of christian men and
women from nakedness, savagery and paganism! Besides the missionaries,
many other Spaniards, too, were put on a list of those to be deported,
among these there would not have been much resistance offered, as the
changes of the government were sad enough, but before the resolution
was carried out, while many of them were settling their affairs and
preparing to leave, a few of the better class of Mexicans interposed,
saying, "the Spaniards' are of greater value to the Province than any
harm which could ever come from their presence, it behooves us to let
them remain," so under the condition that they would not be interfered
with, and that no oath of allegiance to Mexico would be forced from
them, the Spanish families remained, and their presence indeed was of
"greater value" than for which credit has been given them. American,
English and Russian trading ships continued to make their appearance
in Monterey, to these were added French ships. Several mercantile
establishments existed, carried on chiefly by Spaniards and Englishmen,
and gay little social gatherings and dances still went on.

In 1823 Mexico overthrew her empire and established a repu