HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



441 



public lands ; but that, until the government of the 

 United States should act in the matter, they would 

 not be molested in their pursuits ; that I could not 

 countenance any class of men in their attempts to 

 monopolize the "working of the mines, and that all 

 questions touching the temporary right of individuals 

 to work in particular localities, of which they were in 

 actual possession, should be left to the decision of the 

 local judicial authorities. 



I cannot close my remarks on this subject without 

 again calling the attention of government to the 

 importance of establishing a mint in California at the 

 earliest moment. 



This measure is called for by every consideration 

 of natural policy and of justice to the mercantile 

 mining population of California. 



General Kearny, during his administration of affairs 

 in this country, appointed, by virtue of his authority 

 as governor of California, two sub-Indian agents, who 

 have ever since been continued in office, and their 

 services found of great utility in preserving harmony 

 among the wild tribes, and in regulating their inter 

 course with the whites. 



They have been paid from the " civil fund" very 

 moderate salaries, which will be continued until arri 

 vals of agents regularly appointed by the general 

 government. Notwithstanding every effort on the 

 part of those agents and of the officers of the army 

 here, it has not been possible at all times to prevent 

 aggression on the part of the whites, or to restrain 

 the Indians from avenging these injuries in their own 

 way. 



In the month of April last, the agent in the Sacra 

 mento valley reported that a body of Oregonians and 



