User:Cullen328/sandbox/Figueroa

Híjar-Padrés colony
In 1833, the Mexican Congress passed legislation to secularize the California missions, which were considered a remnant of Spanish royalist rule. Acting Mexican president Valentín Gómez Farías, a liberal reformer, appointed José María de Híjar and D. José María Padrés to lead a group of 239 colonists to establish secular control of Alta California. Híjar, a wealthy landowner, was appointed governor, and Padrés, an army officer, was appointed military commander. The colonists were farmers and artisans, and were volunteers carefully selected by Farías. His objective was to modernize and strengthen Mexican rule over California, as a bulwark against the growing influence of Russia and the United States.

While the colonists were traveling north to Alta California on two ships, president Antonio López de Santa Anna took full power, and revoked Híjar's appointment as governor, thereby allowing Figueroa to continue in that post. A horseman traveled for 40 days from Mexico City to Monterey to bring the news to Figueroa. One of the colonist's ships arrived in San Diego on September 1, and the second ship arrived in Monterey on September 25. As the horseback courier had arrived previously, Híjar learned to his consternation that he had no official powers.

Figueroa objected to the colonization plan since he believed that at least half of the mission lands should be turned over to the California natives. The Franciscan missionaries had administered the missions in trust for the original inhabitants. On August 4, 1834, Figueroa issued a 180 page proclamation setting out a plan for secularization of the missions, which was far more favorable to the native peoples than the Híjar-Padrés plan. Híjar and Padrés were not allowed to stay in California, although many of their colonists stayed and became productive citizens.

In 1835, Figueroa published in Monterey, California his manifesto defending his administration and explaining his opposition to the Híjar-Padrés colonization plan. This was the first book published in California.

Death and burial
Figueroa died in Monterey and was buried in a crypt beneath Mission Santa Barbara.

Ramage press
http://www.columbiagazette.com/ramage.html

http://www.valcomnews.com/?p=3225#more-3225

https://books.google.com/books?id=o1yiAs33Y6cC&pg=PA307&lpg=PA307&dq=ramage+press+zamorano&source=bl&ots=VEWjSZXPp6&sig=iRnb6bpp-i08TOsEj3yBMWJlLcg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiev7Ce7fnOAhUH42MKHa1fC40Q6AEIKTAG#v=onepage&q=ramage%20press%20zamorano&f=false