Small municipal matters are
regulated by the alcaldes and corregidores; and everything relating to
the general government, to the military, and to foreigners, by the
commandants, acting under the governor-general. Capital cases are
decided by him, upon personal inspection, if he is near; or upon
minutes sent by the proper officers, if the offender is at a distant
place. No Protestant has any civil rights, nor can he hold any
property, or, indeed, remain more than a few weeks on shore, unless he
belong to some vessel. Consequently, the Americans and English who
intend to remain here become Catholics, to a man; the current phrase
among them beings- "A man must leave his conscience at Cape Horn."
But to return to Monterey. The houses here, as everywhere else in
California, are of one story, built of clay made into large bricks,
about a foot and a half square and three or four inches thick, and
hardened in the sun. These are cemented together by mortar of the same
material, and the whole are of a common dirt-color. The floors are
generally of earth, the windows grated and without glass; and the
doors, which are seldom shut, open directly into the common room;
there being no entries.
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