These they secured, and their contents were joyously disposed of. When
the wine passed around, I was called upon and made a speech. I started
out by predicting in glowing colors the prosperity of the new town,
and spoke of its advantageous situation on the Feather and Yuba
Rivers; how it was the most accessible point for vessels coming up
from the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, and must in time
become the depot for all the trade with the northern mines. I
pronounced the auriferous region lying east of the Feather River and
north of the Yuba the finest and richest in the country; and I felt
certain that its commerce must concentrate at the junction of those
rivers. But, said I, to avail ourselves of all these advantages we
must organize and establish a government, and the first thing to be
done is to call an election and choose magistrates and a town council.
These remarks met with general favor, and it was resolved that a
public meeting should be held in front of the Adobe house the next
morning, and if it approved of the project, that an election should be
held at once.
Accordingly, on the following morning, which was the 18th of January,
1850, a public meeting of citizens was there held, and it was resolved
that a town government should be established and that there should be
elected an Ayuntamiento or town council, a first and second Alcalde,
(the latter to act in the absence or sickness of the former,) and
a Marshal.
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