Upon the suggestion of counsel, it was then modified
in some slight particulars so as to limit the confirmation to land
above ordinary high water mark, as it existed at the date of the
acquisition of the country, namely, the 7th of July, 1846. On the 18th
of May, 1865, the decree was finally settled and entered. Appeals from
it were prosecuted to the Supreme Court both by the United States and
by the city; by the United States from the whole decree, and by
the city from so much of it as included certain reservations in the
estimate of the quantity of land confirmed.
In October following I proceeded as usual to Washington to attend the
then approaching term of the Supreme Court, and thought no more of
the case until my attention was called to it by a most extraordinary
circumstance. Just before leaving San Francisco Mr. Rulofson, a
photographer of note, requested me to sit for a photograph, expressing
a desire to add it to his gallery. I consented, and a photograph of a
large size was taken. As I was leaving his rooms he observed that he
intended to make some pictures of a small size from it, and would
send me a few copies. On the morning of the 13th of January following
(1866), at Washington, Mr. Delos Lake, a lawyer of distinction in
California, at one time a District Judge of the State, and then
District Attorney of the United States, joined me, remarking, as he
did so, that the arrival of the California steamer at New York had
been telegraphed, and he hoped that I had received some letters for
him, as he had directed his letters to be forwarded to my care.
Pages:
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178