On the evening of the third of October, it having been announced that Commodore Stockton would land on the fifth, a public meeting of the citizens was called by the alcalde, for the purpose of adopting suitable arrangements for his reception, in his civic capacity as governor.  The meeting was convened in the plaza (Portsmouth Square).  Colonel Russell was appointed chairman, and on motion of E. Bryant a committee was appointed to make all necessary and suitable arrangements for the reception of his excellency, Governor Stockton.  The following account of this pageant I extract from the “California” newspaper of October 24th, 1846.

“Agreeable to public notice, a large number of the citizens of San Francisco and vicinity assembled in Portsmouth Square for the purpose of meeting his excellency Robert F. Stockton, to welcome his arrival, and offer him the hospitalities of the city.  At ten o’clock, a procession was formed, led by the Chief Marshal of the day, supported on either hand by two aids, followed by an excellent band of music—­a military escort, under command of Captain J. Zeilen, U.S.M.C.—­Captain John B. Montgomery and suite—­Magistracy of the District, and the Orator of the day—­Foreign Consuls—­Captain John Paty, Senior Captain of the Hawanian Navy—­Lieutenant-Commanding Ruducoff, Russian Navy, and Lieutenant-Commanding Bonnett, French Navy.  The procession was closed by the Committee of Arrangements, captains of ships in port, and a long line of citizens.

“General Mariano Guadaloupe Vallejo, with several others who had held office under the late government, took their appropriate place in the line.

“The procession moved in fine style down Portsmouth Street to the landing, and formed a line in Water Street.  The Governor-General landed from his barge, and was met on the wharf by Captain John B. Montgomery, U.S.N., Judge W.A.  Bartlett, and Marshal of the day (Frank Ward), who conducted him to the front of the line, and presented him to the procession, through the orator of the day, Colonel Russell, who addressed the commodore.”

When the governor and commander-in-chief had closed his reply, the procession moved through the principal streets, and halted in front of Captain Leidesdorff’s residence, where the governor and suite entered, and was presented to a number of ladies, who welcomed him to the shores of California.  After which a large portion of the procession accompanied the governor, on horseback, to the mission of San Francisco Dolores, several miles in the country, and returned to an excellent collation prepared by the committee of arrangements, at the house of Captain Leidesdorff.  After the cloth was removed, the usual number of regular toasts, prepared by the committee of arrangements, and numerous volunteer sentiments by the members of the company, were drunk with many demonstrations of enthusiasm, and several speeches were made.  In response to a complimentary toast, Commodore Stockton made an eloquent