Stephen Johnson Field

“ We assert they are to be found in a row of hills arising a short distance from the mouth of Alder Creek, at its junction with the American River, and running thence in a southerly or southeasterly direction towards the Cosumnes River, the next stream which flows westward from the Sierra Nevada.
We shall be met with the objection that we have no right to look into this matter at all; that under the circumstances, we are confined to such description of the land as is given in the decree of the land commission, and that from its decree the Hays survey may be constructed. ”

“ It is the duty of the one who comes here for confirmation of a land claim, not only to establish the validity of his title to some land, but also to point out the land, and identify it with the tract conceded him by the former government of California. It is enough for us to show that the land claimed is not that which was in contemplation of the granting power. It is not for the government to show how the land should be located ”

“ It is evident that the location cannot be extended beyond these assigned boundaries. There is also a terminus towards the east, beyond which the location cannot be extended, because the titles made by the granting power went to further. This is the line of the 'lomerias.' It would not matter even if Leidesdorff had expressly asked for land beyond these bounds, for we are to seek not what he desired to get, but what the governor chose to give. ”