USA > Florida > Historical sketches of colonial Florida > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
The United States, without formally disavow- ing Jackson's conduct, signified its readiness to
260
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
restore Pensacola and St. Marks whenever a Spanish force presented itself to receive the sur- render. In September, 1819, such a force ap- pearing at Pensacola, the town and Barrancas were immediately evacuated by the American troops. And thus ended the government estab- lished by Jackson, after it had existed fourteen months, during which it was administered to the satisfaction of the inhabitants of the Province.
With the troops there came as governor Don José Maria Callava, knight of the military order of Hermenegildo, who, in 1811, had won the cross of distinction for gallant conduct in the battle of Almonacid, one of the many fiercely fought battles of the Peninsula war.
The advent of the Spaniards seemed to be in- consistent with the fact that, on the twenty- second of the previous February, a treaty had been entered into between Secretary Adams and Don Louis de Onis, the Spanish minister for the cession of the Floridas. But it was subject to the ratification of both governments, and, though ratified by the United States, it had not been acted upon by Spain. At first the re-occu-
261
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
pation might have been considered a matter of form, in which a sensitive government consulted its dignity by placing itself in a condition to make a voluntary surrender of territory for a consideration, instead of appearing to submit to a conquest. But, as time rolled on without a ratification of the treaty by Spain, the re-occu- pation of Pensacola seemed to point to her determination . to permanently retain the Floridas.
It was believed, at the time the treaty was negotiated, that Jackson's bold action had done more to bring it about than Mr. Adams' diplo- matic skill, a belief for which there was an apparent foundation in the delay of Spain to ratify it after the pressure of his conquest was removed.
No instance in the life of that great man more strikingly illustrates than these transactions the beneficent working of that imperious will, to which he made everything bend that stood in the way to the attainment of what he con- ceived a patriotic end.
The necessity for the campaign of 1814, as well as that which he had just closed, convinced
-------
262
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
him that Florida, as a Spanish colony, would be a constant menace to the peace and security of the border settlements of Alabama and Georgia, not so much from the hostility of the Spanish as their inability to control the restless and war-like Seminoles. He saw, too, the necessity of making Spain sensible of her obli- gation to exercise the necessary restraint upon her savage subjects, and at the same time to make her fully realize the large and onerous military establishment it would be necessary to maintain in Florida to accomplish that object. The articles of capitulation brought the United States and Spain face to face upon this question. It impressed upon the former the imperative necessity of securing a permanent cession, and it compelled the latter to count the cost in- volved in fulfilling the condition by which only the provisional cession could be nullified.
A study of the correspondence between Masot and Jackson, whilst the latter was still east of the Appalachicola river, creates the impression that the reason assigned by Jackson for his ex- pédition to Pensacola was but a pretext, and that the real motive was made manifest by the
263
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
articles of capitulation-a provisional cession, as the first step to a permanent cession. He was unsustained by his government openly, at least, he was censured by a congressional com- mittee and denounced by the press, but he soon found his vindication in public opinion, en- lightened by subsequent events.
Masot, the other chief actor in these transac- tions, had been appointed governor of West Florida in November, 1816, and, as we have seen, his official term ended with the capitula- tion of the twenty-seventh of May, 181S. Shortly afterwards he left Pensacola for Havana in the cartel Peggy, one of the vessels provided by Jackson to carry the Spanish governor to the latter place. The Peggy was overhauled by an armed vessel under the "Independent Flag," as the ensign of Spain's revolted South Ameri- can colonies was called. No lives were taken, nor was the Peggy made a prize, for she was an American, but the Spaniards were robbed. Masot had with him eight thousand dollars in coin, which he had concealed. A slight suspen- sion by the neck, however, as a hint of a higher and more fatal one, wrung from him the hiding-
264
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
place of his treasure, which he lost, but saved his life." The Peggy was overhauled by the "Independent Flag," during a voyage to Havana from Campeachy, whither she had taken refuge from what was supposed to be a piratical vessel.
During Masot's administration there occurred a transaction which occupied a place in the in- vestigations of the special committee of the senate of the United States, appointed, in 1818, to inquire into and report upon the occurrences of the Seminole war of that year, prominent amongst them the capture of St. Marks and Pensacola. Thecommittee condemned all Jack- son's proceedings and seem to have even harbored the suspicion that a land speculation prompted him to exact a cession of the latter place. The circumstances which induced the suspicion are detailed in an affidavit of General John B. Eaton, afterwards secretary of war under Jackson and governor of Florida, which appears amongst the documents accompanying the report of the committee .;
------
* Niles' Weekly Register, Vol. XV., p. 261.
¡ Niles' Weekly Register, Vol. XV., p. 88.
:金
٠٠
265
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
It seems that, in 1817, Eaton and James Jackson of Nashville-nowise related to General Jackson-foreseeing that Florida was to be ac- quired by the United States, resolved to make a purchase of lots in Pensacola and lands in its vicinity. To them were afterwards added six associates, John McCrae, James Jackson, Jr., John C. McElmore, John Jackson, Thomas Childress and John Donelson, who was a nephew of Mrs. Jackson. Donelson and a Mr. Gordon were appointed to proceed to Pensacola to make the purchases. As a measure of security to Donelson and Gordon, Eaton applied to General Jackson and obtained for them a letter of introduction to Masot. Provided with this letter, which facilitated their operations, Donel- son and Gordon went to Pensacola and fulfilled their mission by buying a large number of un- improved town lots, sixty acres of land adjoin- ing the town and a tract on the bay two or three miles to the westward.
Eaton says: General Jackson had no interest in the speculation, nor was he consulted respect- ing it, his only connection with it being the letter to Masot. As there is no allusion to the
:
266
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
transaction in the report of the committee, they must have concluded that the suspicion which prompted the search for evidence respecting it was unfounded. Such at least must be the just conclusion from the silence in respect to the matter observed by a document so full of pointed condemnation of Jackson's acts, of the manner in which his army was raised and the officers commissioned by himself, the executions of Arbuthnot and Ambrister, the capture of St. Marks and Pensacola, the establishment of a. provisional government, the extension of the revenue laws of the United States over the conquered province, and the appointments for it of a governor and a collector of the customs.
267
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Treaty Ratified-Jackson Appointed Provisional Governor -Goes to Pensacola-Mrs. Jackson in Pensacola- Change of Flags-Callava Imprisoned-Territorial Gov- ernment-Governor Duval-First Legislature Meets at Pensacola.
ALTHOUGH the United States was unremit- ting in its efforts to induce Spain to ratify the treaty of cession, her ratification was post- poned from time to time under various pretexts. Prominent English journals having declared, that if Florida was ceded to the United States, Great Britian, in order to maintain her influence in the Gulf of Mexico, should insist upon a surrender to her of the Island of Cuba, public opinion in the United States settled down to the conclusion that the delay of the ratification was due to British intrigue. But, that this opinion was ill founded, is evident from President Monroe's message of the seventh of December, 1819, in which he says : "In the .
268
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
course which the Spanish government has on this occasion thought proper to pursue, it is satisfactory to know that they have not been countenanced by any European power. On the - contrary, the opinion and wishes of both France and Great Britain have not been withheld either from the United States or Spain, and have been unequivocal in favor of ratification."
The procrastination of Spain was the occa- sion of intense public feeling in the United States; which at length formally manifested itself on March 8, 1820, in a resolution reported by the committee of Foreign Relations of the House of Representatives, to authorize the Pres- ident to take possession of West Florida. Patience, however, prevailed, and on February 19, 1821, the ratification took place.
General Jackson was shortly afterwards ap- pointed Provisional Governor of Florida, and instructed to proceed to Pensacola with a small military force, to receive from the Spanish authorities a formal surrender of West Florida. On April 18, he left the Hermitage, with Mrs. Jackson and his adopte1 son, Andrew Jackson
...
:
269
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
Donelson, to enter upon the long, tedious jour- ney to Pensacola, via New Orleans.
A stage of the journey in Southern Alabama, brought him to a military post, in the neighbor- hood of which, William Weatherford, the Creek hero, resided. At the suggestion of General Jackson, Colonel Brooke, the commandant of the Post, and his host, invited Weatherford to dine with his conqueror. The invitation was accepted. When the Great Chief appeared, Jackson cordially met him, and taking him by the hand, presented him to Mrs. Jackson as "the bravest man in his tribe."
Coming into Florida early in July, on reach- ing what was then known as the Fifteen Mile House, now as Gonzalia, where Mr. Manuel Gonzalez then had his cattle ranch, the General spent several days with him. Whilst there, hearing of the approach of his troops, accom- panied by Mr. Gonzalez, he went up the road to meet them. Coming to a creek, they saw the wagons of several up-country traders stuck in the mud, which the latter, for lack of suffi- cient force, were making ineffectual attempts to move. On the other side of the branch were
270
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
several men lying on the ground, and horses grazing near them. Accosting the men who were tugging at the wheels of a wagon, Jackson said, "Why don't you get those men across the branch to help you?" "Oh! they say they are General Jackson's staff." "Well," said he, "I am General Jackson himself, and by the eternal, I will help you!" And with those words, dis- mounting from his horse, and throwing off his coat, he lustily put his shoulder to the wheel.
Upon the arrival of the troops at the Fifteen Mile House, headquarters were established, and remained there until all the arrangements were made for a formal change of government.
Mrs. Jackson, however, took up her residence at Pensacola two or three weeks before July 17, when the change of flags was to take place. During the Sundays which preceded the change, Mrs. Jackson, who was an eminently pious woman, cherishing great reverence for the Sab- bath, was greatly scandalized by the manner in which it was dishonored. Shops did more business on that day than any other. It was a day of public gambling, fiddling, dancing, and boisterous conduct. When the last Sunday of
271
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
Spanish rule came, seemingly because the last, the fiddling, dancing, noise and confusion, ex- ceeded that of any preceding one. Unable to restrain her pious indignation, Mrs. Jackson vented it in a protest against the Sabattic Sat- urnalia, made through Major Staunton, with the emphatic announcement that the next Sunday should be differently spent.
In anticipation of the change of government, there was a large influx of people from the States, induced by the great expectations enter- tained of the future of Pensacola; a future in which it was confidently predicted, it was to be the rival of New Orleans. Many persons also came expecting official appointments from the new Governor, but who, greatly to his chagrin, as welearn from Mrs. Jackson's letters, were dis- appointed, in consequence of the President him- self making the appointments.
At length the sun arose upon the day when its beams were for the last time to bathe in light the ancient banner of Castile and Aragon, as the emblem of the sovereignty of these shores. In the early morning appeared in the Public Square the Spanish Governor's guards,
272
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF .
handsomely dressed and equipped, consisting of a full company of dismounted dragoons of the regiment of Tarragona. After a parade, they fell into line south of the flag staff, extend- ing from east to west in front of the Govern- ment House, which stood on the north-east cor- ner of Jefferson and Sargossa streets. At eight o'clock there marched down Palafox street a battalion of the Fourth Infantry, and a com- pany of the Fourth United States Artillery, coming from their camp at Galvez Springs, which filing into the Square, formed a line opposite the Spanish guards, and north of the flag staff. Precisely at ten o'clock, General Jackson and his staff, entering the Square, passed amid salutes from the Spanish and American troops, between their lines to the Government House, where Governor Callava awaited him for the purpose of executing the documentary formali- ties of the cession. As the first sign that this act was performed, the Spanish sergeant guard at the gate was relieved by an American sen- tinel. General Jackson and Governor Callava then left the house, and passed between the double line of troops. As they reached the flag
273
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
staff the Spanish flag came down, and the stars and stripes went up, saluted by the Fourth Artil- lery and the sloop-of-war Hornet, whilst her band, assisting at the ceremony, played the Star Spangled Banner.
At Barrancas the ceremony was slightly different. The flags of both nations appeared at the same time at half-mast. In that posi- tion they were saluted by the Spaniards. As the flags were separated, one ascending and the other descending, both were honored with a salute by the Americans.
The day was naturally one of rejoicing to the Americans, but as naturally one of sadness and in some instances of heart aches to the Spanish population. The advantages of being under the United States government were too great not to be appreciated by owners of real estate and business men generally. But there was a sentimental side to the change. Some of the Spanish garrison had married in Pensacola, and with others the inhabitants had formed social ties, induced by a common language, habits and tastes, To them it can well be im- agined that the change of flags was but the
274
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
presage of bitter separations. In 1763 all the Spanish left the country, and in a common exile mutual consolation was found; but, in 1821, the sorrow was that a part went and a part remained to mingle with a strange people. Mrs. Jackson, in a letter, thus expresses the emotions of the occasion: "Oh! how they burst into tears to see the last ray of hope de- part from their devoted city and country-de- livering up the keys of the archives-the vessels lying in the harbor in full view to waft them to their distant port. How did the city sit solitary and mourn. Never did my heart feel more for a people. Being present, I entered immediately into their feelings."
The Sunday following the change was, ac- cording to Mrs. Jackson's prediction, one of quietude and freedom from the license of previous ones, which had so shocked her :religious sensibilities. She thus expresses the (change: "Yesterday I had the happiness of witnessing the truth of what I had said. Great order was observed, the doors kept shut, the gambling houses demolished, fiddling and danc- ing not heard any more on the Lord's day,
1
--
--------
275
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
cursing not to be heard." For the change the lovers of Sunday quietude were doubtless indebted to Mrs. Jackson, for her prediction is not to be taken as that of a prophetess who merely foresees and foretells, but that of a woman with a will of her own, and conscious of her ability to direct the stern governor in the exercise of his authority, at least outside of politics.
The next morning after the change of flags, the Spanish officers and garrison sailed for. Havana in the transports Anne Maria and Tom Shields, under convoy of the United States sloop-of-war Hornet.
Governor Callava and staff, however, re- mained in Pensacola, where his handsome person, polished manners, soldierly bearing and high character made him a general favorite with the American officers and their families, who extended to him every social courtesy. General and Mrs. Jackson, however, were distant and reserved in their bearing towards him, resulting in some measure from a prejudice against Span- ish officials induced by the general's experience with Maurique and Masot. Perhaps, too, there
276
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
mingled with that prejudice a slight feeling of jealousy of Callava's social success, a weakness from which strong characters, under the insinu- ation of others, are not exempt.
There soon occurred, however, a painful inter- ruption of the gallant Spaniard's social enjoy- ment-so graceful an attendant of the change of government -- by an occurrence which must be regarded as a lasting reproach to its authors.
The treaty required the Spanish government to surrender all documents relating to private rights in the archives of the province. This duty had been performed by Callava, who had caused a separation to be made between the documents falling within the definition of the treaty and others which did not, and had de- livered the former to Alcalde H. M. Brackenridge, an appointee of the American governor. The latter papers, packed in boxes for transporta- tion to Havana, were placed in the custody of Doningo Sousa, one of Callava's subordinates. In the separation of the papers, one relating to the estate of Nicholas Maria Vidal, involving a trifling sum, was by accident placed with the
277
COLONIAL FLORIDA
documents in one of the boxes in Sousa's pos- session.
A womanclaiming to be an heir of Vidal com- plained to Brackenridge that the paper had not · been delivered to him and was about to be removed to Havana by Sousa. Brackenridge, instead of politely calling Callava's attention to the woman's complaint and asking for a sur- render of the document, at once made a pre- emptory demand for it upon Sousa. Sousa properly declined compliance, alleging his want of authority to do so without instructions from Callava, and at the same time, to relieve himself from responsibility in the matter, sent the boxes to Callava's house. Brackenridge at once reported the matter to Jackson, who ordered Sousa to beimprisoned, and at the same time Callava to be arrested and brought before him immediately, although it was night and Callava was at the time at a dinner party at Col- onel Brooke's. When the knightly Castilian was brought before Jackson, he naturally proposed to enter a protest against such astonishing proceedings. This Jackson would not permit, but insisted that Callava should at once answer
278
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
interrogatories to be propounded to him. Cal- lava's persistent attempts to protest were as persistently interrupted by Jackson, until at last the latter, in a rage of passion, ordered him to be imprisoned, an order which was promptly executed by commiting him to the calaboose, where Sousa had preceded him. This outrage committed, Alcalde Brackenridge, as if deter- mined to leave no bounds of decency unviolated, had the boxes at Callava's house opened that night and took from one of them the worthless paper-worthless at least to theclaimant-that had occasioned the trouble.
For this disgraceful transaction Brackenridge is primarily responsible. He was an intelligent lawyer, afterwards a judge, and later a member of Congress from Pennsylvania; and therefore, presumably acquainted with the decencies, to say nothing of the amenities of official inter- course. He was likewise well acquainted with Jackson's prejudices and irascible temper, as well as what a fire-brand to his nature were the wrongs, whether real or simulated, ofa woman. In the light of these considerations, Bracken- ridge must stand condemned, as either a wilful
279
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
mischief-maker, or a wily sycophant, playing from selfish motives, upon the weaknesses of a great man.
But neither Jackson's greatness, nor his being the dupe of Brackenridge, can remove from him the reproach of having in this transaction vio- lated official courtesy, the chivalrous con- sideration due by one distinguished soldier to another, as well as the laws of international comity and hospitality.
A writ of Habeas Corpus was issued by Hon. Elijias Fromentin, U. S. Judge for West Florida, to bring before him Callava and Sousa, on the night they were committed. Obedience to the writ was refused by the guard, who sent it to the Governor. Thereupon, His Excellency issued a notice to the Judge to appear before him, "to show cause why he has attempted to interfere with my authority as Governor of the Floridas, exercising the powers of the Captain-General and Intendant of the Island of Cuba." The Judge prudently delayed his appearance until the next day, in order to allow the Governor time to cool; but in the meantime remained in momentary expectation of a guard to take
280
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
him to jail. The affair, however, ended in a stormy interview, in which to the Governor's question, whether the Judge "would dare to issue a writ to be served on the Captain-Gen- eral," the latter replied, "No, but if the case should require it, I would issue one to be served on the President of the United States."
After the troublesome paper was procured by Brackenridge, an order was made for the release of Callava. A few days after his release he left Pensacola for Washington to make his com- plaints to the United States government.
Some of the Spanish officers whom he had left in Pensacola, published after his departure, a paper expressing their sense of the outrage to which he had been subjected. This being regard- ed by Jackson as an attempt "to disturb the harmony, peace and good order of the existing government of the Floridas," the protesting Spaniards were by proclamation ordered to leave the country by the third of October, allow- ing them four days for preparation, "on pain of being dealt with according to law, for contempt and disobedience of this, my proclamation."
A tragedy occurred during Jackson's rule,
----
-
281
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
which illustrates his lack of tenderness of human life. With full knowledge of the affair, he permitted a duel to be fought in a pubhc place by two young officers, Hull and Randall. When he was informed that the former had fallen, shot through the heart, pistol in hand, with the trigger at half-cock, he angrily ex- claimed: "Damn the pistol; by G-d, to think that a brave man should risk his life on a hair- trigger !"
Jackson's bearing generally, and especially his summary dealings with Callava and Sousa, had inspired the population with great fear of his despotic temper. Of that feeling there oc- curred a ludicrous illustration. An alarm of fire brought a crowd to the Public Square, which was near the fire. General Jackson also hurried to the scene. To stir the lookers-on to exertion, he made a yelling appeal. The crowd not understanding English, and thinking it had heard a notice to disperse, took to its heels, and left the General the sole occupant of the Square.
Mrs. Jackson was a domestic woman, and better satisfied to have her husband at home,
1
282
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
·
than to see him in exalted stations requiring his absence from the Hermitage. Whilst in Pensacola, she pined for that dear spot; and it is, evidently, with joy, that she announced in a letter to a friend, that the General calls his coming to Florida, "a wild goose chase, " and that he proposed an early return. In October they returned to Tennessee.
That a man of his estate and political pros- pects, should have accepted, to fill for a few months, the office of Governor of a wilderness, with a salary of $5,000, admits of only one ex- planation. His recent campaign had been so severely condemned, that he regarded the ten- der of the appointment by Mr. Monroe, as hav- ing the semblance, at least, of a national apol- ogy for the injustice which he had suffered, and accordingly he accepted it in the spirit in which it was tendered. In a word, he filled the office, because filling it would be a vindication of his conduct in the campaign of 1818.
On the third of March, 1822, congress established a territorial government for both the Floridas as one territory. The first gov- ernor under the territorial organization was
283
COLONIAL FLORIDA.
W. P. Duval of Kentucky, who had represented a district of that state in congress, and who was the original of Washington Irving's Ralph Ringwood. He resided, temporarily, in Pensa- cola, where the legislative council of thirteen, appointed by the President, held its first session. It had hardly begun its work, however, when the yellow fever breaking out compelled an ad- journment to the Fifteen-mile house, before mentioned, where the Florida statutes of 1822 were enacted. One of them illustrates the vice or virtue there may be in a name. The title of "An Act for the Benefit of Insolvent Debtors," was misprinted in the laws of the session so as to read: "An Act for the Relief of Insolent Debtors." The error destroyed its utility, and no man, it is said, as long as it remained on the statute book, ever invoked the relief of its pro- visions.
The limit assigned to these historical sketches has now been reached. The space that inter- venes between the visit of the luckless Navaez to Pensacola bay and the establishment of the territorial government of Florida embraces a period of nearly three hundred years. The
· 284
SKETCHES OF COLONIAL FLORIDA.
changes and shifting scenes which, during that period, marked the history of the settlements on its shores, stand in contrast with the persistency of the arbitrary boundary line of the Perdido, established by the mutual consent of the Spanish and French in the early years of the eighteenth century. Disturbed by the English dominion for twenty years, it was restored by the Span- ish, and finally confirmed in 1822 by the act of congress establishing a territorial government for the Floridas.
In 1820 the constitutional convention of Alabama, in anticipation of the ratification of the Spanish treaty, memorialized congress to embrace West Florida within the boundaries of that state. The memorial enforced the measure with all those obvious arguments which come to the mind when it turns to the subject. But they were silenced, as if by the imperious decree of fate that the Perdido boundary should be, and forever remain, a monument of d' Arriola's diligence in reaching the Gulf coast three years before d' Iberville.
---
197.14
5156
C
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.