The San Francisco call., 1896-07-05
HE saw THE.
FLTG RHISED
Meeting Of the Junta
at Nr. harkin's
House
HISTORIC NHR.RITIVE OF
CHPTHIN SWHSEY
The Most Critical Period in the
Turning Point of Califor-
Mas History, duly
7, 1916

ficiallv connected with the preliminaries
which led up to the occupation of Califor-
MIA by the Americans. He was present, in
a semi official capacity, at the raising of
the American flag at Monterey on July 7,
1876 His position was that of clerk to
Thomas o. Larkin, the United States Con-
sui at Monterey. This enabled him to
take part in the making of history. The
communications forwarded by Consul Lar
kin to the Department of State, then pre-
sided over by James Buchanan, who sub
sequently became President of the United
States were penned by Mr.. Swasey. These
communications informed the admlnlstra-
tion concerning the state of affairs and the
happenings in California, supplying the
basis for action.
Captain Swasey and W. P. Toler of
Oakland are supposed to be the only sur
vivors of the official party who were
gathered at Monterey when Commodore
Sloat's proclamation was read and the
American flag was raised. The following
account of what took place is thus told by
Mr.. Swasey, the narrative embracing also
the happenings Immediately preceding
the fiag-raising:
"Rumors were rife of the intention of
the leading Californians to throw off the
yoke of the Mexican Government and
seek protection under the flag of some
foreign power. The dominant sentiment
among the Californians was strongly in
favor of the English Government. In the
latter part OF March or early in April,
1916. a iunta, composed of the leading
Californians and citizens of alien birth.
met at the house of Mr.. Larkin. Among
those attending that meeting recall the
names of General NJ. G. Vallejo, Don
Pablo de la Guerra, General Jose Castro,
Don Jose Abrigo; W. E. P. Hartnell, an
Englishman, and David Spence, Scotch
man.
The meeting took place in a room
adjoining one occupied by me. who, being
anxious to know what was going on, lis
tened attentively to their proceedings,
from which 1 gathered distinctly that the
main subject OF their discussion was the
suggestion, or proposition, of throwing off
the trammels of the Mexican Government
and seeking protection of some foreign
flag. Several speeches were made mostly
in favor of England, but the meeting
finally wound up with speech
made by General Vallejo, the pur-
port of which was that when
the time had arrived when it should
be necessary for the WELL being of the Cali
fornians TO change their allegiance from
their mother country. he would be most
earnestly and emphatically in favor of ap-
pealing to the United States, or, as he fire.
quently termed it in his speech, La Grand
Republica del Norte,' upon which the
meeting broke up or adjourned without
taking definite action.
in the afternoon of July 2, 1876, Com
modore Sloat, on board the fr1gate Savan-
nah, entered the bay of Monterey The
sloops of war Levant and Cyane had been
lying there at anchor some days. The ar
rival Of Commodore Sloat created a sem
sation among the Americans, he being
flag officer OF the Pacific squadron. Vague
and mysterious whisperings of trouble in
Mexico had already been circulating and
it was hoped that he was in possession of
such knowledge as would justify him in
taking decided action, especially in view
OF the fact that the anti American feeling
among the prominent Californians and
the French, including their Consul, was
acrimonious and bitter. The expected ar
rival of large English man-of-war also
rendered the situation for the Americans
one of anxiety.
81 regard this as the most critical period
in the turning point of California's his
tory. Had Sir George Seymour arrived
before our flag was raised and entered a
protest similar to that of the French Con-
sui, backed, as it would have been, by the
Collingwood, a line-of-battle ship equal
In force to that OF our whale squadron then
present, / venture the assertion that our
flag would not have been raised by Com
modore Sloat. 1t is upon record that the
English Admiral said to Commodore Sloat
on receiving him: 'Sloat, if your flag was
not flying on shore l would have hoisted
mine there
'Tne morning of Tuesday, July 7. 1876
dawned most auspiciously. The sky
was without a cloud and the bav without
q ripple. The sun shone serenely, and all
nature seemed to have donned her love-
lest garb to welcome in an event that
would be fraught with consequence of
scarcely less Importance than any that
have occurred in the history of our
country during the present century.
About Z A M Captain Mervine came on
shore to make a peremptory demand for
tie surrender of the town. By most of
the inhabitants of the village had gath
cred near the custom-house, watching the
boats Assem- bled about the ships loaded
with men and arms. When the order
was gwen and they advanced to the shore.
preserving perfect alignment. it was
magnificent sight that no American pres
en-. VIII ever forget.
"On landing the marines Immediately
surrounded the custom-house and flag
staff Midshipman w. P. Toler was the
officer selected 70 hoist the flag. AS the
glorious flag gracefully rose and the gentle
breeze revealed its lustrous stars and
luminous stripes, amid the booming of
cannon and strains of martial music l
turned to look into the faces of my Ameri-
can friends and found their eyes were as
dim as my own"
Captain Swasey, after an adventurous
career as trader, merchant, hunter and
trapper, arrived in California, overland,
at Suffers Fort, September % 1916. He
remained for time in clerical position
at the fort and then came to San Fran
n