The San Francisco call., 1896-07-08

| United States takes in this occasion. Ii
Commodore Sloat were here to-day no one
! would be more surprised than he at the
assembled multitude he would see before
him.
I'VE are here to do honor to him to-day
| and those brave veterans who made it pos
sible for the flag which he raised Our
hag-to continue to float forever from that
pole upon which he raised it upon that
day.
Little did Commodore Sloat dream of
the great importance this Nation of the
| land that he declared on that day por-
tion OF the United States of America.
The Government at Washington, my
| friends, almost condemned him for the act
| which he then committed claiming that
the territory which he had acquired by his
| act was not worth the sacrifice that it
cost, nor the sacrifice that would be re-
qIired to maintain it as a portion of
the United States of America. But
| within a few short years the hills and
! gulches of California gave forth her
millions of riches, gold that even Com
modore Sloat did not suspect lay hidden
there. During the great strug lie for the
! existence of this Government and to main
tain the supremacy OF this flag no
| portion of the United States contributed
| so much to maintain the supremacy of the
Nation during that trying period as did
the territory acquired by Commodore
Sloat in raising that flag.
Comrades Of the Mexican War, we are
| here also to pay tribute to you; for, as l
said, by your gallant efforts it has been
possible for US to continue to allow that
| flag to float here over a portion OF the
] United States. We assure you that in
| times to come, as in the past, we shall do
everything to maintain that flag inviolate."
The flagship band played national airs,
and was joined by the people, whose
voices, attuned to patriotic feeling,
Aal
died away Rev. A. A. McAllister, u. S. N,
delivered prayer and all heads were
| bowed.
| J. B. Whittemore, grandson of Com
modore Sloat, read the proclamation of
J Sloat in taking possession of California
! by the United States half century ago
the one that was read at that time near
| the identical spot where Mr. Whittemore
! stood. The document in his hand was one
of the three original documents now
preserved by the Pioneers Society of San
| Francisco.
| Flag That Stirs Our Soul' in rich, strong
voice that made the rather plaintive air
seem quite inspiring.
| The president of the day said that the
most interesting character here to-day WAS
Mr.. Toler, the very man who years ago
! raised the American flag upon that pole.
A burst OF cheers greeted this statement.
| Presently the old man, still robust and
enthusiastic, pulled away on the ropes
across the street and the flag went up the
mast attached TO the customs-house.
As the Stars and Stripes began to unfold
| in the slight breeze everybody stood and
cheered. Then occurred scene the like
| of which may be seldom witnessed. Peo-
| pie went fairly wild. The spirit of pat
| riotism was contagious.
Hats and handkerchiefs were flung into
the air; military reserve was forgotten in
Ak@s k,~-- sc Il
| of men, women and children cheering and
cheering without restraint, with plaudits
rolling like the rumble of distant thunder,
| but they were eloquently expressive of
| victory.
AS the flag flew to the top of the mast
| smoke and flame were seen issuing from
| the two white ships of war anchored a few
hundred yards away. The air was flied
with riot of sounds, the crash of guns.
! multiplied in echoes, rising above the
strains of THE Star-spangled Banner" by
| Uncle Sans band.
It was touching sight to see
/ the venerable veterans of the Mexi-
can War behave like little boys
| let loose from school, and the children
clapping hands and uniting their weakly
voices, and the fair queens and the ladies
| singing bits of National songs, shaking
hands, waving handkerchiefs high over
! bead and even cheering with the men.
| Meanwhile the sailors stood at atten-
| ton, unmoved. while they saluted
Somebody voice at last was raised above
| the din.
"Three cheers for the American flag" it
| yelled, and three lusty and stirring cheers
were given, with tiger"
Then three cheers were proposed ard
given with great gusto in succession for
| Admiral Beardslee, for Sloat for the army
and navy, for the ladies, for the PhiIa-
| deIphia and for the Monadnock.
Through it all the sailors maintained
their accustomed reserve but at the men
tion of 1.-THE ladies" they yelled and waved
their cps after fashion that clearly in
dicated that they meant what they were
doing.
But the flag would not spread out. 1t
hung obstinately-laZily it seemed-by
the mast A sailor climbed the pole
scrambled upon the verandah roof and
released the stars and stripes.
When Sloat raised his flag the same
difficulty was met, and Edward Phillips,
midshipman of the United States ship
Cyane, climbed the pole and set it flutter-
ing in the free sunshine.
Phillips brother was present to-day and
was among those who remarked the
strange coincidence. Many of the old men
thought it was extraordinary while some
regarded it as meaningful.
The probability is that the commodore's
emblem was raised on the same side of the
AdcNs dn0 DCCA DlOWH against the
pole became tangled with the ropes, for
the days are much the same in Monterey
in July now as they were a half century
back.
From all sides of the throng there now
came cry for Toler. Put him on the
rooi" they shouted; "Put him on the
platform u "Toler, Toler. three cheers for
Tolerp'
The old man was hurried across the
street, but hardly had he reached the
speakers stand than he was raised by
dozen men upon the desk.
He bowed and bowed and appeared to
be deeply affected. 1t took some time for
the fervent, patriotic enthusiasm that
stirred the people to subside
What shall / say?" asked Toler turn
ing to the president of the day. "What
can 1 say?''
Anything; word to the people,"
II will say just a word, " said the veteran
sailor. He spoke briefly and was greeted
with applause, and all he could do was 10
look bewildered and overcome with a mul-
tit1de OF sensations as he doffed his hat
and retired.
4 II