The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-07-18
THE CHANGE OF FLAGS.

there is doubt as to this being the logical city
for the celebration, provided the crowds can be
taken of after get them
The first definite step to secure the celebration
was taken at meeting of Wednesday, when it
decided to appoint twenty-five men as an
investigating committee, to look into the feast
bility of the project. Some criticism of The
Journal voiced on account of a recent edi-
torial in which attention was called to the fact
that if Pensacola is to hold such a celebration
something must be done, and at once, about the
housing problem. But that fact would seem to
be patent to anyone.
The Journal has never been opposed to the CEN
tennial celebration. On the contrary this paper
was the first to advocate such celebration. But
that agitation before the world war had
thrown back the building program to such an
extent
There could be no question in any mind but
that the celebration should be held in Pensacola
provided arrange to for the crowds,
and the movement to appoint a committee to
make Investigations and place this city's claims
before the centennial committee is a good one
Judge Campbell, in his Historical Sketches of
Colonial Florida says: Although the United
States unremitting in its efforts to induce
Spain to ratify the treaty of cession, her rati-
fication postponed from time to time under
/
having declared that if Florida was coded to the
United States, Great Britain in order to main
tain her influence in the Gulf of Mexico, should
insist upon surrender to her of the island of
Cuba, public opinion in the United States set
tied 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 Mcnroe's message of December, 1919, |
in which he says: In the which the
Spanish government has this occasion thought !!
proper to pursue, it is satisfactory to know that
they have not been countenanced by any Euro
pean 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 occas-
ion of intense public feeling in the United States
which at length formally manifested itself on
March, 1920, in a resolution reported by the /
committee of foreign relations of the house of
representatives, to authorize the president to
take possession of West Florida. Patience pre-
vailed, however, and on February 49, 1921, the +
ratification took place.
General J. Jackson was shortly afterward ap-
pointed provisional governor of Florida and in
structed to proceed to Pensacola with a small
military force, to receive from the Spanish au-
thorties formal surrender of West Florida
The change of flags took place on July IT.
Campbell says: eat length the sun arose upon
the day when its beams were for the last time
to battle in light the ancient banner of CASTLE !
and Aragon as the emblem of the sovereignty
of these shores. In the early morning appeared
in the public square the Spanish governors \
guards, handsomely dressed and equipped con.
sisting of full company of dismounted dragons (:
of the regiment of Tarragona. After a parade
they fell into line south of the flag staff, ex.
tending from east to west in front of the gov
eminent house, which stood on the northeast
corner of jefferson and Zarragossa streets. At
O'Clock there marched down PalafoX street
battalion of the Fourth Infantry, and com.
pany of the Fourth United States Artillery, COM
ing from their camp at Galvez Springs, which,
filing into the square, formed line opposite the
Spanish guards and north of the flag staff. Pre-
cisely at 10 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 Gov
Callava awaited him for the purpose of Is
executing the documentary formalities of the
cession. At the first sign that this act per-
formed, the Spanish sergeant at the gate was
relieved by American sentinel. General jack
son and Governor Callava then left the house
and passed between the double line of troops. AS
they reached the flag staff the Spanish flag :