RE-CESSION OF FLORIDA TO SPAIN--ERECTION OF THE PARISH CHURCH--CHANGE OF
FLAGS. 1783--1821.
In June, 1784, in fulfillment of the treaty between England and Spain,
Florida, after twenty years of British occupation, was re-ceded to the
Spanish Crown, and taken possession of by Governor Zespedez.
The English residents, in general, left[38] the country, and went either
to the Bahamas, Jamaica, or the United States. Those who went to the
British islands were almost ruined; but those who settled in the States
were more successful.
In April, 1793, the present Roman Catholic church was commenced, the
previous Church having been in another portion of the city.[39] It was
constructed under the direction of Don Mariana de la Rocque and Don P.
Berrio, government engineer-officers. The cost of the church was
$16,650, of which about $6,000 was received from the proceeds of the
materials and ornaments of the old churches, about $1,000 from the
contributions of the inhabitants, and the remaining $10,000 furnished by
the government. One of its four bells has the following inscription,
showing it to be probably the oldest bell in this country, being now 185
years old.
[Illustration: image of a cross]
Sancte Joseph.
Ora Pro Nobis.
D 1682.
Don Enrique White was for many years governor of Florida, and died in
the city of St. Augustine. He is spoken of by those who knew him, in
high terms, for his integrity and openness of character; and many
amusing anecdotes are related connected with his eccentricities.
In 1812, the American government, being apprehensive that Great Britain
designed obtaining possession of Florida, sent its troops into the
province, overrunning and destroying the whole country. The manner and
the pretenses under which this was done, reflect but little credit on
the United States government; and the transparent sham of taking
possession of the country by the patriots, supported by United States
troops, was as undignified as it was futile. It is for the damages
occasioned by this invasion, that the "Florida claims" for "losses" of
its citizens have been presented to the government of the United States.
The _principal_ of the damages sustained, that is to say, the actual
value of the property then destroyed, has been allowed and paid; but the
interest, or damages for the detention, has been withheld upon the
ground that the government does not pay interest. The treaty between the
United States and Spain in reference to the cession of Florida to the
United States, requires the United States to make _satisfaction_ for
such claims; and the payment of the bare amount of actual loss, after a
detention of thirty years, is considered by the claimants an inadequate
_satisfaction_ of a just claim.
In the spring of 1818, General Jackson made his celebrated incursion
into Florida, and by a series of energetic movements followed the
Seminoles and Creeks to their fastnesses, and forever crushed the power
of those formidable tribes for offensive operations.
In the latter part of 1817, a revolutionary party took possession of
Amelia Island, and raised a _soi disant patriot_ flag at Fernandina,
supported mainly in the enterprise by adventurers from the United
States; M'Gregor was assisted by officers of the United States army. An
expedition was sent from St. Augustine by the Spanish governor to eject
the invaders, which failed. One Aury, an English adventurer, for a time
held command there; and also a Mr. Hubbard, formerly sheriff of New
York, who was the civil governor, and died there. The United States
troops eventually interfered; but negotiations for the cession put a
stop to further hostilities.
The king of Spain, finding his possessions in Florida utterly worthless
to his crown, and only an expense to sustain the garrisons, while the
repeated attempts to disturb its political relations prevented any
beneficial progress towards its settlement, gladly agreed, in 1819, to a
transfer of Florida to the United States for five millions of dollars.
An English gentleman who visited St. Augustine in 1817, gives his
impressions of the place as follows: "Emerging from the solitudes and
shades of the pine forests, we espied the distant yet distinct lights of
the watch towers of the fortress of St. Augustine, delightful beacons to
my weary pilgrimage. The clock was striking ten as I reached the foot of
the drawbridge; the sentinels were passing the _alerto_, as I demanded
entrance; having answered the preliminary questions, the draw-bridge was
slowly lowered. The officer of the guard, having received my name and
wishes, sent a communication to the governor, who issued orders for my
immediate admission. On opening the gate, the guard was ready to receive
me; and a file of men, with their officer, escorted me to his
Excellency, who expressed his satisfaction at my revisit to Florida. I
soon retired to the luxury of repose, and the following morning was
greeted as an old acquaintance by the members of this little community.
"I had arrived at a season of general relaxation, on the eve of the
carnival, which is celebrated with much gayety in all Catholic
countries. Masks, dominoes, harlequins, punchinellos, and a great
variety of grotesque disguises, on horseback, in cars, gigs, and on
foot, paraded the streets with guitars, violins, and other instruments;
and in the evenings, the houses were open to receive masks, and balls
were given in every direction. I was told that in their better days,
when their pay was regularly remitted from the Havana, these amusements
were admirably conducted, and the rich dresses exhibited on these
occasions, were not eclipsed by their more fashionable friends in Cuba;
but poverty had lessoned their spirit for enjoyment, as well as the
means for procuring it; enough, however, remained to amuse an idle
spectator, and I entered with alacrity into their diversions.
"About thirty of the hunting warriors of the Seminoles, with their
squaws, had arrived, for the purpose of selling the produce of the
chase, consisting of bear, deer, tiger, and other skins, bears' grease,
and other trifling articles. This savage race, once the lords of the
ascendant, are the most formidable border enemies of the United States.
This party had arrived, after a range of six months, for the purpose of
sale and barter. After trafficking for their commodities, they were seen
at various parts of the town, assembled in small groups, seated upon
their haunches, like monkeys, passing round their bottles of _aque
dente_ (the rum of Cuba), their repeated draughts upon which soon
exhausted their contents; they then slept off the effects of
intoxication, under the walls, exposed to the influence of the sun.
Their appearance was extremely wretched; their skins of a dark, dirty,
chocolate color, with long, straight, black hair, over which they had
spread a quantity of bears' grease. In their ears, and the cartilages of
the nose, were inserted rings of silver and brass, with pendants of
various shapes; their features prominent and harsh, and their eyes had a
wild and ferocious expression.
"A torn blanket, or an ill-fashioned dirty linen jacket, is the general
costume of these Indians; a triangular piece of cloth passes around the
loins; the women vary in their apparel by merely wearing short
petticoats, the original colors of which were not distinguishable from
the various incrustations of dirt. Some of the young squaws were
tolerably agreeable, and if well washed and dressed would not have been
uninteresting; but the elder squaws wore the air of misery and
debasement.
"The garrison is composed of a detachment from the Royal regiment of
Cuba, with some _black_ troops; who together form a respectable force.
The fort and bastions are built of the same material as the houses of
the town, _coquina_. This marine substance is superior to stone, not
being liable to splinter from the effects of bombardment; it receives
and imbeds the shot, which adds rather than detracts from its strength
and security.
"The houses and the rear of the town are intersected and covered with
orange groves; their golden fruit and deep green foliage, not only
render the air agreeable, but beautify the appearance of this
interesting little town, in the centre of which (the square) rises a
large structure dedicated to the Catholic religion. At the upper end are
the remains of a very considerable house, the former residence of the
governor of this settlement; but now (1817), in a state of dilapidation
and decay, from age and inattention.
"At the southern extremity of the town, stands a large building,
formerly a monastery of Carthusian Friars, but now occupied as a barrack
for the troops of the garrison. At a little distance are four stacks of
chimnies, the sole remains of a beautiful range of barracks, built
during the occupancy of the British, from 1763 to 1783; for three years
the 29th regiment was stationed there, and in that time they did not
lose a single man. The proverbial salubrity of the climate, has obtained
for St. Augustine the designation of the Montpelier of Forth America;
indeed, such is the general character of the Province of East Florida.
"The governor (Copinger), is about forty-five years of age, of active
and vigorous mind, anxious to promote by every means in his power the
prosperity of the province confided to his command; his urbanity and
other amiable qualities render him accessible to the meanest individual,
and justice is sure to follow an appeal to his decision. His military
talents are well known, and appreciated by his sovereign; and he now
holds, in addition to the government of East Florida, the rank of
Colonel in the Royal Regiment of Cuba.
"The clergy consist of the _padre_ (priest of the parish), Father Cosby,
a native of Wexford, in Ireland; a Franciscan friar, the chaplain to the
garrison, and an inferior or cure. The social qualities of the _padre_,
and the general tolerance of his feelings, render him an acceptable
visitor to all his flock. The judge, treasurer, collector, and notary,
are the principal officers of the establishment, besides a number of
those devoted solely to the military occupations of the garrison. The
whole of this society is extremely courteous to strangers; they form one
family, and those little jealousies and animosities, so disgraceful to
our small English communities, do not sully their meetings of friendly
chit-chat, called as in Spain, _turtulias_. The women are deservedly
celebrated for their charms; their lovely black eyes have a vast deal of
expression; their complexions a clear brunette; much attention is paid
to the arrangement of their hair; at mass they are always well dressed
in black silk _basquinas_ (petticoats), with the little _mantilla_
(black lace veil) over their heads; the men in their military costumes;
good order and temperance are their characteristic virtues; but the vice
of gambling too often profanes their social haunts, from which even the
fair sex are not excluded. Two days following our arrival, a ball was
given by some of the inhabitants, to which I was invited. The elder
couples opened it with minuets, succeeded by the younger couples
displaying their handsome light figures in Spanish dances."[40]
The old inhabitants still speak in terms of fond regret of the place
when embowered in its orange groves, and the pleasantness of its old
customs and usages. Dancing formed one of their most common amusements,
as it does now. The posey dance, now become obsolete, was then of almost
daily occurrence, and was introduced in the following manner: The
females of the family erect in a room of their house a neat little
arbor, dressed with pots and garlands of flowers, and lit up brightly
with candles. This is understood by the gentleman as an invitation to
drop in and admire the beauty of their decorations. In the mean time,
the lady who has prepared it, selects a partner from among her visitors,
and in token of her preference, honors him with a bouquet of flowers.
The gentleman who receives the bouquet becomes then, for the nonce, king
of the ball, and leads out the fair donor as queen of the dance; the
others take partners, and the hall is thus inaugurated, and may continue
several successive evenings. Should the lady's choice fall upon an
unwilling swain, which seldom happened, he could be excused by assuming
the expenses of the entertainment. These assemblies were always
informal, and frequented by all classes, all meeting on a level; but
were conducted with the utmost politeness and decorum, for which the
Spanish character is so distinguished.
The carnival amusements are still kept up to some extent, but with
little of the taste and wit which formerly characterised them, and
without which they degenerate into mere buffoonery.
The graceful Spanish dance, so well suited in its slow and regular
movements to the inhabitants of a warm climate, has always retained the
preference with the natives of the place, who dance it with that native
grace and elegance of movement which seems easy and natural for every
one, but is seldom equaled by the Anglo-Saxon.