The journals are the official records of the proceedings of the Commons House of Assembly. The Commons House met either according to the Governor's prorogation or according to the adjournment of the Commons House as ordered by the Speaker. The journals contain information concerning the reading of the minutes from the previous meeting; the names of the House members - also referred to as esquires; the reading of bills and resolutions; reports from the standing committees of the Commons House - the Committee for Preparing Bills, the Committee for Grievances and Complaints, the Committee on Public Accounts, the Committee of the Whole, and the Committee on Privileges and Elections; speeches; petitions; rules; and other information which depicts the functions of the government of British West Fla. Also included are the names of the members who presented the bills, petitions, speeches, and complaints, and the names of the Governor and Speaker of the Commons House. The bills that were submitted generally deal with public welfare, for example the clearing of the streets of Pensacola of vagrants, or with trade. The bulk of the journals deal with the period of 1767-1771.
