No. 417.
Mr. Sickles to Mr. Fish.
United
States Legation to Spain.
Madrid, November 20,
1871. (Received December 12.)
No. 368.]
Sir: I have the satisfaction to forward to you
herewith for your information a copy of an address recently presented to
the King by deputies from Porto Rico, in which it will be observed that,
for themselves and in behalf of their constituents, they express very
earnestly the desire that slavery may be speedily and effectually
abolished in that province. This action was almost immediately followed
by the presentation of a bill to the Cortes providing for the
emancipation, within six months after the passage of the act, of all
slaves in Porto Rico; indemnity to the owners not to exceed seven
millions of dollars, to be raised-and paid by the colony.
It is unfortunate that the suspension and probable dissolution of the
congress postpones action on this excellent proposal.
It is said that the Cuban slave-holders, anticipating the vigorous
agitation of this question during the recently interrupted session, are
represented here by zealous and able agents, provided with ample means
to obtain aid in the press as well as in the legislature, to defeat the
passage of any further measure of enfranchisement. It is at least
certain that a league of Madrid and provincial journals has been formed
with the avowed object of opposing the “filibusters and
internationalists,” and it is believed that the real business of this
association is to maintain slavery in the Antilles at all hazards and at
whatever cost.
I am, &c.,
[Page 551]
[Inclosure 1 in No.
368.—Translation.]
[From the Diario
Politico, November 4,
1871.]
The progressive democratic deputies and senators from Porto
Rico-called yesterday to pay their respects to His Majesty the King,
by whom they were received with characteristic affability. Mr.
Acosta, in the name of all his companions, addressed the King as
follows:
“Sir: After so many years which have
elapsed since the island of Porto Rico has enjoyed the high honor of
being represented in the council-chambers of the nation, now that it
has been happily re-instated, as a consequence of the September
revolution in this ancient and precious right, and that the throne
of St. Ferdinand and Isabel the Catholic is worthily occupied by
Your Majesty, the liberal and reform senators and deputies of that
province think that they are performing a duty in coming to offer.
Your Majesty the expression of their most profound respect, and in
giving you a new and solemn evidence of the earnest adhesion of
Porto Rico both to our common country and to the dynasty of Your
Majesty.
“This profession is loyal and sincere, because the peaceable and
order-loving people of Porto Rico hope, by maintaining the closest
union with the mother country and with Your Majesty’s dynasty to see
their most constant and earnest aspirations speedily realized, to
live in perfect political harmony with the other provinces of the
monarchy under the œgis of the democratic constitution of 1869, and
radically to exterminate the unfortunate and abominable institution
of slavery.
“May the Almighty prolong Your Majesty’s precious life for many
years, so that, continuing the glorious traditions of your august
father, you may succeed, through liberty, in drawing ever closer the
bonds of love and fraternity which should unite all the sons of the
noble Spanish nation to which we belong.”
