Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1872, Part I

No. 433.
Mr. Sickles to Mr. Fish.

United States Legation in Spain,
Madrid, November 12, 1872.

No. 471.]

Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith some interesting information, respecting slavery in Cuba and Porto Rico, recently communicated to me by the colonial minister. I also inclose a copy of a private note to Mr. Gasset, pointing out the importance of obtaining periodical returns from Cuba as a means of ascertaining how far the emancipation act of 1870 answers its avowed purpose.

I transmit also a copy of the Gazette containing an official expression of the thanks of the King in recognition of the voluntary manumission of a number of slaves in Porto Rico. It is due to the present cabinet to state that it has inaugurated this method of giving public sanction and praise to such acts, which have before found no favor in the eyes of this government.

I am, &c.,

D. E. SICKLES.

[Inclosure A in No. 471.]

General table of the population of the island of Cuba for the year 1869, classified according to race, condition, and state in life, (married or single,) prepared in obedience to the order of His Highness the Regent of the Kingdom, dated February 1, 1870.

Districts.	White population.				Free colored population.				Colored slave population.				Total colored population.				Asiatic population	Grand total of population.
	Unmarried persons of both sexes.	Married.	Widowers and widows.	Total.	Unmarried persons of both sexes.	Married.	Widowers and widows.	Total.	Unmarried persons of both sexes.	Married.	Widowers and widows.	Total.	Unmarried persons of both sexes.	Married.	Widowers and widows.	Total		Unmarried persons of both sexes.	Married.	Widowers and widows.	Total
Bahia Honda	3,311	1,075	159	4,545	634	135	36	805	6,430	38	4	6,472	7,064	173	40	7,277	190	10,565	1,248	199	12,012
Bejucal	9,195	3,870	918	13,981	1,682	333	125	2,140	5,442	121	87	5,650	7,124	454	212	7,790	284	16,603	4,324	1,128	22,055
Cardenas	16,242	6,506	1,379	24,127	1,869	349	103	2,331	26,422	776	125	27,323	28,291	1,125	238	29,654	5,795	50,328	7,631	1,617	59,576
Cienfuegos	19,774	7,231	1,742	28,747	5,851	1,254	311	7,416	16,868	271	33	17,172	22,719	4,525	344	24,582	1,162	43,655	8,756	2,086	54,497
Colon	15,485	5,418	992	21,895	2,741	492	142	3,375	32,457	1,051	449	33,957	35,198	1,543	449	37,190	5,862	56,545	6,961	1,441.	64,947
Guanabacoa	10,047	3,921	795	14,763	4,155	551	303	5,019	4,445	69	35	4,549	8,600	620	348	9,568	271	18,918	4,541	1,143	24,602
Guanajay	12,275	4,373	761	17,409	2,380	451	126	2,957	14,872	996	270	16,138	17,252	1,447	396	19,095	1,072	30,599	5,820	1,157	37,576
Guines	20,569	8,457	1,219	30,245	3,807	594	198	4,599	23,470	1,089	2,082	27,361	27,277	1,683	3,000	31,960	2,382	50,228	10,140	4,219	64,587
Habana	102,936	26,160	3,308	132,404	38,174	5,787	1,405	45,366	27,273	2,007	639	29,919	65,447	7,794	2,044	75,285	4,007	172,390	33,954	5,352	211,696
Jarcuo	15,811	6,091	755	22,657	2,501	703	172	3,376	9,145	555	66	9,766	11,646	1,258	238	13,142	493	27,950	7,349	993	36,292
Matanzas	26,264	12,098	2,665	41,027	6,670	970	358	7,998	30,661	915	345	31,621	36,971	1,885	703	39,559	4,111	67,346	13,983	3,368	84,697
Pina del Rio	34,444	9,796	1,553	45,793	10,042	1,464	361	11,867	15,569	307	71	15,947	25,611	1,771	432	27,814	744	60,799	11,567	1,985	74,351
Remedies	22,836	8,552	1,118	32,006	4,717	925	253	5,895	9,154	194	77	9,425	13,871	1,119	330	15,320	1,998	38,205	9,671	1,448	49,324
Sagua la Grande	20,233	7,558	687	28,478	2,741	325	69	3,135	18,129	233	22	18,384	20,870	558	91	21,519	3,432	44,535	8,116	778	53,429
San Antonio	16,361	6,095	1,184	23,640	1,947	389	112	3,448	8,952	813	228	9,993	10,899	1,202	340	12,441	568	27,828	7,297	1,524	36,649
Santa Clara	26,407	9,311	1,171	36,889	7,863	2,031	363	10,257	6,930			6,930	14,793	2,031	363	17,187	326	41,526	11,342	1,534	54,402
San Cristobal	11,828	3,653	558	16,039	1,795	313	76	2,184	5,992	269	61	6’ 322	7,787	582	137	8,506	71	19,686	4,235	695	24,616
Sta. Ma. del Rosario	3,616	1,346	228	5,190	636	65	13	714	2,071	6	1	2,078	2,077	71	14	2,162	20	6,343	1,417	242	8,002
Santiago	7,844	4,252	454	12,550	1,685	570	144	2,399	3,909	857	181	4,947	5,594	1,427	325	7,346	254	13,692	5,679	779	20,150
Santo Espiritu	21,442	7,032	1,135	29,689	6,254	1,412	247	7,913	7,171	105		7,276	13,425	1,517	247	15,189	169	35,036	8,549	1,382	44,967
Trinidad	13,068	3,921	726	17,715	7,813	1,156	278	9,247	9,459	34		9,493	17,262	1,190	278	18,740	219	30,559	5,111	1,004	36,674
Tila de Pina	832	227	72	1,131	220	12	4	236	266			266	486	12	4	502	19	1,337	239	76	1,652
Total	430,320	146,913	23,577	600,840	116,177	20,281	5,219	141,677	284,787	10,706	5,496	300,989	400,274	30,987	10,573	441,834	33,449	864,673	177,930	34,150	1,076,753
Nuevitas	2,495	1,051	229	3,775	335	136	36	507	1,439	135	46	1,620	1,771	271	82	2,127	109	4,378	1,322	311	6,011
Puerto Principe	27,581	12,114	1,793	41,488	7,960	2,508	635	11,113	11,666	952	257	12,875	19,626	3,460	892	23,978	197	47,404	15,574	2,685	65,663
Tunas	2,687	595	89	3,371	2,043	344	64	2,451	389	4	1	394	2,432	348	65	2,845	34	5,153	943	154	6,250
Total	32,763	13,760	2,111	48,634	10,338	2,988	735	14,061	13,494	1,091	304	14,889	23,832	4,079	1,039	28,950	340	56,935	17,839	3,150	77,924
Baracoa	3,720	1,413	211	5,344	3,817	1,062	258	5,137	1,534	39	11	1,584	5,351	1,101	269	6,721		9,071	2,514	480	12,065
Bayamo	6,967	2,236	692	9,895	9,826	2,137	435	12,398	2,225	50	29	2,304	12,051	2,187	464	14,702	15	19,033	4,423	1,156	24,612
Cuba	14,473	6,433	1,081	23,037	26,612	8,328	2,259	37,199	26,246	1,1960	521	28,727	52,858	10,288	2,720	65,926	428	68,961	16,771	3,861	89,593
Guantanamo	4,013	15,473	255	5,148	3,982	986	258	5,226	8,509	22	5	8,536	12. 491	1,008	263	13,762	71	16,565	2,221	518	19,314
Holguin	29,111	12,523	1,159	42,793	5,733	1,445	273	7,451	3,751	100	22	3,873	9,484	1,545	295	11,324	52	38,647	14,068	1,454	54,169
Tiguani	9,390	3,206	446	13,042	2,834	960	231	4,015	909	38	19	566	3,343	988	250	4,581		12,733	4,194	696	17,623
Manzanillo	10,384	3,234	492	14,110	9,270	2,156	337	11,763	1,755	56	9	1,820	11,025	2,212	346	13,583	65	21,474	5,446	838	27,758
Total	79,058	30,308	4,336	113,702	62,074	17,064	4,051	83,189	44,529	2,265	616	47,410	106,603	19,329	4,057	130,589	631	186,494	49,637	9,003	245,134
																	34,420	1,107,950	245,406	46,455	1,399,811

recapitulation

	Unmarried	Married.	Widowers and widows.	Total.
White population	542,131	191,011	30,034	763,176
Free colored population	188,589	40,333	10,005,	238,927
Slave population	342,810	14,062	6,416	363,288
Asiatic population				34,420
Total	1,073,530	245,406	46,455	1,399,811

Augustin Genon.

Havana, May 29, 1870.

[Inclosure B in No. 471.]

province of porto rico.

Slavery returns for 1870 and 1871.

	Under 12 years.	From 12 to 60 years.	Total.
September, 1871.
Domestic servants:
Males	204	962	1,166
Females	81	3,677	3,758
Field hands:
Males	266	11,802	12,068
Females	209	8,127	8,336
Without occupation:
Males	3,747	52	3,799
Females	3,699	77	3,776
Total	8,206	24,697	32,903
Totals:
Males	4,217	12,816	17,033
Females	3,989	11,881	15,870
Total	8,206	24,697	32,903
July, 1872.
Domestic servants:
Males	43	990	1,033
Females	88	3,287	33,75
Field hands:
Males	176	11,572	11,748
Females	108	8,072	8,180
Without occupation:
Males	3,270	92	3,362
Females.	3,252	92	3,344
Total.	6,937	24,105	31,042
Totals:
Males	3,489	12,655	16,144
Females.	3,448	11,450	14,898
Total	6,937	24,105	31,042

comparison.

Census 1870	39,069	Census 1870	39,069
Census 1871	32,903	Census 1871	32,903
Census 1872	31,042
		Difference	6,166
White population 1869–70	346,437	Census 1871	32,903
Free colored, 1869–’70	270,822	Census 1872	31,042
		Difference	1,861

MADRID, October 1, 1872.

Comparative statement of the number of slaves in this province, as shown by the census of 1872, and that of 1871.

Departments.	Census 1871.	Census 1872.	Decrease.
Capital	3,996	3,825	171
Arecibo	2,973	2,801	172
Aguadilla	3,136	3,033	103
Mayagüez	6,750	6,323	427
Ponce	7,542	7,238	304
Guayama	5,260	4,728	532
Humacao	3,205	3,093	112
Total	32,862	31,041	1,821

Porto Rico, July 22, 1872.

Note.—The total of the census of 1871 should be 32,903 instead of 32,862. The difference is explained by the fact that 41 slaves are either in prison or in the almshouse. These were not included in the census, their names not appearing in the register, but only as emancipated.

Table showing the number of slaves who on the 31st of December, 1871, were fugitives, or serving out sentence, or demanding civil rights.

Departments.	Fugitives	In prison serving out sentence.	Demanding civil rights.	Total.
1. Capital	84	45	6	135
2. Arecibo	42		1	43
3. Aguadilla	27		2	29
4. Mayagüez	112		2	114
5. Ponce	153			153
6. Guayama	52		8	69
7. Humacao	106		13	110
Total	576	45	32	653

Porto Rico, July 22, 1872.

Table showing the decrease in the number of slaves, from all causes, according to the census of September 1, of the present year.

On account of voluntary manumission	553
On account of compulsary manumission	40
On account of purpose of freedom	38
On account of death	185
Total	516

Porto Rico, July 22, 1872.

Table showing the number of slaves who, according to their cedulas, have attained the age of fifty-nine years, which number should be counted as a decrease in the rectification of the census to be published December 1, of the present year.

Departments.	Slaves.
1. Capital	30
2. Arecibo	17
3. Aguadilla	5
4. Mayagüez	23
5. Ponce	39
6. Guayama	40
7. Hamacao	23
Total	177

Porto Rico, July 22, 1872.

Table showing the amount of fines imposed on account of violations of the regulations in regard to slaves from the month of October, 1871, up to date.

	Pesetas.
On account of offenses committed by functionaries	828
For infraction of laws and regulations	8,200
Fines remitted, which are deducted	6,250
Amount of fines paid	2,778

Porto Rico, July 22, 1872

The 6,250 pesetas which appear under the head of remitted fines are a fine of 6,000 pesetas imposed upon Dona Marciala Sanchez for infraction of article 87 of the regulations concerning slaves. This lady not having the means to pay it, and there being no purchaser for the four negroes who were taken from her, they were set at liberty. The remaining 250 are the half of the fine imposed upon the registrar of Ponce, which was remitted from motives of equity.

Table showing the decrease from all causes, as shown by the census of the present year compared with that of the past.

Departments.	Set free by voluntary manumission.	Set free by compulsory manumission.	Liberated by purchase of freedom.	Decrease by death.	Decrease in consequence of removal.	Persons whose claims are pending.	Not entered in the census of 1872.	Total.
Capital	14	5	13	29	69		41	171
Arecibo	52	5	20	44	33	2	16	172
Aguadilla	68		1	32	2			103
Mayagüez	68	24		45			290	427
Ponce	190		20	129	26		126	491
Guayama	67		25	84	79		277	532
Humacao	38			23	15		36	112
Total	497	34	79	386	224	2	786	2,008

Porto Rico, July 22, 1872.

Note.—The difference which is observed in the department of Ponce, where the decrease amounts to 491, whereas it should be 304, is due to the fact that by transfers from other places the returns of the previous year were increased by 187, which added to 7,542 forms a total of 7,729, from which if we deduct 7,238, the figures shown by the returns of the present year, there is a difference of 491, which is the decrease in that department, the real decrease in the number of slaves being 182, as is proved.

[Inclosure C in No. 471.—Translation.]

The superior civil government of the island of Porto Rico has informed this ministry that the owners of slaves whose names appear in the following list have manumitted the slaves mentioned in the same; and His Majesty the King (whom God preserve) has ordered that thanks be presented in his royal name to the said owners.

List of owners who have voluntarily manumitted slaves.

Don Ramon Irizarry y Nazario, his slave Monserrate.

Doña Margarita Alers, residing in Añasco, six: slaves belonging to her.

D. Miguel Rodriguez, residing in Sabana la Grande, his slave José Dolores.

D. José Antonio Amaral, his slave Maria Domingo.

D. Francisco J. Gonzalez, of La Moca, his slave Juana.

D. Manuel Solistra, of Aguadilla, his slave Manuela.

D. Juan Buzó, of Naguabo, his slave Pedro.

D. Antonio Arana, of Arecibo, his slave Ignacia.

Doña Belen Torres, of Vega, her slave Ana Maria.

D. Amhrosio Angleró, of San German, his slave Catalina.

Doño Juana E. Goicœchea, of Quehradillas, her slave Petrona.

D. Juan Ferrer, of San German, his slave Leonor.

D. Sera fin Noya, of Humacao, his slave Natalia.

D. Pablo J. Curbelo, of Hatillo, his slave Clemencia.

D. Francisco Prieto, of Ponce, his slave Jacinto.

D. Bernardino Fernandez Sanjurjo, D. Gabriel Pitar Cabrera, and D. Maximo de los Santos Gil, their slaves Juliana Arizabalo, Adelina, and Cármen.

D. Eduardo Quiñones, of San German, his slaves Eustaquio, Tomás, José, Dolores, and Carlos.

Dona Maria Asuncion Vizcarrondo, of San German, her slave Fabras.

The nephews of Llera é Isla, of Cayey, their slave Sabina.

Doña Juana Francisca de la Fuente, of Arroyo, their slave Marcelina.

D. Jaime Iglesias, of Quebradillas, his slave Teodoro.

D. José Maria Nazario and the Nazario estate, their slave Ramon Gonzales.

D. Juan B. Isern, of the capital, his slaves Angel and Ramon.

Doña Carlota Colon, of Arecibo, her slave Belen.

[Inclosure D in No. 471].

Mr. Sickles to Mr. Gassett.

United States Legation,
Madrid, November 11, 1872.

Unofficial.]

Sir: I thank you sincerely for the statistics showing the particulars of the slave population of Cuba and Porto Rico, which I had the pleasure to receive from you on Friday. I observe that the returns for Cuba are for 1869, while those for Porto Rico are Drought down to 1872. Allow me to suggest that it would he well, in order to assure yourself of the faithful execution of the law of 1870, to have returns annually from Cuba. Deducting all horn since September, 1868, and those who passed sixty years of age after July, 1870, together with the emancipadors, the returns from Cuba for 1872 ought to show a considerable reduction in the number of slaves as compared with 1869.

Sincerely yours,

D. E. SICKLES.