United States Consulate at San Juan,
Porto Rico. September 17, 1867

With a great surprise I have read the news given on the 9th. instant by the Herald of N. York, stating that another revolution had broken out at Porto Rico, that the Captain General has fled and the revolutionists have sent to New York to telegraph General Prim to place himself at their head. I consider it my duty to inform the Department of State that I have letters from Porto Rico up to 31st. of August and nothing is mentioned about trouble at San Juan and if the Consulate, would have given due notice to the Department.

Secretario de Estado de los EE.UU. William H. Seward

The Susquitranna and the Monongahela, arrived last week at Fortress Monroe from St. Thomas, do not make any report of revolution at Porto Rico and any event there would have been known at St. Thomas the next day.

I did not give any credit to that news coming from a private intelligence, because the form in which it was given was sufficient to prove that it could not be true. The reports say "another revolution" when no revolution has taken place before, because the event which occurred in June last, was merely the attempt of a military insurrection, and in case of a revolution, General Prim would not be called to place himself at the head of it. He is not popular at Porto Rico and every body knows well that he has something more important to do than to come there and form a new government.

In my opinion, no trouble can be expected now at San Juan, because the Captain General has taken very strong dispositions and a batallion of marines has been sent from Cadiz the troops and even their officers, in regard of the Captain General on account of his severity, there is a great disgust against him among the coloured people, since he ordered three free men of that class to be punished with fifty lashes for a few imprudent words; there is a general discontent in the Island against the actual government, yet as I have said, no civilian revolution is to be expected at present.

Puerto Rico's Revolt for Independence: El Grito de Lares

It is well known that the concurrence of the troops would be necessary to overthrow the Government; it would be easily obtained, there is no doubt; but it is also well known that no reliance can be placed on those Spanish soldiers who would have no other object but pillage and would be unmanageable afterward, if the revolution would prove successful; besides the most part of the people does not feel much disposed to run the risk of loosing what they have, by throwing themselves in a revolutionary movement, without the protection or control of another Nation and on this respect I beg reference to my last annual report.

The last event had not the importance which the local government appeared to give it, saying that it was the result of a seduction of a few soldiers by some masked revolutioners; every way was tried to find conspirations among the civilians, but in vain and eight or ten persons were banished only for imprudent words without any charge of participation in that military plot. The Captain General would have acted more wisely and better for the welfare of the Island under his command, if he had merely ordered the arrest, immediate trial and execution of the soldiers found guilty of conspiration or insubordination, instead of protracting the trial nearly one month, offering them their pardon, if they would name their supposed accomplices among the civilians; true it is that, if he had acted no, he could not have claimed the mint of suffocating a conspiration and saving the country.

In fact at Porto Rico those recurrences of military insurrection and continuous rumors of revolutions are generally deplored; because they are prejudiced to the Commerce and the agriculture and only creates a general inquietude in the Island and a discredit abroad.

It is not amiss to say a word about the respectful sympathy of the people there for the American flag, which on the contrary is looked at with a suspicious and jealous eye by the local Government, when that symbol of liberty and freedom is hoisted on the Consular house. To give an idea of the suspicious apprehensions of the Authorities, it is enough to say that, when the attempt of a military insurrection took place in June last, the U.S. Steamer Peoria at Mayaguez and the most absurd conjectures and commentaries were made about that coincidence so far that indirectly a hint was given to me that their visits in the principal ports of the Island at such a time, could not be causal, and convinced that the Captain General was not exempt of those suspicious feelings, I pointed out to him the conveniency of putting a stop to the stories circulating in the city and the next day full satisfaction was given to me in a editorial article published in the newspapers of the place in which protestations were made of the most friendly feelings on the part of the Government for the United States and confidence in the loyalty of its actual representation in the Island.

The rumor which circulated last month, that the Island of St. Thomas was to be sold to the United States, increased the alarm of the local government at Porto Rico, which is dreaming continually about revolutions and will not be pleased to see the American flag floating so near; at the same time that rumor has created the most favorable feelings through the whole Island as the result would be a large increase of business and relations with the United States.

St. Thomas will be an acquisition of great importance for an arsenal and navy station; but there is no doubt that the Island of Porto Rico, by its situation, fertility and resources of all kinds, if it could be obtained, would prove a far better acquisition on every respect.

I hope to be able to go shortly to Washington and to communicate verbally such informations as are at my command as may be required.

I have the honor, sir, to be, with the highest respect, your obedient Servant,

A. Jourdan
U.S. Consul

______
Fuente:
Centro de Investigaciones Históricas, Departamento de Historia, Recinto Universitario de Río Piedras, Puerto Rico.