The New York herald., 1869-05-20


affairs.
ton character Of General Snnz-Need OF
an American Citizen as Consul.
PORTO Rico, April 20, 1869.
There is no country in the world SO un-
happy as this unfortunate island. None OF
the securities and guarantees that other countries
enjoy, no matter how tyrannized, are to be found
here. Life property everything is at the mercy Of
the Captain General. No king Of the oden times
eyer had more power than he. lie is almighty. He
can, II he iiks it, disopey the metropoli-
tan governments orders, and do other
wise. He can shoot or Danish half the
population II he thinks it convenient He is
restrained by nothing; his only law is caprice. With
such law land Porto Rico never had another secu-
rity is only vain word, This poor people pass their
lives trembling not knowing what fate awaits them.
Every one feels himself in danger and Is certain that
innocence is shield against the governments sus-
pcion The most respectable men have been obliged
to leave their homes, abandoning their families and
properties, on a peremptory order from the Captain
General; and once In his presence, have been in
suited in the basest manner, without regard to
their age position This has aiely occurred In the
city OF Ponce with some OF It's principal Inhabitants
who, we are sure, are above any reasonable sus-
The conduct OF General SAM Is, to q great extent,
the cause OF the intranquillty that reigns IN the
with which he treats the natives, and his
mania for threatening everybody, has made
are born in Porto Rico spain must be very poor
IN wisdom II she afford no better men than Gen.
era SAM. This mans education Is that OF a COM
mon soldier ana nothing more. | have seen letter
OF his where orthograpny Is trampled upon In the
most shameful way. His imprudence is on level,
by the following conversation which he had with
a friend OF ours. He told that gentleman that he
mad the project OF substituting the Spanish forces in
hp teIa a q being
commanded and prepared by himself, would not be
men, but tigers, that would deyour every white man
who might think OF Independence. These impru-
dent words, tnat soon transpired, have produced
the greatest anxiety In the country.
Porto Rico has never been insuch poor condition
as ut the present moment. The earthquakes, hurri-
canes ana inundatlons which were experienced here
last year brought the island TO tne very Drink OF
ruin. An enlightened government would have les
sened the taxes which weighed on that half ruined
poDulatop but this ls not the case with SPAN She,
on the contrary demanded then nfty per cent
more than the preceding years. The sum thus
wrenched from Porto RICO makes s600o,o0o, instead
OF s4000,oO0, that 1t paid hitherto. Not salts
ned yet with this considerable augmentation
of It's revenue, the government issued
decree. some time ago taxing the export Of sugar,
molasses coree and tobacco. General Sauz has thus
exorted 81 000, 600 more from the exhausted popu-
laon OF Porto Rico All this money has not been
collected without resistance In some parts, leaving
In others q stream OF tears and concert OF sghs.
san German has not paid yet the sum which was as
signed to IT, and the government has been obliged To
employ the most violent measures to enforce obedi-
enoe, but far without success. have seen many
poor fafniy's property seized by the government
officials and sold at auction TO afford money for Span
sh oemands Many are the families who once had q
home and are now depending on public charity
having no other shelter than the branches OF the
trees Nothing mournful and desolating as these
poor people, who once enjoyed home, wandering
from town to town, barefoot, half naked. vita un-
covered heads and hungry faces. Every word they
utter Is q maediction TO Spain, whose Unsuitable
thirst OF gold has caused their rum.
such an unheard OF tyranny renders Porto Rico
uninhabitabe. All those who can sell their proper
ties, even al great loss, do IL and leave the island
In search OF more hospitaDle country. Emgra-
ton Is considerable from st. Johns, from Mayaguez
and Ponce. Even English and American citizens
feel themselves In danger. The consuls, 1t seems,
are themselves Injected with the reigning terror:
they dare not protect those whom they represent It
is true that the Indifference with which the
American government regards this matter
is In great measure the fault OF all.
The American consnls and vice consuls now In the
island are not American citizens. The Consul at st.
Johns has been hitherto Frenchman; that OF Ponce
is an Englishman. The consulate for them s spec
uation and nothing else. They are not consus in
the real sense Of the word They do not feel toward
Americans that natural feeling that makes one love
him who Is born In the same country that gave US
birth. An American or q German Is the same thing
to them. Thus 1t happens that American citizens
are uniustly persecutId by the Spanish authorities