The sun., 1873-07-18
PORTO RICO TO BE FREE.
PREPARATIONS FOR INDEPEH-
DENCE.
Tho Government in the Iiands of Patriots-A
Renegade Yankee.


torrespondence OF The sun.
ST. JoHN's, Porto Rico, June H.-Ahairs
are progressing so well in this island that al
most feel inclined to state positively that 1t will
accomplish its Independence, possibly without
bloodshed, before Cuba obtains hers.
The men who we're refOrmers yesterday, re-
publicans to-day, aud will be Independents to-
morrow. are I'm possession of all the principal
places, and are anxiousy awaiting the proclama-
ton Of the federal republic In Spain. They
will then declare this island a federal state, and
Immediately thereafter Its Independence. For
this purpose they have obtained permission
from the Government to organize regiments OF
"volunteers of Liberty" which will be com
posed If colored people. Recruiting has already
commenced at several points on the island, and
the enthusiasm about 1t is very great. Your
readers will already have learned that we have
here liberty Of the press and the right To- hold
meetings. No time is being wasted, and q o
coup will be strdcli soon and struck well.
Already jtlntds are being formed. They COM
prise men well known for their separatst prin-
ciples. and the conservatives are well aware Of
the fact The latter are, Of course. furious. and
sent a committee to Gen Primo dc Rivera asl
Ing him TO dissolve the iuntas, which the pct-
tioncrs assert ar identical in their pirp9se WIN
those on the American continent, IN whirh the
Independence of an quOI, am spanish America
was forged. The General refused the rcqucs .
AMI the excitement j. very great. ui may cN-
poet at any moment news from here Of tao
greatest import nee.
IN connection with this matter | Will wind M
my letter with n little episode that may bee iu-
ter, sting to many of your renders. 1t snow5
how some United State. citilcn. residing abroad
violate not only every idea OF liberty and pro
crGss, but even the written letter of the law as
eNpOuuded not long agp 10! the HxccutyC az
" shiugtuu. The case refer to Is thdt ~ Mt.
GEORGE Latiiucr an American cit1vu, better
known here as the TX eicn. sim' Sgg9r Don
Jor-e Latner, Count OF san I-idr". rms man,
VINO la' i"r many ycfs b.en Ie,iHeh, 81 iul
island, applied 10 Sp In for title. " Real
Ordcn was sent from Madrid to the supreme
Court 81 this island instructing the Chief jus
tice to inquire into the merits of the appicant.
From copyof che report mhdc to the mel rs
tee nv the Ciptain-tienerh Of this island.
ramon Gomez Pul de-. which have before me,
the principal merits of MIR. Lliimcr To- the utic
which he solicited seem to be that he had at
sunurN times lent the spanish Government con
siderable Gums OF money that he hau ufhueu
and put under cultivation some swhups In the
neignborhOod of this city that he had organ
ICED sugar estates and that ON one occasion -
aud the noble conduct OF Mr.. Lailmer j. highly
eNtullCd he had, shortly after the insurrect on
of lares, and while on VISIT TO the Jhited
states found out that from port of your Coun-
tiy nlibustering vessel was shortly aDo 10
sail with the Intention of landing arms and am
munitiOn on the coast OF TINS island. 1he re-
port adds, land fearful that the news which he
should Immediately send to the authorizes
might not reach here in tne he chartered on
his own account a vessel which, 10y arriving be-
fore the vessel uf the insurgents, rendered their
criminal Intentions fruitless."
All this detective service rendered to Spanish
tyranny by Mr.. Latimer might not, however,
have secured ior him the coveted reward, but
for a further merit which he himself set forth
In hls own declaration. In IL he asserted that
am ng his other possessions he owned more
,ian one hundred slaves II Is "a curious COIN
Ciucncc that this Americl citizen made this
declaration precisely at the same line mat the
Government OF the United States decrctd tn I
in future no persons who continued to own
q ,yes should be considered Amer can citizens.
NJ. Latimer still owns his slaves aud has cOnse-
quently forfeited his American citizenship.
There L. but one opinion about this man here.
anu that /, that IL Is infamous that au American
CltiZen should act as a spanish spy. should be
rewarded for his dirty work by SPAN, and
should SIN have the impertincnce to hoist the
stars and pes Is Mr.. LItimcr does.