lence to the persons or property of the Spaniards will be
acceptable to the Americans. The Spaniards, sharing this belief, live in
a constant state of terror, fearing for their possessions and even for
their lives.

The withdrawal to an extent of the Spanish troops gave the guerillas
full license, and they burned a number of plantations before our forces
were put in charge.

Both natives and Spanish, it might be said, were busy in cutting each
other's throats. The people became more or less terrorized, and begged
for American protection.

About the first of September, Major-General Wilson met at dinner a large
number of prominent islanders, and in response to a toast, he made a
rather long speech. As this speech was and is of great interest, we make
no apology for reproducing almost in full here.

General Wilson said:

"The great Republic, unlike the governments of Europe, has no subjects.
It extends its rights and privileges freely and equally to all men,
regardless of race or color or previous condition, who reside within its
far-reaching dominions. It makes citizens of all who forswear their
allegiance to foreign Powers, princes and potentates, and promise
henceforth to bear true faith and allegiance to the United States.

"The expulsion of the Spanish power from your beautiful and
long-suffering island and the hoisting of the American flag will be
followed shortly, let us hope, by the establishment of a stable civil
administration, based on the American principle of local
self-government.

"The government now exercising supreme authority in the island, you will
understand, is a government of conquest, in which the will of the
military commander is substituted for that of the Spanish king and
Cortes. It does not pretend to interfere with the local laws, except in
so far as may be necessary to protect the army of the United States and
maintain peace and good order among the people of the island. It looks
to the local courts to do justice as between man and man, and to the
moderation and good sense of the people themselves for the maintenance
of public tranquility, and for the cultivation of that perfect respect
for the rights of persons and property which constitutes the foundation
of the American system of government.

"It has been wisely said by one of the fathers of the republic that
'That government is best which governs least,' and this is the principle
which Porto Rico should keep constantly in view. G