tion of affairs and was performing the duties of his office
earnestly and faithfully. These facts General Ernst was in possession of
and he was forced in consequence to deny the request of the delegation.

For his own protection and to remove any false impression there might be
in the public mind, General Ernst issued the following proclamation,
which was printed in both English and Spanish:

"Headquarters 1st Brigade, 1st Div.,
1st Army Corps, Camp Near Coamo,
Porto Rico, September 3, 1898.

To the People of Coamo and Neighboring Districts:

"To prevent misunderstanding as to the rights and duties of the various
members of this community, you are respectfully informed:

"1. That no change has been made in the civil laws of Porto Rico, and
that none can be made except by the Congress of the United States. The
present civil authorities are to be obeyed and respected.

"2. That no prejudice rests against any citizen, whether in office or
not, for having served as a volunteer, if he now frankly accepts the
authority of the United States.

"3. That the persecution of persons simply because they are Spaniards,
or Spanish sympathizers, will not be tolerated. They, as well as the
Porto Ricans, are all expected to become good American citizens, and, in
any event, they are entitled to the protection of the law until they
violate it.

O. H. Ernst,
"Brigadier-General Commanding."

About this time President McKinley promulgated through the War
Department the revised customs tariff and regulations to be enforced by
the military authorities in the ports of Porto Rico.

In general, the regulations for Porto Rico were practically the same as
those promulgated for Cuba and the Philippines. The one important
difference was that trade between ports in the United States and ports
and places in the possession of the United States in Porto Rico be
restricted to registered vessels of the United States and prohibited to
all others. It was provided that any merchandise transported in
violation of this regulation should be subject to forfeiture, and that
for every passenger transported and landed in violation of this
regulation the transporting vessel should be subject to a penalty of
$200.

This regulation should not be construed to forbid the sailing of other
than registered vessels of the United States with cargo and passengers
between the United States and Porto Rico, provided that they