The History of Puerto Rico / From the Spanish Discovery to the American Occupation

From 1820 to 1823, under the auspices of a constitutional government, intellectual life in Puerto Rico really began.

A few months later Puerto Rico, recognized too late as ripe for self-government by the mother country, became a part of the territory of the United States.

Puerto Rico look upon the American soldiers, when they landed, not as men in search of conquest and spoliation, but as the representatives of a nation enjoying a full measure of the liberties and privileges, for a moderate share of which they had vainly petitioned the mother country through long years of unquestioning loyalty.

He declared his belief in the proximate pacification of Cuba, and said: That the moment had arrived for the Government to show to the world (vide licet United States) its firm resolution to comply with the spontaneous promises made by the nation by introducing and amplifying in Puerto Rico the reforms in civil government and administration which had been voted by Cortes.