WHAT PRICE STATEHOOD?

The 19^th November brings up, inter alia, two particular events more or less related.

On the 19^th November 1493, the Island of Puerto Rico was claimed by Christopher Columbus for Spain, during his second voyage to the Americas. He initially named the island San Juan Bautista. It was originally populated for centuries by indigenous aboriginal peoples known as Tainos.

Under Spanish rule, the island was colonized and the indigenous population was forced into slavery and nearly wiped out due to, among other things, European infectious diseases. The remaining population was emancipated by King Charles I in 1520. Spain possessed Puerto Rico for over 400 years, despite attempts at capture of the island by the French, Dutch, and British.

The Spanish Crown, in an attempt to keep Puerto Rico from gaining its independence, revived the Royal Decree of Graces of 1815. The decree was printed in three languages—Spanish, English and French—and it fostered the immigration of hundreds of non-Spanish European families.

The relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States dates back to the Spanish-American War, in which Spain, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898, ceded the island to the United States. In 1917, Puerto Ricans became U.S. citizens. On the 6^th November 2012, only a couple of weeks ago, a referendum was held:

Do you agree that Puerto Rico should continue to have its present form of territorial status?

Choice                  Votes                    Percentage 

No                        959,136                    53.99%

Which of the following non-territorial options would you prefer.

Choice                                                Votes                      Percentage 

Statehood                                          824,238                      44.60%

Sovereign Free Associated State       449,831                       24.34%

Independence                                      74,840                        4.05%

On 13^th November 2012, both the Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierlusi and the current Governor Luis Fortuño wrote separate letters to re-elected President Obama urging him to begin legislation in favour of resolving the political status of Puerto Rico, in light of the results of the referendum which rejected the current status and which favoured statehood.

The only confirmed photo of Lincoln (circled) at

Gettysburg, taken about noon, just after Lincoln

arrived and some three hours before the speech.

To Lincoln's right is his bodyguard, Ward Hill

Lamon.

The history of Puerto Rico as regards slavery and statehood are reflected in a speech given by President Abraham Lincoln on the 19^th November 1963.

A New York Times article from 20^th November 1863, indicates Lincoln's speech was interrupted five times by applause and was followed by "long continued applause."