Cedula De Gracia

de Natasha Fernanda. Luengas
Miss. Janette Torres
History of Puerto Rico
March 26, 2012
La Cedula de Gracias

The Real Cedula de Gracias, or how we know it in English, The Royal Decree of Graces, was a document first published under the absolute rule of the king Felipe VII on August 10, 1815. The document granted Puerto Rico greater economic freedom than any other measure made by theSpanish rule in that point in time. It was set to encourage Spaniards and later on other Europeans who were not of Spanish origin to settle and populate the colonies of Puerto Rico. The Royal Decree of Graces was also set to encouraging the natives of Puerto Rico from forming a rebellion, as rumors had it Puerto Rico had been exhibiting some Pro-Independent initiative and thought towards theSpanish crown at the time.
The Royal Decree of Graces was actually published on the island of Saint Thomas, (now known to be of English rule), in three different languages: Spanish, English and French. It was printed in these three distinct languages to attract new comers to the Island and also to avoid development of a revolutionary separatist movement in Puerto Rico and to change the economy inways that would make the island productive for Spain.
From 1776 the western world had been shaken by revolutions inspired by the ideas of the enlightment. In Hispanic America, especially, independence movements arose; by 1815 such movements were in their peak. The Spanish colonies in South America, under the leadership of Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín, fought against Spanish rule;and in Mexico, under José María Morelos. This revolutionary process culminated in 1825 when the Spanish Empire had lost all of its territories in the New World, with the exception of Cuba and Puerto Rico. These two possessions, however, had been demanding more autonomy and had pro-independence movements since the start of the movements in 1808. Realizing that Spain was in danger of losing its tworemaining Caribbean territories, the Spanish Crown revived the Royal Decree of Graces of 1815. The concessions granted in the Royal Decree can be easily divided into three main categories: Freedom of trade, tax changes and freedom of immigration.
When looking at Freedom of trade, the Cedula consisted of Spain’s formal abandonment of its policies of exclusion. It established a period of 15years of free trade between Puerto Rico and all the other Spanish colonies. In the case that Puerto Rico was to be in urgent need, it allowed trade between Puerto Rico and foreign islands. The Royal Decree of Graces also gave permission to introduce black slaves into Puerto Rico for 15 years. It even allowed the people of the island to go to friendly or neutral colonies to get the slaves. TheCedula legalized foreign trade that already existed illegally, in the form of smuggling threw piracy or individual gain. In granting freedom of trade, it dissolved its control of the companies that enjoyed trade monopolies, particularly of the slave trade.
As to the free trade with other Spanish island, a tax of two percent was to be paid, and in trade with foreigners, the tax was to be sixpercent. Importing of agricultural machinery was to be free or tax for 15 years, if it came from Spain, and if it was from foreigners land the tax would be of three percent. In importing black slaves from neighboring islands and colonies, a three percent tax was then applied. The colonist, Spanish and foreigners obtained the greatest concessions, as part of their incentive to attract and obtainimmigrants. This group was exempted from paying “diezmos”, tenth part, and the “alcabala”, sales tax for 15 years. To recover the taxes lost from these exemptions, the government and treasurer established a new tax called the “Encabezimiento” which brought in 122,187 pesos the first year. This was more than the sales tax and the tenth taken together. That new tax was a provisional measure that was to...