Ramón Power y Giralt
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Captain Ramón Power y Giralt (October 7, 1775 – June 10, 1813), commonly known as Ramón Power, was, according to Puerto Rican historian Lidio Cruz Monclova, among the first native-born Puerto Ricans to refer to himself as a " Puerto Rican" and to fight for the equal representation of Puerto Rico before the Cortes of Cádiz, the parliamentary government of Spain at the time.


Early years

Power was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico to Joaquín Power y Morgan, a Spaniard from the
Basque Country Basque Country may refer to: * Basque Country (autonomous community), as used in Spain ( es, País Vasco, link=no), also called , an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain (shown in pink on the map) * French Basque Country o ...
(of Irish and French descent) who came to Puerto Rico in connection with the ''Compañía de Asiento de Negros'', which regulated the slave trade in the island, and María Josefa Giralt y Santaella a Catalan from Barcelona, Spain. His great-grandfather Peter Power was Irish from Waterford, he moved to Bordeaux, France and had a son Jean Baptiste Power Dubernet. He settled in Bilbao, where Ramon’s father Joaquín was born. In San Juan he received his primary education at a private school. In 1788, when he was 13 years old, he was sent to
Bilbao, Spain ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
to continue his educational studies.Chinea, Jorge L
"Irish Indentured Servants, Papists and Colonists in Spanish Colonial Puerto Rico, ca. 1650-1800"
in ''Irish Migration Studies in Latin America'', 5:3 (November 2007), pp. 171-182. Consulted on November 29, 2008.


Spanish Naval service

At the age of 16, Power began his studies of
Naval A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
sciences in Spain. Upon graduation he was commissioned a lieutenant in the Spanish Navy and eventually rose to the rank of
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
. In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain, the ''criollos'' of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule. Colonel
Rafael Conti Rafael Conti Flores, also spelled "Conty" (October 26, 1746 – September 26, 1814) was a Colonel in the Spanish Army who was in charge of the Puerto Rican Militia in the town of Aguadilla. In 1790, he captured 11 enemy ships involved in smuggling ...
, a fellow Puerto Rican, organized an expedition to return Hispaniola back to Spain. Col Conti together with naval Captain Power y Giralt distinguished themselves with the defense of the Spanish
colony of Santo Domingo In modern parlance, a colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule. Though dominated by the foreign colonizers, colonies remain separate from the administration of the original country of the colonizers, the '' metropolitan state'' ...
against an invasion from the French forces by enforcing a blockade with the aid of Great Britain (Spain's ally at the time) and Haiti, returning Santo Domingo back to Spanish control.


Political career

On May 4, 1809, in the midst of Peninsular War and
Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
's occupation of Spain, Power was elected by the five, local cabildos (town councils) to represent Puerto Rico in the '' Junta Suprema Central y Gubernativa del Reino'' (Supreme Central and Governing Board of the Kingdom). (In 1808 Napoleon had deposed Ferdinand VII and named his eldest brother, Joseph I, King of Spain. The ''Junta Suprema'' was leading the resistance against the Bonapartes.) The ''Junta Suprema'' dissolved itself before Power could arrive, nevertheless, the following year on April 16, he was again elected to represent Puerto Rico, this time in the Cortes of Cádiz, the parliamentary assembly serving as a Regency while awaiting Ferdinand VII's return, that had been convened by the Junta and was gathering in the Southern Spanish port of Cádiz. One of his greatest supporters was Bishop
Juan Alejo de Arizmendi Bishop Juan Alejo de Arizmendi (July 17, 1760 – October 12, 1814) was a patriot and the first Puerto Rican to be consecrated Bishop. Early years Arizmendi de la Torre (birth name: Juan Alejo de Arizmendi y de la Torre was born in San Juan, Pu ...
, who during the official farewell Mass, gave Power his
episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...
ring as a reminder that he should never forget his countrymen. After arriving in Cádiz on June 8, 1810 he joined the growing number of delegates, which finally reached a quorum in September. Power was an avid advocate for Puerto Rico during his tenure (September 24, 1810 — June 10, 1813) as a delegate in the Cortes. On September 25, 1810, the second day of regular meetings, he was elected as vice-president of the Cortes and succeeded in obtaining powers which would benefit the economy of the Puerto Rico. The most well-known product of the assembly was the Constitution of 1812. Before the Constitution was written, Power convinced the Cortes to reverse a decree of the Council of Regency which had given the governor of Puerto Rico extraordinary powers in reaction to the establishment of juntas in South America. The highlight of his legislative career was the ''Ley Power'' ("the Power Act"), which designated five ports for free commerce. Thus, the ports of
Fajardo Fajardo (, ) is a town and municipality -Fajardo Combined Statistical Area. Fajardo is the hub of much of the recreational boating in Puerto Rico and a popular launching port to Culebra, Vieques, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. It is ...
, Mayagüez, Aguadilla, Cabo Rojo and Ponce established the reduction of most tariffs and eliminated the flour monopoly, in addition to establishing other economic reforms with the goal of developing a more efficient economy. It also called for the establishment of a
Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País en Puerto Rico The Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País en Puerto Rico (1813–1899) was a learned society in Spanish colonial San Juan, Puerto Rico, modelled after the Sociedad Económica de los Amigos del País in Spain. The society published a newspaper, t ...
on the island, which was approved in 1814. Many of these reforms remained in effect even after Ferdinand VII revoked the Spanish Constitution.


Death

Power died while still in Cádiz on June 10, 1813 from the yellow fever epidemic which had spread throughout Europe. He was succeeded in the Cortes by José María Quiñones who served from November 25, 1813 to May 10, 1814. He was buried at the Oratorio de San Felipe Neri church in Cádiz.


Return of his remains to Puerto Rico

According to ''
The San Juan Star ''The San Juan Star'' is an English-language daily newspaper based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper was originally published by Star Media Network, a subdivision of San Juan Star, Inc. History The newspaper was f ...
'' (Puerto Rico's English language newspaper), a movement led by the
Archbishop of San Juan The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico ( la, Archidiœcesis Sancti Joannis Portoricensis) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States, comprising the northeast portion of the island of ...
, Roberto González Nieves, was successful in its attempt to bring Power's remains back to Puerto Rico. Power's remains were exhumed where he was interred along with other delegates' to the Cortes, at the church in Cadiz. After DNA testing, the remains were brought by the Spanish tall ship ''Juan Sebastián Elcano''. On March 2, 2013, it left the port of Cádiz, stopping at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands before leaving on March 10 across the Atlantic Ocean taking 28 days to return Power y Giralt's body to San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 6, 2013. It was escorted by the United States Coast Guard into the port and received with a
21 gun salute A 21-gun salute is the most commonly recognized of the customary gun salutes that are performed by the firing of cannons or artillery as a military honor. As naval customs evolved, 21 guns came to be fired for heads of state, or in exceptiona ...
. Present to receive the remains were the Governor of Puerto Rico, and presidents of all branches of government. His resting place now is at the
Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Cathedral of San Juan or San Juan Cathedral, and variants thereof, may refer to: North and Central America * Catedral Metropolitana Basílica de San Juan Bautista (San Juan, Puerto Rico) * Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (San Juan, Pue ...
next to Bishop
Juan Alejo de Arizmendi Bishop Juan Alejo de Arizmendi (July 17, 1760 – October 12, 1814) was a patriot and the first Puerto Rican to be consecrated Bishop. Early years Arizmendi de la Torre (birth name: Juan Alejo de Arizmendi y de la Torre was born in San Juan, Pu ...
.


Honors and tributes

Both Puerto Rico and Spain have honored Power's memory, by naming several avenues after him. San Juan also has a school named after Power the "Ramon Power y Giralt School" located in Calle Loiza Final. The city of Ponce has a street named after him; it runs west to east and is located between (i.e., parallel to) Calle Ferrocarril and Avenida Las Américas, and has its western terminus at Calle Concordia and its eastern terminus at Avenida Hostos. His former residence was restored and currently houses the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust in Old San Juan. Power's contemporary,
José Campeche José Campeche y Jordán (December 23, 1751 – November 7, 1809), is the first known Puerto Rican visual artist and considered by art critics as one of the best rococo artists in the Americas. Campeche y Jordán loved to use colors that referenc ...
, honored him in a painting entitled ''The Shipwreck of Power''. Graphic artist Lorenzo Homar has also dedicated one of his artistic works to Ramón Power.Ramon Power Por Lorenzo Homar
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Ancestry


Notes


See also

* List of Puerto Ricans *
Irish immigration to Puerto Rico Irish immigration to Puerto Rico began during the period of Spanish colonization of the island, continuing through 19th century to the present day. During the 16th century, many Irishmen, who were known as " Wild Geese", deserted from the Engl ...
* List of Puerto Rican military personnel


References


External links


El Nuevo Dia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Power Y Giralt, Ramon 1775 births 1813 deaths Burials at the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, Puerto Rico People from San Juan, Puerto Rico Puerto Rican people of Irish descent Deaths from yellow fever Puerto Rican Spanish Navy personnel Spanish admirals 18th-century Puerto Rican people 19th-century Puerto Rican people Puerto Rican military officers Puerto Rican politicians Infectious disease deaths in Spain