Melville Fuller

“ It may be justly asserted that Porto Rico is a completely organized territory, although not a territory incorporated into the United States, and that there is no reason why Porto Rico should not be held to be such a territory as is comprised in § 5278. ”

“ The questions involved are whether the governor of Porto Rico had power and authority to make a requisition upon the governor of the state of New York for the arrest and surrender of the fugitive criminal of Porto Rico who had taken refuge in the state of New York, and whether the governor of the state of New York had power and authority to honor such requisition and to issue his rendition warrant for the arrest and surrender of such fugitive. ”

“ They have the powers which all these departments of government have exercised, which are conferred upon them by act of Congress, and their legislative acts are subject to the disapproval of the Congress of the United States. They are not, in any sense, independent governments; they have no Senators in Congress and no Representatives in the lower house of that body, except what are called 'Delegates,' with limited functions. Yet they exercise nearly all the powers of government, under what are generally called 'organic acts,' passed by Congress, conferring such powers on them. ”