the queen, is known as the Glorious Revolution. It ushered the First Spanish Republic into power. After much deliberation, the new government replaced Isabella with Amadeo I, son of the Italian king. The new provisional government allowed its colonies to send representatives to the Spanish Court. Fernández was among those who represented Puerto Rico. On February 5, 1869, the Spanish government bestowed the title of "Marqués de La Esperanza" (Marquis of Hope, related to the name of his plantation) upon Fernández. When his father died, Fernández inherited La Esperanza, which at the time was one of the largest and the most technically advanced sugar plantations in Puerto Rico. "La Esperanza" was situated on 2,265 acres of land rich in alluvial deposits, an important element for the cultivation of sugar cane. By 1880, he controlled 80 percent of the valley. Fernández built the wealth of his plantation on the labor of ethnic African slaves who provided the manpower to cultivate and harvest the sugar cane on the plantation and to run the factory and mill. By the time of emancipation in 1873, Fernández owned 175 slaves. In the 1840s, he and his father had installed an advanced steam engine with two-flue boiler, purchased from the West Point Foundry of New York. Designated in 1979 as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, the steam engine is the The system includes an elaboration (Jamaican) train, conveyor belt, and four evaporators for processing of sugar cane. In a demonstration of his political influence, Fernández convinced the government to divide the municipality of Manati in two and found the new municipality of Barceloneta. This was clearly for his own economic benefit. If he used the port of Manati, Fernández would have to pay taxes for the movement of goods and slaves. In Barceloneta, he built his own port and was able to ship his commodities and products free of taxes. Legacy Fernández incurred many debts because of the money which he borrowed to mechanize his plantation. He was unable to pay his debts. When he died, his family became involved in a feud as to who was the rightful inheritor of the plantation. As two of the daughters had married foreigners (Barbara married George Latimer's son, William F. Latimer. Maria Teresa married Edward Savage), the third, Clemencia, said she was the only rightful heir. As Fernandez' major creditor, the Colonial Company Ltd. claimed ownership of