The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-12-26

dr. William y. Williams IN CavlCe, acUlnS
as International agents Of the great Anne.
riean nation at a moment of great anxi-
ETY., offered to recognize the independence
of the Philippine nation as soon tri-
umph was attained.
'tUnder the faith of such promises, one
American man-of war, the MoCulloch,
was placed at the disposal of the said
shores, and Admiral Dewey himself, by
sending the man-of-war, by not denying
to Gen. Aguinaldo and his companions
the exacting of his promises, when they
were presented him on board his flag
ship in the bay of Manila: by receiving
the said Gen. Aguinaldo before and after
his victories and notable decide of arms,
chief OF an allied army and q chief OF an
independent state; by accepting the
efficacious cooperation of that army and
of those generals; by recognizing the
Filipino flag and permitting It to be
ho1sted on sea and land, uonsenting that
their ships should sail with the said Tag
within the places which were blOckaded;
by receiving solemn notification of the
formal proclamation of the Philippine
nation without protesting against it,
nor opposing in any way It's existence;
by entering into relations with those gen.
erals and with Filipino authorities re-
Gently established, recognized without
QuOSulOu buc CpEPOIauO pOof anu RAUo-
nomous sovereignty of the people who
had just succeeded in breaking their
fetters and freeing themselves by the i'm
pulse of their own force.
And that recognition cannot be denied
by the honorable and seriouS people oil
the United States of America who Will
not deny nor discuss the word given by
their officials and representatives in these
parts in moments SO solemn in gravity
for the A mef loan rADubliC.
10 pretend to put now IN questlon
the attributes of such public funcJlona.
ries. after the danger, would be an ACT OF
notorious injustice which cannon DC
consented to by t..ose who have the un
ayoidable duty of preserving unStalned
the brilliant reputation of the sons OF the
great nation founded by the immoral
Washington. whose first glory was and
has always been the constant IulnlmeH6
of their word Of honor.
sit must be remembered here that the
Filipinos did not fight as paid troops or
mercenaries of Americn. On their ar
rival they only received reduced NUMBER
of arms which were delivered to them
by the order Of admiral Dewey. ne
arms. ammunition and provisions with
" hich the Filiplnos have since sustained
the war against the Spanish forces were
acquired, some by their gallantry and
others with their own funds, these latter
being exclusively provided BY the fiilplno
patriots. -,
tAnd it would not be noble now. after
having used the alliance, to deny the
courage loyalty and nobility or the
Filipino force in fighting at the side OF
the American troops, Lending them de-
cided support, both enthusiastic ana
eff1cacious. II
ssWithout their cooperation and with
out the previous siege would the A1merl
cans have been able so easily to nave
gained possession OF the walled city Oh
Manila?
sThey could, who can deny it ? have
destroyed it by bombardment, but with
out the foregoing armed deeds, ana WIFI
out the rigorous circle in which the
Suanish army was enclosed the sham
light of the attack and surrender which
took place could not absolutely have been
realized.
ssAdmiral Dewey gloriouslyy destroyed
the Spanish squadron, but ne had no DIS
embarking forces and could not dispose
of his ammunition and provisions; and
under such conditions the support, which
as companions in arms. was lent to MIN
by the Filipino generals and their force,
Is q positive and undeniable advantage.
Without them Gen. Anderson's troops and
those which afterwards were d1sem barked
probably would not have been aple 70 ar.
rive at Manila before the suspension OF
hostilities and the signing of the protocol
at Washington.
.sTruth and sincerity in their places.
ssNow if the Spaniards have not been
able to transfer to the Americans the
rights which they did not possess; II the
former have not militarily conquered
positions in the Philippines; ii the inter-
national officials and representatives OF
the republic of the United States OF
America offered to recognize the indepen-
dence and sovereignty of the Philippines.
solicited and arceptedktheir alliance, now
can they now constitute themselves as
the sole disposers of the control, admin
istration and future government OF the
Philippine islands?
=. /. "If, In the ueaty OF Paris, they had
simply declared the withdrawal and
abandonment by the Spaniards of their
dominion--if they ever had one-over the
Filipino territory; if America, on accept
ing peace, had signed the treaty without
prejudice to the rights of the Philip
pines and with the view of coming to q
subsequent settlement with the existing
Filipino national government, thus rec.
ovnizing the sovereignty of the iatter,
and their alliance and the carrying out OF
their promise of honor to the said fill
pinos, it is very evident that no protest
against their action would have been
made
"But, in view Of the terms of the third
article of he protocol, the pros eedings
of the American commissioners and the
apparent necessity of safe guarding the
national right of that country, max
this protest, which | have made an ext'
tensive one for the before said reasons and
with the corresponding legal structures
against the action taken and the resolu-
lions passed by the peace commissioners
at Paris and in the treaty signed by
them.
"And on making this protest, claim
in the name of the Filipino nation, in
that of their president and government
the fulfilmenr of the solemn declaration
made by the iliustrious William McKin
ley, President of the Republic of the
United states of North America, that on
going to war he was not guided Ey any
intention of aggrandizelnent and extern
sion of national territory, but only in re.
speot to the principles of humanity, the
duty of liberating tyrannized peoples and
the desire to proclaim The unalienable
rights, with their sovereignty, of the
countries released from the yoke of Spain.
GOOD keep Your Excellencies many years
"Felip Agoncillo."
WILL APPEAL TO HALE AND HOAR
New York, December "a The Filipino