The record-union., 1898-06-29
viii Issue a Proclamation to the
People Of the Island
Stating That He Has Established a ProvIs-
ional Government.
If There is Any Serious Resistance
to His Entering the City, He
Will Immediately Call to His
Aid Both the Naval and Mill
tary Forces and Take F0rcib1e
Possession of the Place.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 2S.-General
Wesley Merritt, who will sail from this
port at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning
to assume his duties as Governor
General of the Philippines. has pre-
pared a proclamation which will be is
sued Immediately after his arrival at
Manila. He expects to enter that city
without any serious resistance, but in
case of necessity is prepared to use
both the naval and military forces at
his command to take forcible possess
sion of the place.
The proclamation to be disseminated
has been translated into Spanish, and
many thousands of copies will be cir
culated Although its contents are as
yet kept secret it's general tenor is
known. 1t will announce to the people
of the islands that General Merritt, as
the representative of the United States,
has established a provisional govern
ment, and that his authority must be
respected At the same time he will
assure the inhabitants that he comes
not to oppress, but to free them. They
are to be granted the fullest liberty
compatible with the perseverance of law
and order, and all personal and property
rights are to be respected.
In an interview tonight General
Merritt expressed his satisfaction with
the officers and men under his COM
mand, and the most complete conf
dence in the United States in the Phil
ippines. He has instructions from
Washington to confer with Admiral
Dewey on his arrival at Manila, and
the two commanders are to act in con-
cert in everything that may be neces-
Sary to insure the occupation of the ISL
ands by this Government.
General Macarthur in command of
the third expedition, was instructed to
proceed at full speed to the Philip
pines, only stopping at Honolulu for
coal. General Merritt, on the speedy
Newport, expects to overtake this ex-
pedition.
The transport Valencia with two bat
, teries of the North Dakota volunteers
on board, sailed late this afternoon,
and if nothing unforeseen occurs. will
in a few days be in company with the
other vessels of General McArthur's s
command.
General Merritt expects to reach Ma
Mia by July 25th or August 1st at the
very latest. Before his arrival Cen
eral Greene will have consulted with
Admiral Dewey as to the advisability of
making a joint attack on Manila.
General Merritt's installation as Gov
ernor General will be attended with as
little ceremony as possible. In his
proclamation he will assure the people
that their forms of worship and
churches will not be interfered with.
This will be made clear, as will also
the fact that property is not to be
confiscated, in order to Offset represen-
tations to the contrary which have
been made by agents of Spain. The
General has requested the War De-
partment to appoint Major T. L. Rath-
bone as his personal representative in
San Francisco
Major General Merritt has abandoned
his headquarters at the Phelan build
ing and to-day formally turned over
the office to Major General Otis. Pre-
liminary to leaving the building. Cen
eral Merritt notified his staff officers
that they must have all their baggage
aboard the steamer Newport tonight.
Clerks and messengers attached to
the various officers of General Mer-
ritt's department We're ordered to go
aboard the steamer tonight.
General Merritt announced that he
would embark at 9 o'clock tomorrow
morning, and hopes to issue orders to
sail before 10 o'clock