The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-07-13

Providence TO the care Of noble Spain. be
not ungrntefui 60 her snlute who warmed
you with the breath OF her own culture
and civilization. 1t Is true she sought to
crush thy aspiration for Independence,
MS loving mother Opposes separation
Forever from the daughter of her bosom.
This but proves the excess Of affection
and love srain feels for thee. Fiipi-
nos. delicats flower Of the Gust, scarcely
eight months weansd from the breast Of
thy mother. thou hast dared to brave a
great ard powerful nation such ms Is the
United stites, after barely organizing
and disciplining thy little army. Yet we
reply We win be- slaves to none to defend
QUE fatherland till Independence is as
sured, for this is justice. We shall see az
last that the great American nation will
acknowledge the right which is on our
SIDE. That doctrine of the grea. Mon
rice, that America Ia fer Americans, Is
not forgotten, just as we effirm that the
Philippines are for the Fiiipinos.
"Sone states Of tho American Union
have arisen In our favor. Especially is
the Democratic party convinced that
both victors and vanquished will loss
precious lives. Thus many of the people
and many statesmen censure President
Mckinley as inhuman for having ordered
his military Representatives at Manila
to seek means to bring about hostili-
ties with the Filiplnos.
"These facts prove that they wish to
try us, to see IL we are able to live up to
the second color OF our banner. red,
which signifies courage, heroism and
martyricm.
Therefore we should not resent this
struggle with the Americans In spite of
their expressed desire to dominate all the
Philippines. we'll convinced are they that
we fight with justice and right on eur
side and that autonomy is all show Of
deceit, only serving to save certain ac-
,umulated wealth. We have never con-
cealed our aspirations, that we aspire but
to independence, that we will struggle
on to obtain 1t, perhaps from those who
ara now our enemies and tomorrow be
our allies as they we're for the overthrow
OF the power of Spain. We might accept
this autonomy America offers, but what
can we do with it IL our ambition is in
dependence and we are to accept 1t only
to later overthrow by force Of arms the
Sovereignty of America AS believe 1t
is the intention of the autonomists to
make uso of treachery and deceit. we can
not accept such a procedure. We do not
wish to be traitors afterwards. We wish
to show our character OF frankness and
sincerity and nothing more. Let us avoid
the example of those natives who, having
at one time been colonists, accepted
autonomy to enable them to make th cir
work surer once everything was prepared.
History has given us an example of this
In recent events. Let us persist In our
ideas which is only the Legitimate and
noble aspirations of a people which is
DESTROYS at all cost to preserve its national
honor spotless and as pure as crystal.
Thus. then, there will not be r. single
Filipino autonomist. Those who are so
are in the eyes of the people. but time
servers, fearful of losing their riches
threatened by risks of war;
: "Filipinos. let us be constant; let us
strengthen the bonds of our union"
Aguinaldo concluded with calling for
cheers for Independence, the union of the
sEilipinos, and for the liberatlng army.