Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-05-11
AGUINALDO'S ENGLISnMEN.
AN UNPUBLISHED CHAPTER OF d.
PLOMACY WITH FiLlPlNOS
Tho Conspiracy's Inception-An Early
Tagal PROCLAIM at ions "A dviser
to the Dictator.

The origin of the rebellion in the Philip
pines is accounted for by the Washington
of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat in an interesting manner. lie
divides the responsibility between Howard
w. Bray, whom he calls Aguinaldo's Eng
lishman and the extreme antl-imperalists'
Howard w. Bray was for fifteen years
a planter and merchant in the Philippines.
He left there during the revolution OF the
Flipinos which preceded the war OF the
United States with Spain. His synlpathleS
with Agunaldo and the leaders OF the rev
olution were such that Mr. Bray was OBJ
liged to abandon his property ana MATER
ial interests but he kept in communication
with Aguinaldo. Singapore was the home
of Mr.. Bray at the time the relations pc
tween the United States and Spain pc
came strained Just before the declaration
of war Aguinaldo arrived in Singapore for
the purpose of consultation with Mr.. Bray.
At that time he was an exile from l.uloh-
The Tagal revolution had been revived
but it was without cohesion and leader
ship Mr.. Bray had secured an introduc-
ton to Mr.. Spencer Pratt, the American
Consul General, and was supplying MN
with information az to the Spanish mill
sary conditions in the Philippines.
AS soon Is Agunaldo reached singapore
Mr.. Bray arranged for a conference with
Mr.. Pratt Through an Englispman, act-
ing as his adviser and interpreter, the
Filipino leader offered to go with the AM
erican squadron to Manila, and In the
event of A victory there to land and 10
organize tho insurgents for cooperation
with the United States forces.
Il enjoined upon him." wrote Consul
General Pratt, to Secretary Day, tne
necessity, under Commodore DeweyS dl-
rcCtion, of exerting absolute control oNel
ut ~t,a.c ~ n ~ =
SEES on their part would be tolerated by the
American Government the President hay
ing declared that the present hostl!teS
with Spain were to be carried on in stree
accord with modern principles Of civilizec
warfare To this Gen. Axuinaldo fully as
sented, assuring me that he intended ahe
was perfectly able. once in the nelo' t'
hold his followers, the insurgents. II
check and to lead them as our command
er should direct The General furthe
stated that he hoped the United States
would assume protection of the Philip
pines for at least long enough to ALLOW
the inhabitants to establish government
Of their own, in the organization of whicl
he would desire American advise and as
sistance."
Mr.. Frat cabled Aguinado's offer of co
oneration to Commodore Dewey, and til
latter replied from Hong Kong:
Tell Aguinaldo come as soon as posi-
BILE"
. Under an assumed name Aguinaldo sail
ed from Singapore to Hong Kong. lie eX
, pected to go on the Olympia to Manila, bu
did not arrive in time. After the destrut
, ton of the Spanish squadron the McCul
: .loch was gent to Hong Kong with tn
, news On it's return to Manila Bay 1t car
, ried Agunaido and seventeen fllpln
chiefs. After conference with Commodor
, Dewey, Aguinado and his staff wen
ashore at Cavite to try to organize the IN
: surgent forces against the Spanish. II
had previously sent word that he wa
: coming, and had invited the Fflipinos
I meet him at Cavite There was no re
Spouse. After a days effort Agunald
, became discouraged and returned TO tn
: fleet He reported the failure to the con
n modore, and was inclined TO give up IN
a attempt. Commodore Dewey encourage
A him to make another appeal to the Fiji
> mos, and held out the promise or SON
. Mausers and ammunition from the Spar
n ish arsenal at Cavite. Aguinaldo had
q mind to return to Hong Kong, but aft'
r this encourae cement from the command'
= of the American fleet he decided TO mar
one more trial to rally the Filipinos. Il
+ went ashore again. The leaders OF u
T scattered bands of insurgents, one aft
a another reported to him, and he was alb
: to begin land operations against the Spal
>, ish using the arms and ammunition whit
a Commodore Dewey had permitted nm
a take. Gradually the insurgent army wa
: formed. it invested the city of Mani
and took many prisoners, as one SPANS
I garrison after another surrendered.
Il Meantime "Aguinaldo'S Englishman' /
~ NAMED at Singapore and conducted II
, propaganda of Filipino independence
:, early as the Sth of June, with the news
# the first Tagal successes in Luzon, tn
n Englshman began to spread abroad Il
a intentions of the Filipinos.
Il THE only possible solution of the Pm
~ ippne question" Mr.. Bray declared in r
Spouse 10 a suggestion from British sou
a ces that the United States would reta
70 the islands. lis an independent COVER
10 ment under American protection, and TT
" is the policy recommended Gen. Aguins
c do and his compatriots to accept, al
~ which will no doubt be carried out
~ I'D to that time Aguinaldo in Luzon h
"a progressed no farther in his plans than
"a express great gratitude TO the Unit
~ States. ON the 10Th of June he wrote
Ia the President begging that the Unit
States would not let the Philippines
back to Spain or sell them to England.
had been reported in the newspapers
At Singapore the f.nglshman kept
the demand for Filipino independent
ls America" he wrote, has not yet co
20 oucred the Philippines-not by long W
Al but will occupy them with the assstan
e. and good will of the Filpinos. The pc
~ session of Manila no more means the pc
Of session of the Philippines than the posse
ne sion of New York means the possession
America Without this good will and {
lis sistance of the inhabitants, l must b
N leave to state that neither the Unit
ty States nor any other nation could eN
lie hope to take the Philippines, except w
ed an army of 200 900 or more. If even thu
he no matter what theorists may say to
he contrary
From that time on, Mr.. Bray bus
rs himself with the execution of the pol
I'd of Filipino Independence. He got ur
p demonstration at Singapore immediate
&C. folio wing his declaration of policy
Aguinado. The Filipinos then at that C
marched to the American consulate a
. presented an address, the handiwork
Mr.. Bray to the Consul General
Pratt. Artfu)ly this address assumed Il
he the United States was committed to
ry dependence Of the Philippines. One pa
he graph Of it read:
&C. "Our countrymen at home, and those
wo siding here refugees from Spanish n
IN rule and tyranny in our beloved nat
M land, hope that the United States, "
Try nation, perscvering in it's humane poll
to will encaciously second the program
ill arranged between you, sir, and Gen. Az
naldo in this port of Singapore, and
cure to us our Independence under the p
A. lection of the United States