Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-08-08
.AGUINALDO
,s0a APPEALS.
q ~ ar
He Thinks European Powers
Ought to Interfere In
& the War;
WASHINGTON NOT DISTURBED
F0fflcIals Say Manifesto VIII
Have No Effect In Chang
. ri Ing Affairs.

MANILA, August 8.-Aguinaldo has
appealed to the powers for the recogni-
ton of "Filipino Independence" in a
document dated from Tarlsc. July q.
1t has been received by all the foreign
consuls at Manila with the request that
they forward it to their respective gov
ernments. 80 nFf
The Filipinos use the Nold argument
that they had conquered the sovereign
ty of these islands from Spain before
the signing of the treaty at Paris and
therefore that Spain was in no position
to cede them to the United States.
They argue that the possession of 1000
Spanish prisoners captured with their
arms in lighting against the Filipinos
is eloquent proof of the nuIlity of
Spanish sovereignty, as when they sur
rendered Spain's hold was irrevocsbly
lost. Thedocument then ssys:e
"tsepiying to the Spanish commits.
sion's request to release the prisoners
because Spain no longer has political
interests In the islands we ask for q
treaty Of peace and friendship between
Spain and the Filipinos, whereby the
prisoners may be released, but the COM
missioners refused, because it would
mean the recognition of our independ-
ence. This is equivalent to saying the
prisoners must stay In our hands indef-
nitely because their, possession is our
most efiicaciOus method to adjust our
account with Spain and obtain from
her recognition Of independence"
Filipinos claim they conquered ali
the country except Manila and that they
cc-operated in securing the latter's
capitulation by surrounding 1t at the
cost Of a thousand lives. They also
claim they conquered the country unas-
sisted except for sixty guns that Admi-
raj Dewey gave Agninaldo, and that
Admiral Dewey aud the British and
Belgian consuls recognized Filipino
sovereignty by asking for passes to visit
the country, They claim they have let
ters from A mericafa consuIs ana RsilAr
als, recognizing their sovereignty. and
promising that the Americans wonld
recognize their Independence, which
was at the disposition Of the powers.
The FilipinOs attempt to make capi-
tai of the statement that Admiral
Dewey had confidence that Aguinaldo
would observe and fulfill the rules of
war, so that he gave hundred Span
ish prisoners which the American navy
had captured. Finally, the FilipinOs
appeal to the powers to influence Wash
ingt0n to bring to a termination an
unjust war which Is devastating the
country"
CREATE NO PARTICULAR CHANGE.
q WASHINGTON, August 8-The state
department is entirely without infor-
nation as to an address issued by
Aguinaldo to foreign powers for the
recognition of the Filipinos either as
belligerents OF, as cons tituting an indie.
pendent government. The appeal Is
looked upon. however, as creating no
particular change, as 1t has been the
desire of Aguinaldo and his associates
from the first to secure such recogni-
ton h The appeal puts this desire into
a rather formal shape and may bring
to an issue the position of outside gov
ernments. There is no idea here that
any foreign government will heed the
SThe International usage as to recog--
milton was exhaustively discussed In
congress- and was the subject OF lengthy
consideration in messages Of the presi-
dent. The general view at that time
was that the recognition of belligerency
was not In itself cssus belli. Up to
the present time there has been no in
timation to the state. department that
any foreign power entertained even the
remotest idea of giving recognition to
Aguinaldo and his associates.
SPAIN TO TREAT WITH FfLIPINos.
MANILA, August $3.50 p. m.-The
authorities at Madrid have ordered the
Spanish commissioners not to return to
Tarlac and it is reported that two
special commissioners, Seniors Capriles
and Cuerbo. are on their way here from
Spain 20 conduct negotiations for the
surrender of the Spanish prisoners now
he'd by the Filipinos