Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-02-04
HIS SECOND PROTEST.
AgoncIIlo Sends Another Letter 10 the
state Department Concerning the
Phllinninn Onnsflnm.

Agonc1ilo Sends Another Letter 10 the |
state Department. Concerning the |
Philippine Question.
Washington, Jan. 31.-Sixto Lopez,
secretary to Agoncillo, the Philippine
representative here, called at the state
department yesterday and left another
communication addressed to the secre-
tary of state protesting against the at
titude of our government towards the
Filipino "republica." The terms of the
protest do not go as far as an ultima
tum. The same fate awaits this COM
n,unication as that which befel its
predecessor-it will be ignored. Ac-
companying the communication is a
| long memorial addressed to the senate
containing an argument in opposition
to the ratification of the treaty and
which the envoy asks the president to
send to that body.
The memorial to the senate is a long
document and is protest that this
government has no jurisdiction, nat
ural or acquired, through any of its
agencies to adiudicate in any manner
upon the rights of the Philippine coun-
try and its people. He refers to the
historical fact that large number of
my countrymen have never been sub.
dued by Spanish power, and against
their liberties the oppressive arm of
| Spain has never been able to sustain
| itself; that the remainder, because of
| their adhesion to the cause of liberty,
| have been in almost constant inSurrec-
| ton against the government of Spain,
| these conflicts existing continuously
with greater or less fury for 100 years."
The impression, he continues, has
been created in America that at the
| time of the declaration of war between
America and Spain the Philippine revo-
luton no longer existed. He quotes
from communications from Consul
| General Williams at Manila and Mr..
Pratt, as a result of which Agoncillo
says that without additional authority
1t must be evident to your honorable
body that an extensive revolution ex-
listed in the Philippine islands at the
time of the declaration of war by
America against Spain"
The purpose of the Filipino patriots
in conducting this revolution was, it is
asserted, to secure the complete indie
pendence of their country, and in this
effort they received the encouragement
of the United States, and were never
informed that the obtaining and pres
ervation of such independence would
be regarded as a hostile act by Amer
lea, and they never believed their
struggle in such cause would lead to
enormous aggregations of American
armies and navies at their doors. Ad
ditional historical facts are here pre-
sented and quotations made from man.
ifestos of the Filipinos and from other
documents, from which, says the en-
voy, it must appear that the Philip
pine nation had achieved its indepeIsl-
ence free from any danger of losing it
at the hands of the Spaniards prior
even to the signing of the protocol"
Spain having been driven away from
the islands and the inhabitants having
established a government satisfactory
TO themselves, and maintaining order
throughout its territory, what justiti-
cation, Agoncillo asks, can any other
nation advance for interfering with his
country or refusing to extend toward
it the obligations of international laws.
Bearing on the question whether the
American government can acquire right
to the Philippines from Spain by treaty,
the memorial calls attention to ''sever.
al notable and exact American prece-
dents" and Agoncillo says he could ask
for his country 'no better fortune than
to have the republic of America as at
present constituted adhere to the
teachings of international law as laid
down by some of its founders"