The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-06
Rios, B. de Abaruza, J. de t7arnica, w.
r. de Vile Urrutia, Rafael Cerrero.
ACCOMPANYING CORRESPOND


ENCE.
Accompanying the treaty is q great
mass OF correspondence, making a
printed volume Of 675 pages. This in
cludes among other things all of the
credentials of the American Commits
sioners to Paris and the protocols which
are the records Of the daily proceedings
of the Commissioners that lead up to
the Anal treaty of peace, embodyins
necessarily all of the propositions and
counter propositions of the past, print
ed in both languages, English and
Spanish. From an inspection of these
it appears that the press reports from
Paris during the proceedings of the
commission set these out with re-
mara1able degree Of accuracy, consider
ing the secrecy which was supposed to
overhang the proceedings.
There is also included all the CORE
spondence that passed between the
French Embassy here and the State
Department, which led up to the sig
nature of the protocol, but the inter-
esting feature, namely, the effort of
the Spanish Minister of Foreign AT
fairs to withdraw the sovereignty of
the Philippines from question, has al
ready been published unofiicially.
Included in this correspondence is a
letter from M. Thiebaut, the French
Charge d'Affaires, protesting against
the continuance of the operations OF
the insurgents in the Philippines, which
he assumed was with the knowledge
and consent of the American com
manders, and suggesting that the
Spanish troops captured at Manila be
allowed to fight the Filipinos. To this
Mr.. Moore replied on September Sta
that upon investigation he had found
that most of the statements we've
groundless. There was a sort Of sug.'
gestion from the first charge to the
effect that the families Of the Spanish
officers who were captured at Guam
were suffering.
There is included all of the CORE
spondence that passed between the De-
partment of State and the United
States Consuls at Manila, Hongkong
and Singapore relative to the Philip
pines Consul Williams, at Manila, be-
fore the actual outbreak of war, re-
ported a series of most horrible out
RACES by the Spaniards upon the Fill
pinos. He declared that 5 per cent.
of the latter are loyal to Spain. He
complains of being surrounded by
spies everywhere, saying that even in
his Consular office he is not safe from
them.
Consul Wildman, at Hongkons, on
November Sd telegraphed that General
Agoncillo was coming to Washington.
He said:
He has power to make treaties with
foreign Governments, and has proposed
an offensive and defensive alliance
with the United States
Agoncillo asked for arms to aid the
rebellion.
Acting Secretary Cridler on Decem-
Der 10Th replied, telling Wildman to
advise Agoncillo that the United States
does not negotiate treaties, and it is
not possible to forward arms. you
should not encourage any tendency On
the part of Agoncillo to communicate
with the department"
A long letter dated July 18th from
Consul Wildman defends Agonci.io as
a. man who has been Systematically
blackened. Says he: According to his
own statement, he has been approached
by Spain and Germany, and has tempt
ing offers from the Catholic Church.
ADIll ZSIH NOIlSul ldtL tClCEi e-pAieSA
from Singapore: "Aguinaldo has gone
at my instance to Hongkong to ar
range with Dewey the cooperation OF
insurgents at Manila.
June Goth Secretary Day telegraphed
Pratt, among other things: Avoid any
negotiations with Philippine insur-
gents"
Pratt replied that he had no inten-
ton of negotiating. Says he:
81 left that to Dewey, who desires
Aguinaldo to come"
Secretary Day again admonished Pratt
to be cautious to create no impression
that might embarrass the Government
and lead to misunderstanding on It's
future action.
July I'd Pratt reports to the depart
ment that the Sultan of the Su!u ISL
ands was negotiating at Singapore for
the annexation of his group to Pritfsn
Borneo. which he said should be
watched.
All of the statements made by Gen
eral Merritt before the American COM
mission at Paris appear in the docu-
ment In substance, he said the insUr-
gents would fight if the attempt was
made to surrender LuZon TO Spain
Spain could not reduce the islands
unaided Asked whether the insurgents
were capable of government, he replied
that it would take time; they would
have to be educated up to it. Senator
Frye asked if the natives would enlist
under the American flag, and if Agsli
naldo could be given a command. He
replied in the affirmative to both ques
Enr he bof lot
Bells report showed that the insur-
gents had Sc, 800 stands of arms Agui-
naldo had 100000 in bank in Hong
kong and S220,000 in public funds in
Bacoor. Major Bell expressed the opin-
ion that if the United States should
govern the islands for a year Aguinaldo
would have no army left.
General Greene's estimate is also pro-
duced. He said there were 1900
Spanish prisoners in the Philippines. in
Guiding 400 officers, with 22OOO arms
and 22,O0O000 rounds of ammunition.
He described Aguinaldo's character.
and said much tact would be required
in dealing with Aguinaldo In his
opinion, that chieftain did not COM
mand the support of large body of
Filipinos. Then it must be remembered
that the insurgents were all Tagalas.
onfy one of thirty races in the Philip
pines. At the time he spoke none of
the 2,WeDOU Visayas, a people of equal
abilities, had taken any part He was
asked what chance there would be for
native government, to which he re.
piled: No native government ran
maintain itself without the active sup
port of strong foreign Government.
1t is difficult to see how any foreign
Government can give this protection
without taking such an active part in