The record-union., 1899-01-31
Protesting Against Our Attitude Toward
the Filipino "Repuhllc.
qsg
Also Long Memorial Addressed to
the Senate, Arguing in Oppose
ton to the Ratification of the
Treaty of Peace, Which Agui-
naldo's Envoy Requests the
President to Send to That Body.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3O.-Sixto
Lopez, Secretary of Agoncillo, the Phil
| ippine representative here, called at
the State Department about o'clock
this afternoon and left with the Chief
Clerk another communication addressed
to the Secretary of State protesting
against the attitude of our Government
toward the Filipino Republic The
terms of the protest do not go as far as
an ultimatum. The same fate awaits
this communication as that which be-
| fell it's predecossors-it will be diplo-
matically ignored.
| Accompanying the communication Is
a long memorial addressed to the Sem
ate, containing a comprehensive argu-
| ment in OPPOSITION to the ratification of
the treaty, and which the envoy asks
the President to send to that body The
letter of transmittal contains more than
| the mere request, but Agoncillo feels
| that he is bound by courtesy not to
make it public until an opportunity is
had by the State Department officials
to make a reply
| The memorial to the Senate is a long
document, both historical and argument
tative in character, and is a protest
that this Government has no jurisdic-
ton, through any of its agencies, to
adjudicate in any manner upon the
| rights Of the Philippine country and
its people. 1t refers to the Historical
| fact that a large number of my coun-
trymen have never been subdued by
| Spanish power, and as against their
liberties the oppressive arm Of Spain
has never been able to sustain itself;
that the remainder, because of their
10Y acin No 10 -
been in almost constant Instruction
against the Government of Spain, these
conflicts existing continuously with
greater or less fury for the past 100
years."
The purpose of the Filipino patriots
in conducting their revolution was, it
is asserted to secure the complete in
dependence of their country and in this
effort they received the encouragement
of the United States, and We're never
informed that the obtaining and pres
ervation of such independence would
be regarded as hostile act by Amer
lea, and they never believed that their
struggle in such cause would lead to
enormous aggregations of American
armies and navies at their doors.
Additional historical facts are pre-
scented, 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 it's independ-
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 the territories, what justifi-
cation, Agoncillo asks, can any other
nation advance for interfering with his
country or refusing to extend toward it
the obligations of international laws.
Could Spain, he asks, give to any ma
ton a better right than she professed?
She could not confer possession if sha
did not enjoy it, and any former right
of possession claimed by her had been
extinguished by the destruction of her
sovereignty.
Bearing on the discussion of the
question whether the American Govern
ment could acquire right to the Phil
ippines from Spain by treaty, the
memorial calls attention to several
notable and exact American prece-
dents' Agoncil1o says he could ask
LII LIS Couilliy III uettSI loi tune tHdit
to have the republic of America as at
present constituted adhere to the teach
ings of international law as laid down
by some of it's founders
Senior Agonci1lo summarized the
various reasons set out in detail why
the treaty should not be ratified, and
expresses an earnest hope thai the
representations he has ventuTed to
make will receive the grave considera-
ton of the Senate before final action
is taken upon the treaty which contains
SO much Of consequence to his people"