Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-28
atiseellaneous Reaaing.
FILIPINOS WANT RECOGNITION.
Proclamation Inviting Cooperation OF the
Spaniards.

The Filipino delegation that went to
Washington not long ago as the agents
of Aguinaldo, on last Tuesday, gave
out the following:
General Francisco Villanueda y
Felipe, governor general Of the WIS.,
cayas, has, upon the retreat OF the
Spaniards from Iloilo and its occupa-
ton by the Filipino troops, acting un-
der directions from Aguinaldo, issued
a general manifesto of amnesty to the
Spaniards of that city and province,
guaranteeing them all liberties under
the republic as enjoyed by the Filipino
people. The manifesto also calls upon
the Spaniardsto stand by the Filipinos,
as brothers with mutual interests, for
the establishment of a just govern
ment. The proclamation has had the
effect of pacifying the Spanish resi-
dents of the city and causing them to
yield willingly to the authority OF the
of the Fillpinos. The
paper shows much ability upon the
part of the governor general and
familiarity with many of the most
events of history. After the
usual prelude to such documents, the
manifesto continues:
GA new era has dawned upon the
Orient, u new epoch has been inaugu-
rated in the history of the world, for,
in fact, a new nation has been born !;
the first republic of Asia has been
established, and has taken its place
among the sisterhood of nations of the
globe. 1t is the republic of the Phil
ippine islands, whose chief and presi-
dent is General Emilio Aguinaldo. The
Filipinos have, indeed, surprised the
civilized world by the success of their
revolution. They have shown 10 the
world what a people can do in the
great struggle for human liberty and
independence. Yesterday it was Lu.
zon, today it is the Viscayas, tomorrow
it is Mindanao and the rest of. the
islands of the archipelago, proclaiming
independence, establishing a confeder.
alton, a free and independent republic.
Providence has at last opened the way
and freed a people from the bondage
of slavery which they have suffered
for centuries. Man has been but the
instrument in His hands-an in carry
ing out the eternal laws of God.
In the beginning of the century Spain
vanuuished the French army at Bailen,
Navarro and Zargoza, the imperial
army of Napoleon which had been fear
ed by all Europe. America drove her
English oppressors from the shores OF
the new continent, and with no more
right than the Filipinos have now
driven the Spanish from the shores of
these islands. They did it to establish
liberty and independence, as the Filipl-
DOS have also done. No nation and no
people loves tyranny. Dessalines, in
Santo Domingo, made war without
mercy against the white people of that
island and destroyed property without
regard, to prevent it from falling into
the hands of the oppressors of his peo-
pie. Bolivar; mere student in South
swore that he would liberate
his people, and fulfilled his mission.
Today, we of the Filipinos have an
angel from Providence, who is General
Emilio Aguinaldo, who announced that
he would free his people from their op-
pressors, and the result is that we see
today the establishment of an indedend-
ent republic, the first that the Orient
has ever seen. We have not feared
those giant machines of war which
make the very waters tremble; but
we have defed them, knowing that
our cause was just one, and that
success would surely come to reward
our efforts. We have driven the ene-
my from our shores, and now, brother
it is to you that we turn
to extend to you the same blessings of
liberty which we have fought to attain
for ourselves. You have been long
with US; but perhaps, naturally bound
by ties that are hard to sever, have
largely upheld the mother country,
although her exactions have been bur-
densome to you.
"'Spain has been vanquished in the
war with America and has lost her
ships and treasure. She has been
forced to surrender her sovereignty to
the Philippine Islands and to submit
to the establishment of an independent
government, which now exercises ju.
risdiction over all the islands of the
archipelago. We are willing for the
common good to forgive you for hav-
ing contended against US, and will now
extend to you the same rights and
privileges which were gained in this in
for the Filipinos. 1t is not
we'll that more blood should be spilled
and we desire no internal strife. The
best, the most capable of our people,
will govern. Spaniards, as well as the
people of other nationalites, will be
welcomed as citizens of the new repub-
lie upon equal terms with the native
people, for a new flag now flies over
the Philippine islands. You will be
guaranteed the blessings of the insti-
sutions which will be established un-
der the new regime. You will be guar
anteed the security of your property /;
the safety of your money will be guar
anteed by the bank of the Filipinos
that the result of your labors for years
may not be lost to you.
"'My dear Spaniards, our interests
are mutual we should live together as
brothers, forgetting the past and re-
ioicing in the formation of grand re-
public. We should befriend a COM
mon cause Liberty. This liberty