The age-herald., 1899-07-13
AGUINALDO MAKES
 STIRRING SPEECH DWellS Upon Spain'S Love for the
 FilipinOS. WILL BE SLAVES TO NONE InSurSent Leader Expects Aid from the
 Democratic Party. HE WILL REFUSE AUTONOMY
HE WILL REFUSE AuToNoM
Says Great American Nation Has Not Forgotten Monroe Doctrine, and Will Finally Acknowledge
 Present War isaWrong

Manila, July 12-7:25 p. m.-A copy of the Independencia has reached Manila contain ing the speech which Aguinaldo made dur ing the recent celebration at Tarlac of the anniversary of the proclamation of Filipino independence. In substance, it is as fol- lows
 "Filipinos, beloved daughter of the ardent sun of the tropics, commended by Provi- dence to the care of noble Spain, be not ungrateful to her salute, who warmed you with the breath of her own culture and civilization.
 + Ut is true she ought to crush thy aspira- ton for independence, as a loving mother opposes separation forever from the daugh- ter Of her bosom. This but proves the ex- cess of love and affection Spain feels for thee. Filpinos, delicate flower of the east, scarcely eight months weaned from the breats of thy mother, thou hast dared to brave great and powerful nation as is the United States, after barely organizing and disciplining thy little army. Yet we reply we will be slaves to none, nor al- low ourselves to be deceived by soft words. Let us continue to defend our fatherland until independence is assured.
 
 "For this injustice we shall see at last the greater American nation acknowledge the right which is on our side. That doc Urine Of the great Monroe, that America is for Americans, is not forgotten. Just as We affirm that the Philippines are for the Filipinos. Some states of the Ameri- can union have arisen in our favor. Es- peciay is the democratic party convinced that both vietors and vanquished will lose hrc a pGnnlp and many statesmen censure President Mckinley as inhumane for having ordered his ns9tary representatives at Manila to seek laeans to bring about hostiities with the illipinos. These facts prove that they yAshed to try us to see If we are able to up to the second color of our banner, which Signifies courage. heroism and mar tyrdonl. Therefore, we should not resent this struggle with the Americans.
 They Fight n Just Fight
 ''In spite of their expressed desire to dominate all the Philippines, well con- vinced are they that we fight with justice and right on our side and that autonomy is all a show of deceit, only serving to save certain accumulated wealth. We have never concealed our aspirations that we aspire to independence, but that we will struggle on to obtain 1t perhaps from those who are our enemies and those who will be our allies as they were for the overthrow of the rule of Spain We might well accept this autonomy America offers, but what can we do with 1t if our ambi- tion is independence, and if we are to ac- cept 1t only to later overthrow by force of arms the sovereignty of America. As I be- lieve it is the intention of the autonomsts to make use of treachery and deceit, we cannot accept such a procedure. We do not wish to be traitors afterward. We wish to show our character of frankness and sincerity and nothing more Let us avoid the example of those natives who having al one time been colonists, accepted autonomy to enable them to make their work surer, once everything was prepared. History has given us example of this in recent events. Let us persist in our idea which Is only the legitimate and noble as- pirations of a people which Is desirous at all cost to preserve it's national honor spot less and as pure as crystal. Thus, then there will not be a single Filipino autono- mist. Those who are so, are, in the eyes of the. people but time servers. fearful of losing their riches threatened by risks of war.
 "Filipinos, let us be constant, let us strengthen the bonds of our nation."
 Aguinaldo concluded with calling for cheers for independence, the union of the Filipinos and for the liberating army