Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-10-26
In l,phnlf OF the rnlplnos.

| The conference OF citizens OF tho
United States who are opposed to i'm
perialsm and expansion, which was
held in Chicago last week, adopted the
following petition to Congress, pre-
pared by ex-senator George r. Ed.
munds, With view OF securing sigma
lures generally throughout the United
| States:
We, the undersigned citizens OF the
United States, respectfully petition
your honorable body to enact law,
with all convenient promptitudo, which
will assure the people of tho Philippine
Islands that 1t is not tho purpose OF
tho United States to interfere with
their aspirations for Independence or to
subject them to oui authority. hut only
| to perform the international duty in
volved in consequence of tho events
with the kingdom of Spain, iii pre-
serving the rights and safety of citizens
| and subjects of other countries and pre-
serving the just securities of order ami
safety for oil, pending the establish.
ment of regular and permanent con
stitntional government, and to assist,
protect, and defend the people of the
| islands in forming and maintaining
free, equal, and independent self
| government organizations by which
liberty under republican government
and order aud private rights be made
and continued secure; and when SO
established, to protect and defend them
| in the maintenance of the same; and
| that it is to these ends only that the
action of the United States shall be
directed in future if those now engaged
in hostility against the United States
and against whom the military forces
of the United States arc employed shall
cease Nil warlike operations, and shall
cooperate with the authorities of the
United States In speedily and effectively
attaining the aforesaid ends. And the
United States declare that tthe cessa-
tion of hostile operations and conduct
having taken place, and friendly CO.
operation being produced as aforesaid)
they will neither maintain nor exert
any military power in the said islands,
further or other than such as shall
appear to be necessary to the beneficent
ends aforesaid.
1t is the belief of your petitioners
that declaration of substantially the
character above stated. made by your
honorable body, representing the
sovereign will of the people of the
United States, is demanded by our own
honor, aud by all the equities of the
case. During the past few months
fuller information concerning condi-
tions in the Philippine Islands has
removed many misapprehension on
| important points which our people.
from want of full and correct in
formation, previously entertained. II
4 has been shown clearly tsee report Of
| Faymaster Wilcox and Naval Cadet
Sargent 10 Admiral Dewey, issued at
| Washington, February 1st, 1897, that
in the interval between the fall of the
Spanish power In the Philippines and
the ratification of the treaty of Paris,
a Filipino provisional government,
| which acknowledged Aguinaldo as its
| President and military commander,
existed over almost the full extent of
| the island of Luzon. During the journey
| OF six hundred miles, approximately,
these two trained, competent officers
found that government exercising full
authority, collecting taxes, preserving
order, protecting its prisoners of war,
and enjoying apparently the good will
and support Of the entire population.
In ore instance, when it was reported
that our Senators in Paris had de-
cided to grant Independence to the
island under an American protectorate,
the Philippine military governor over
two OF the provinces resigned his
authority, as these witnesses state. into
| the hands of the civil officer who had
been elected by the people. y The
latter, upon taking his oath of office,
asserted, in public speech, that the
| people, men, women and children, who
had overthrow the Spanish authority,
would resist to the last drop of their
blood the effort of any other nation to
bring them into subiectien. The
assertion has by subsequent events been
proved true. What more striking evi-
dence could there he OF the existence
of healthy, national spirit of true
under republican form Of govern
ment should lie placed upon military
authority, and OF loyalty to democratic
ideas!
| We respectfully submit that every
patriotic American must feel in the
mere statement OF such facts the capa.
bility of the Filipino people for self
government, and the great and mex.
cusable wrong which will be committed
If wc, who hitherto have enlightened
the world by the torch of liberty,
should. by our action in this case, ex.
tineuish it under an armed heel Tc
decree unnecessarily the slaughter oi
our own men and these people who
struggle fol the same principles thai
inspired US at Lexington and Bunke.
Hill will be. it is earnestly and respect
fully submitted, among the greates
mistakes ana wrongs that oui grea
and powerful nation can make or do
Why should we spend additional blooc
and treasure to subject people who
have already proved their politica
capabilities and sacrificed their live.
forL love of freedom. when an offer
wholly consistent with honor and ou
most cherished principles, may brinl
peace:
No good citiran who endorses th,
Declaration of Independence and sup
ports the Constitution of the I'm. tee
States can justly object to signing thi
petition.
II ought TO te signed by millions o
people throughout the country.
Sosember's Meteotic Display.
On the 14th or 18th of November
next magnificent display of meteor