The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-24

y
quality in Congress. continued yester-
day the mastery speech on the Phil
ippines question which he began Tues
day. The most effective thing in Sena-
|torSpooner's speech was the reading OF
n letter from Aguinaldo, dated Oct. 2s.
1898, in which the Filipino urged Rios.
the Spanish general In command at
1loilo. TO surrender to the insurgents in
stead OF the Americans. and holding
out. hope of a federation between the
Filipino republic and the Spanish pow
| er, This letter. which was captured
among the effects of the insurgents by
American troops and which was writ
ten in the office of the Filipino presi-
dent on distinctive office paper and
signed with Aguinaldo's cipher, refer
red TO another letter cn JunN 8. 1898, at
the very time when Pettigrew and his
crowd say that Aguinaido was acting
as an American ally, In which the in
surgent leader had made overtures 10
General Augustine, the Spanish gov
ernor general.
The reading OF this letter, which, al
though communicated to Congress a
month ago, was lost I'm mass of docu-
a bombshell TO Pettigrew. who listened
20 Spooner's comments on 1t with flush
ed face and bowed head. The letter. as
Spooner read 1t. is as follows:
AGUINALDo'S LETTER.
Revolutionary Government of the Phil
ippines, Office OF the President. Ma
lolos, oct. 25, 1898. (Privateo
Respected General--I write to you
4.
your dignity or your patriotism, or of
interfering in your high duties in the
present circumstances, SO critical for
all of us, Filipinos, Spaniards and
Americans. / write 10 you, general, ac-
tuated solely by the desire Of doing an
act OF evident justice. compatible with
your honor an Nth those high duties
which / cite above, and especially with
the hope OF YET saving from the ship
wreck the sovereignty OF Spain In
these islands. / shall explain myself.
general. to see II you can understand
me, and to see whether IL will be the
same as with Gen. Augustine. who did
not care TO pay anv attention II the
frank warnings l gave him, with noble
|irtcntiors. in my letter of June LOST
Time has unfortunately justified me.
and I am able to declare, tina. Of ali
the Spanish generals. you alone know
how 20 defend the Spanish Gas in these
islands. All, II the others had only
know how 70 sustain y rs you have.
how dif erept would he TODAY the Sd
cou6;t;on e the Spanish empire IN these
jslar ardgse4 ~ asa ss ~ "a
am informed that You ara con-
sldering surrendering the place to
us or TO the Americans. After six
months Of vigorous siege and Of
total abandonment. ] understand
1,C trc IN hn
ers.
A FILIPINO REPUBLIC.
The way To make this surrender is
TO join us and proclaim the federation
OF the Filipino Republic with the Span
ish Republic, recogn zing the chieftain-
ship of our honorable president, Senor
Emilio Aguinalde. a fraternal em-
brace will take place between Fiiipino
Gisayans and Spaniards: there will
be hurrahs for Spain and the Filipinos
united as a federal republic; your
troops Will pass into the common army:
you will be promoted To be a lieutenant
general: the Spanish employees in the
Visayas will be supported by us: the
government will pass to our provincial
councils and local tuntas.
Those who want to go back to Spain
will be sent back at our expense. with
enough to pay their way to Spain. and
the flags of Span and the Philippines
will float side by side. You will give
an account OF this to Madrid and es-
pc sally % Pi Marital and i'm the mean
time we shall fight the Americans to-
gether; we shall conquer. and then we
ehall wait (and adjust our future re-
latons).
FILIPINO REASONING.
My ideas are placed before you in
this confused manner because l am
f<..t -.
give you fuller explanations. and l ask
you 10 see in this only my desire tn
stop the shedding OF blood by Spaniards
and Filipinos and to reconciliate both
OF them by appealing to the chivalric
feeling so characteristic of the high
and lofty point of view of Spain.
The surrender OF the heroic column
you command is the greatest outrage
which can be inflicted upon those val
liant men. since they have suffered the
humiliation which their unfortunate
compan ons suffer here; and you the
able and upright and valiant general.
are You going TO sign treaty with tho
Americans?
God preserve you from II, sir.
All of us admire your valor and your
self-restraint in battle and In misfor-
tune. For this reason we want TO keen
you as one OF ours. for IN this camp we
can appreciate brave man, even If he
is an enemy.
Your transfer to our side does not
really involve treason to Spain, since
the moment sovereignty passes TO the
Americans you are free TO transfer
your allegiance. This Is in accordance
with the principles OF national honor.
On the other hand, IL you join us you
cause the following:
PRISONERS TO BE RELEASED.
First liberty for all the 10000 Span
fsh prisoners in our hands. and then
II would serve as the first base OF the
new alliance between Spain and the
Philippines. and then from both will
come honor and applause for you as
having been the one fortunate enough
TO effect 81. This is all that ] can say
20 you at present, and i hope that you
Will tell me that you agree with me.
and then / shall be able 10 present
this 20 my government and obtain from
it an agreement 10 what have written
"a n private individual. Your most re-