The Portland daily press., 1900-08-16

A Devoted Anti who Wants American
Soldiers Convicted OF Piracy.


Washington, August 15.--The war de-
partlnent has made public the Filipino
correspondence, captured some months
ago by General Funston's command IN
Luzon.
Tt was translated from Spanish under
the direction of Captain John M. Taylor
of the 14th Infantry, who is In charge OF
insurgent records.
There is a letter from Montague IL.
Leverson, dated at Fort Hamilton, NY, |
July II. 1899, and addressed to Senior u |
ApacibIe. 1T says in part:
Dear Sir and Brother-Our friend, AL
bert S. ParsOn of Lexington gave me
your name as one to whom l could write
as representative of the F1llplno gov
ernlnent | am a member of the anti
imperiaIist league of Boston, OF Whlc1
George w. Boutwell, is president, ana
Erving Winslow is secretary. We nave
published many articles ana letters de-
nouncing the piratical war carried on py
President Mckinley against your people.
He and General Otis and all his troops
are pirates upon the territory of the ma
tives Our presidents are not in the po-
sitions of kings. Our presidents are noO
in the least authorized to make war With
out the consent of Congress as MCKINLEY
is doing and all p ersons compromised IN
this war are pirates
~ should like to suggest plan to you:
1t is this, you should seize some Oluola1
of rank in the Service of the United
States and then inform the foreign con-
suls that he was to be brougnO De1Ore
council of war to see that 1T is legal.
PIRACY would be shown by conducting
war in violation OF the usages OF CIVIL
lied war and the proof would consist IN
the fact of the consent to killing defence
Ior v,si1 "a On-CO OaGf9nbE.
women and children In cold blood, ana
| in robbery by officers and soldiers nom
non com Dattants.
elf L were not an old man, OF more
than 90 years, l would willingly aid you
in your just defense. l also suggest that
| the Filipino congress address the people
of the United States,
81 shall not give you the heads of this
appeal, / merely point out some Jh1ngs
/ which will especially influence the peo-
pie. For example reference to the decla
ration OF independence must be Inserted,
but believe that it is also necessary Tor
you to mention in your appeal the sug-
| gestiOns / have made above to show that
this war is piracy, using them to bring
out the want of Christian feeling OF the
soldiers.
"You must also show that Mckinley
keeps the people of the United States IN
ignorance OF the true facts, that he and
mem bers of the cabinet have deliberately
lied to secure the ratification OF the treaty
OF peace with Spain without the clause
which would have assured the liberty OF
the Filipinos, that they deliberately lied
when they said that AgOncilIO advised
Aguinaldo to light and that a telegram
stating the opposite was intercepted. The
war was advised from Washington to Sc
cure the passage of the treaty.
"DO not fail to insist upon the
| atrocities before mentioned, and especial
ly the assassination IN cold blood oil
women and children and the slack of the
property of non com battants perpetrated
by officers and soldiers, especially by &
captain named Otis, who is believed to bC
a relative OF the general, who not only
+ took no steps for the punishment of the
assassins, but who did not even repri
! mand them.
eff you can prove that women hav,
been violated, put that also in your state
, ment.
''You should offer to prove all th
atrocities before a commission composed
OF three Americans named by the Con
gress of the United States and the Fill
pinos, named by the Filipino Congress,
, and presided over by person OF some
! other nation chosen by the United States
he must not be an Englishman-fol
they are all associated IN the crime.
eff the publication of any portion Of
this letter Will be Of any service you can
use it, but 1 think 1t would be more pru-
dent to keep it secret.
do not forget to speak of the Ameri.
can squadron which blocked your coasts
| bonn harding them without warning to
the noncombatants and peaceful towns,
where war wOrid never have been
thought of, but W1ere now the greater
part of the Inhabitants, who were friends
Of the United States have taken arms &c
avenge the deaths of their wives and
sons.
HE also speaks of the refusals of the
United States and Great Britain to re-
nounce the use of explosive bullets, which
were decided upon in the conference OF
the commissioners at The Hague, and the
United States were using, although their
use was denounced by the other members
at The Hague. ASK the people of the
United States If they think that they are
Christians, and ask them how they car
reconcile their pretended religion with
their present conduct toward NcKin ley
and his war;