The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-10-23
claim which ho might put forward.

/ claim Whioh no might pnt IOt"alu'
Does Aguinaldo deny thisf IL he
does we have our Consul on one side
and Agulnaldo on the other. We have
also the same exact, terse and clear
statements from oil Of our other otli-
oials. Besides. we have the explicit
Instructions from the State Depart
ment which confirm everything Tour
officials say. AS the result Of the in
tervlews in Singapore. Agulnaldo was
invited by Dewey TO come to Hongkong !;
but before he reached there Dewey had
left. and It was only on May l9'h, 1898,
eighteen days after the Spanish fleet
had been destroyed. and when 1t was
manifest to the whole world that the
Philippine Islands were 10 fall into the
d session Of the United States soldiers
that an interview between Aguinaldo
and Dewey took place.
Dewey made no promises TO Agul'
naldo be had IL in his power TO do So
but he was on his guard against him.
A few days after the first interview he
received a cable from Washington, from
the Secretary Of the Navy (Lons). as
follows:
dewey; You must exercise discie-
tiou most fully in all matters and be
governed according to circumstances
which you know and which we cannot
know. You have our confidence
entirely. It is desirable, as far as pos
sible and consistent with your success
and safety. not TO nave political ALI
ances with the insurgents or any fac
uon in the Islands that would ineu'
liability to maintain their cause In ihe
future.
To which he replied
II thank the department for the ex'
preston Of confidence. Have acted &C.
cording to the spirit Of the department
instructions therein from the beginning
and / have entered into no alliance
with the insurgents or with any FAC
tion. This squadron can reduce the De
fenses Of Manila at any moment, ous
II IS considered useless until the arrlyA'
Of sufficient United States forces to re-
tain possession. "
With that despatch from the secfe'
tary of the Navy in his hand, Is Is
wholly impossible, In fact out OF the
question. that Admiral Dewey would
have subsequently made any promise &c
Aguinaldo. He was specially warned oy
the department not to enter into any
arrangement by which this Govern
ment would be identified with any IN
surrection party. The evidence upon
this point is so overwhelming that ever
Mr.. Schurz does not dispute 1t, saying
Il never said that formal alliances
or agreements or promises were mace
Let us 90 to the meeting between
Dewey and Aguineldo on the l9ta ol
May, on the deck Of the Olympia Mucn
is sought to be made Of this conference
and it should be closely analyzed. Inc
question arises as to the official cnarao'
ter of Aguinaldo. What was ne at THIS
time? He was an exile, mere private
individual. with no public or official
character or position Of any kind what
ever who had Voluntarily eSpatTlateu
himself from his own country and was
prohibited by Spain from going there
He was not connected with any insur'
rection. except in 80 far as 1t mign'
have his moral and pecuniary support
in fact, there is no evidence that any
iusurrection had begun. He was engag
ed in the business Of launching re-
belliou. He did not officially represent
the Fllipinos, not only because ne mac
not and could not land on their shores
without the aid Of the United Statei
but for the more powerful reason ina
thew had no government whatever. Ih'
insurgents had not, az this time, pu'
themselyes in the field except IN mos
scattered, insignificant way they hac
no arms and did not receive any until
they were delivered through TN
instrumentality Of the OnlteC
States. No insurrection was Oh
ganized the people had made no DEC
laration Of independence; they nae
adopted no constitution-no hsg-n'
form Of government; they had neither
legal nor local habitation. nor name
nor any of the insignia Of government
at most they were simply struggling
maloonteats. without officers, arms ol
ammunition, waiting TO be born, ied
clothed, organized and strengthened
into an iusurrection BY the influence
of the navy and army and power OF th'
United States government, and readl
TO take advantage Of any opportunity
which might advance their interests
CONTINUED ON SECOND PAGE.
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