The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1900-09-10

days, 10 a. m. to IL m.
States. Their most intelligent and COM
prehensive report was submitted to Con-
gress.
The civil Commission
In March, 1900, believing that the insur-
rection was practically ended and earnest
ly desiring to promote the establishment
OF a stable government in the archipelago,
l appointed the following civil commits
sion:
Hon. William H. Taft of Ohio Prof.
Dean c. Worcester of Michigan, Hon. Luke
l. Wright of Tennessee, Hon. Henry Z.
Ide of Vermont. and Hon. Bernard Moses
of California. My instructions to them
contained the following:
You (the Secretary of War; Will in-
struct the commission to devote
their attention in the first instance to the
establishment of municipal governments,
III which the natives of the Islands, both
in the cities and in the rural commune
ties, shall be afforded the opportunity to
manage their own local affairs to the full-
est extent of which they are capable, and
subject to the least degree of supervision
and control which a careful study OF their
capacities and observation of the workings
of native control show to be consistent
with the maintenance of law, order and
is of the opinion that the condition OF af-
fairs in the islands Is such that the con-
troll of the administration may be safely
transferred from military to civil control,
they will report that conclusion to you
(the Secretary OF War;. with their recon-
mendations as to the form of central gov
eminent to be established for the purpose
OF taking over the control"
Until Congress shall take action l direct
ed that
Upon every division and branch of the
government of the Philippines must be
imposed these invioable rules:
That no person shall be deprived of
life, liberty or property without due pro-
cess of law; that private property shall
compensation; that in all criminal prose-
cutons the accused shall enjoy the right
to speedy and public trial, to be informed
OF the nature and cause of the accusation,
to be confronted with the witnesses against
him. to have compulsory process for OBJ
tanning witnesses In his favor and to have
the assistance of counsel for his defense;
that excessive bail shall not be required
nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and
unusual punishment inflicted; that no per-
son shall be put twice in jeopardy for the
same offense, or be compelled in any Grim
irsal case to be a witness against himself;
that the right to be secure against unrea-
sonable searches and seizures shall not be
violated; that neither slavery nor invol-
untary serVitude shall exist except as a
punishment for crime that no bill of re-
tainder or ex-post facto law be passed !;
that no law shall be passed abridging the
freedom of speech or of the press, or the
rights of the people to peaceably assemble
and petition the government for redress
of grievances; that no law shall be made
respecting the establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,
and that the free exercise and enjoyment
OF religious profession and worship with
out discrimination or preference shall for
ever be allowed"
That all might share in the regeneration
of the islands and participate in their gov
ernment L directed General Macarthur,
the Military Governor of the Philippines,
to issue a proclamation of amnesty, which
contained among other statements the fol-
lowing:
Manila, P. l., June q, 1900.
by direction of the President of the
United States, the undersigned announces
amnesty with complete immunity for the
past and absolute liberty of action for the
future, to all persons who are now, or at
any time since February 4, 1899. have been
in instruction against the United States
in either military or civil capacity, and
who shall, within period of ninety days
from the date hereof, formally renounce
all connection with such instruction and
subscribe to a declaration acknowledging
and accepting the sovereignty and au-
thority of the United States in and ovre
the Philippine Islands. The privilege
herewith published is extended to all con-
cerned without any reservation whatever,
excepting that persons who have violated
the laws of war during the period of act
i've hostilities are not embraced within the
scope of this amnesty"
Nobody who will avail himself of the
90 mill there
alliance between our soldiers and the insur-
gents, or that any promise of independence
was made to them. Long before their lead
er had reached Manila they had resolved If
the commander of the American navy
would give them arms with which to fight
the Spanish army, they would later turn
upon us, which they did murderously. and
without the shadow of cause or justif1ca-
ton There may be those without the means
of full information, who believe that we
were in alliance with the insurgents and
that we assured them that they should have
independence. To such let me repeat the
facts On the 26th of May, 1895, Admiral
Dewey was instructed by me to make no
alliance with any party or faction in the
Philippines that would incur liability to
maintain their cause In the future, and he
replied under date of June 8. 1895: "Have
acted according to spirit of department
instructions from the beginning, and l have
entered into no alliance with the insur-
gents or with any faction. This squadron
can reduce the defenses of Manila at any
moment, but it is considered useless until
tba arrival of sufficient United States
forces to retain possession" In the report
of the first Philippine commission, submit
ted on November 2, 1892 Admiral Dewey,
one of its members, said:
mo alliance of any kind was entered into
with Aguinaldo nor was any promise of
Independence made to him at any time"
There has been no time since the destruc-
tion of the enemy's feet when we could or
should have left the Philippine archipela-
Cd After the treaty of peace was ratified
no mower but Congress could surrender oul
sovereignty or ALLEVIATE a foot of the terri
tory thus acquired. The Congress has moi
seen fit to do the one or the other, and the
President had no authority to do either
If he had been SO inclined. which he was
not. So long as the sovereignty remains
in us 1t is the duty of the executive, who
ever he may be, to uphold that sovereign
ty, and If 1t be attacked to suppress its