Morris tribune., 1900-09-08

SIX months Of vigorous siege and Of total
abandonment understand how YOU can
prefer US to the others. The way to
make this surrender Is to join US and
proclaim the federation Of the Filipino re-
public with the Spanish republic, recog-
nizing the chieftainship Of our honorable
president, Senior Emilio Aguinaldo. A fra
ternal embrace will take place between
Filipinos, yisayans and spaniards; there
will be hurrahs for Spain and the Philip
pines united as a federal republic"
This letter demonstrates how base and
treacherous Aguinaldo had been from the
very beginning. It shows that as early
as June 9-before Manila was captured
-he was in negotiation with Gen. Angus
tin, the Spanish commander, for the pur-
pose of combining with him against our
forces. He was ready then, as he was
in the case of Gen. Rios, who proved
to some extent more plant, to make COM
mon cause with the Spaniards against
our forces.
He was seeking independence for
his people, not from their oId-time
OppressOr, Spain, but from their de-
1iverers, the United States.
But there was one condition he was
"the chieftainship of our honorable presi-
dent, Senior Emilio Aguinaldo should be
recognized. He was all along willing to
negotiate and traffic with Spaniards as he
had been in December, 1897, at Biac ma
Bato. If he could, in some way, be taken
care Of, he preferred the Spaniards to the
Americans. On the 9th day of July, 1898,
he appointed Generals Garcia and Ri
carte Of his army to negotiate with the
Spanish governor general for the sur
render Of Manila to his forces, in utter
disregard of Dewey and his fleet and Of
our forces under Gen. Anderson.
On the 10th OF December, the treaty Of
peace was signed at Paris. Ever since
the capture of Manila, Aguinaldo and the
insurgents had maintained their military
lines around the city on the plea Of being
prepared to meet the Spaniards in case
they returned. Up to that time they af-
fected to fear That the United States
would surrender the country to Spain,
and claimed that all their military pre-
parations and investments were intended
to protect themselves against the Span
iards, not against our forces But as
soon as the report of the treaty of peacO
reached Manila, they threw off the mask.
The first open move was their occupation
of Iloilo, to which have referred. This
was followed, on the 5th Of January, 1893,
by a proclamation from Aguinaldo prac-
tically declaring war against the United
States. In this proclamation he states:
''Thus it is that my government is dis
posed to open hostilities if the American
troops attempt to take forcible posses
ctr tha S1o
their heads be all the blood which may be
shed"
In the early part of January, 1899, Agui-
naldo, through a friend and former COM
panion, organized a large number of clubs
in Manila. with total membership OF
10000, ostensib1y for education and
amusement, but really for hostile pur-
poses against our forces. These clubs had
a military organization and were COM
manded by Filipino officers, appointed by
Aguinaldo's government. At the same
time a large quantity OF arms
and bolos were secretly introduced.
stored and hidden away for future
hostile use of 4these8f Bclubs.4 The
purpose of all these arrangements was to
provide for a rising and attack OF the
Fflipinos within the city upon our forces
at the same time the insurgents attacked
then from the outside.
A general massacre of our forces
and of all white people within the
city was contemplated.
On the 7th of January, Aguinaldo wrote
from Malolos to a friend in Manila,
among other things, as follows:
ST beg you to leave with your family
and to come here to Malolos, but not be-
cause 1 wish to frighten you. merely
wish to warn you for your satisfaction,
although it is not yet the day or the
week"
Gen. Otis, in his report, vividly de-
scribes, in the following terse language,
the critical events transpiring and the at
titude assumed by Aguinado and the in
surgents during the month preceding their
attack of Feb. A:
During thiT period rapidly succeeding
eve1ts were fast approaching a
state of war, and strongly indicated the
fixed determination of the insurgent gov
ernment to drive the United States from
Luzon as soon as 1t could gather its
armed mer in sufficient numbers. It hed
the railway, every engine,
and most of its rolling stock. It was
DGTl6CLiuS IT'S OS1
planting its guns, concentrating its troops,
and bringing up it's army supplies, though
still publicly asserting it's desire for peace.
With the cunning which it had always at
tempted to practice in it's amateur di-
plomacy it endeavored to force the Unit
ed States to commit the first physical act
of hostility in the way of musketry FIRE,
in order to appeal to the sympathies Of
the foreign public for seemingly op-
pressed people, which it falsely claimed
to represent. In this 1t signally failed.
The knitting and attempted shooting Of our
picket sentries brought no hostile re-
sponse except the killing, by the intended
victim, of the assassin who had so dex-
terously used the knife upon him. The
excitement within the city was very
and the cruelty of the Amer
Icano' was the theme. No one seemed to
be possessed Of any fixed determination
,ut the Tagal All others were watch
Ing for new demonstrations and waiting
.or developments. Manila Is unparalleled
'or diversity Of race and babel of tongues;
also for its grade of enlightenment from
oarbaric ignorance to the highest civil
zed stage. Rumors innumerable and Of
he most varied character filled the at
t
In special report to the adjutant gem
raj. Gen. Otis uses this language: