The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-10-23
4 Defence
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

stances. can be made the bssls OF an in-
ternatiUnal compact binding upon the
people OF the United States cannot be
oOnsiderCu--it rs absurd nor would auy
alleged promisesunder the circumstances
even II coupled with actual war ser
vices rendered III pursuance Of them.
make any stronger case. for, among
others. this reason; Aguinald0 was
nothlDg-he represented nothing and
could represent nothing, because there
was nothing 90 represent. What was the
name OF hls Government! What was
its character? Mhere WAS it located
Was 1t a monarchy. an aristooraoy or a
democracy Where WAS the seat OF gov
ernment: What WAS It's official roster
Dewey cabled the Government that
AguinaldO had visited him aud that he
might render assistance Washington
hAd also heard from Williams, the Don.
sui General at Manila, that the '1nsut-
gents OF these islands were making
preparation for more successful war
against spain. The administration,
with great prudence, foresight ana
good sense, autographed, on May 26ih a.,
Go Dewey. as | have before stated and
90 Consul General Pratt at Singapore,
and the Secretary OF State telegraphed
that the United States would not, III
acct pttng AguiualdO's cooperation
consider Itself pledged 20 recognize any
political claims which he might pnt
forward. " Aud in further letter TO the
same official, said This Government
has known the Philippine insurgents
only as discontinued subjects Of spain.
Pratt replied to the Department that
be had held out no hopes 20 him
(Aguinaldo) of any kind. -
MIlaman, our CONSUL General at
HongkOng, WAS instructed to the same
effect ana replied tnat he never made
pledges or discussed policy OF America
with AguiualdO -
Agulualdo had been plainly told by
our cOnsuls aud other Oiii.ers and by
Dewey, thAt he could expect no Official
recognition fIOm them or from this
Governments Are we 90 believe MIN If
there Is contest u yersoityl Like
Iago, he nAd secret designs, for accord
ing 10 Colonel Kennon-
''Ou the Atm OF May, 1895. Aguinaldo,
Agoncillo ana few others neid meet
ing Ia this city )hongkong), 10 which
the present war was planned, IN case
the government OF the islands was not
turned over 20 them by the Americans.
Pure, guileless Aguinaldo j Their
plan was 60 unite WIN the Americans,
procure arms from them, which later
were tO be used against their libeEators.
1 nave myself read the minutes OF this
meeting, signed by Ag0nclllo, IN which
this plan Is proposed by Aguinald0. %
The wisdom aud prudence of the
Government was never 80 apparent IN
holding AguInaldO &C arm length
never appeared more justihAbie-thani rs
does today III the light VI al OF the sur
rounding clrcumsJanCes-tor II seems
shat he mad conceived from the begin
ing purpose IT establishing a dicta-
JOrlal government IN the Philippine
Islands, II his own manufacture, with o.
out regard - the wishes Ut the inhabi
tAnts, and thai be had conceived this
design If carrying shat out even IN
oppl sitiOn u the United States. with
sne very weapons and arms which ne
expected 80 receive from us And yet
We fod the anti-lmperlahsts like
Niobe, all IN tears" for the mid, love.
~ and patriotic Aguinaldo! Ho, who
did not propose tJ give Us time 10
breathe before. anticipating any IN
tention If ours, be would attempt TO
snatch the Philippines from Us
At This time We knew listle Or moth
ing abOuF the Philippine lslauds-we
we're cropping IN the dark-studylng the
questlOns-feelng our Way-sO that
when the time came we might be able
to act with q rape and mature judgment
that might be just aud fair ~ all the
people and t. the Interests involved.
Wa did not know whether there were
one or twenty-five Instructions Ia the
Philippine Islands and more humane,
conscientious, conservative and saga
ciOus policy, than that conducted
through the Office Of the Secretary OF
State. it Is impossible 60 conceive or,
80 far as l can judge from the facts
which have come under my observation.
In the month Of May. aud down to
the 23fd of June. therefore. the situa-
tiOn IN the Philippines was that the
United States was trying TO defeat
Spain, the supreme and undOubted sov-
ereign Of these islands, and TO capture
them from her. IL was clear that the
Philippines were doomed 50 be lost 10
Spain-clesr to Spaln-clear 60 the
World-clear TO Aguinaldo. Out OF this
inevitable result came the crystalline.
tion Of the forces under Aguinaldo
The rebellion was born, nOurished and
grew out Of the power and influence OF
the United States Government. It was
a mere branch springing from the prin-
ciDal tree of military and naval author
ity, planted by the United States In
the islands.
Our Government wisely did not al
low the grass to grow under its feet,
but it promptly and broadly put itself
upon record It stamped out any pre-
tense Of existing recognition Of Agui.
naldO. It gave not the slightest en-
couragement to hint PLACED itself
upon the basis Of its clear fights-it
kept out Of entanglements which Spain
might be glad to take advantage OF
when the time for settlement and treaty
arrived. Il proclaimed TO the whole
people Of the Philippine Islands 1t was
determined there should be no mis-
understanding as to the precise relation
which the Government Of the United
States occupied to them On May 10.
1898, the very day Aguinaldo saw Dewey
for the first time. the President issued
intructiohs TO the War Department.
which were conveyed for public procla-
nation TO General Wesley Merritt, COM
handing the army of occupation TO the
Philippines. The relation Of our coun-
try TO the Filipinos is clearly stated in
tnta fr.povtonf doonuant ahd Our viama
set forth in accordance with the princi-
pies Of international law; indeed,
the language seems to have been taken
verbatim ct literatim from a treat
Use on international law. Nothing
could be clearer, nothing was more
timely or proper than this proolama-
tion, which conveyed to the Filipinos
the exact position which they bore to
the Government Of the United States
Tens Of thousands Of these proclama.
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