The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-09-15
of Mimi essts; Hon. George Gray. of Della
ware, and Hon. Whitelaw Reid, Of New

Instructions TO the COmmissiou'
In addressing the peace commission be-
fore It's departure for Paris said:
''It 10 MY wish that throughout the neso'
tiationx Entrusted to the commission tht
grpo.s aud spirit with %hlea .ne s,te oi
war should be kept constantly In view. we
| took up arms only In obedience 70 the oic.
| tates Of humanity and In the fulhllment OF
high public and moral obligations. We had
| no design OF acknowledgement and no am
| billion OF conquest. Through the long
preceded and aimed to avert the struggle
| and In the final arbitrament OF force THIS
country was impelled solely by the purpose
| of relieving grfevous wrongs ana removing
/ long-existing conditions which disturbed
| its tranquility. which shocked the moral
sense OF mankind and which could no
1T is my earnest wish that the United
States in making peace should follow tne
same high rule OF Sond9et when Gg u,ioes
and magnanimous In the concluding settle
ment as It was Just and humane In It's orig
"Our aim in the adjustment of peace
| should be directed to lasting results and TO
| the achievement of the common good under
| the demands of civilization, rather than 10
| ambitious designs.
Without any original thought of COM
| plete or even partial acquisition, the pres
| ence and success of our arms In Manila i'm
| poses upon us obligations which We cannot
| disregard. The march of events rules and
| overrules human action. Avowing unre,
|
| all our effort and still solicitous to adhere
| to II, we cannot be unmindful that without
any desire or design on our part the war
has brought us new duties and response
| bilities which we must meet and discharge
| as becomes a great nation on whose growth
and career from the beginning the Ruler Of
| nations has plainly written the high COM
| mand and pledge Of civilization"
On October %. 1898, while the peace COM
mission was continuing its negotiations In
Paris, the following additional instruction
was sent:
"It is imperative upon us that as victors
We should be governed only by motives
which will exalt our nation. Territorial
| expansion should be our least concern;
| that We shall not shirk the moral obliga-
lions of our victory is of the greatest. 1t
is undisputed that SPANS authority Is per-
manently destroyed in every part of the
| Philippines. To leave any part in her feeble
| control now would increase our difficulties
and be opposed to the interests of human
! ity. Nor can We permit Spain to
transfer any of the islands to another
power. Nor can We invite another power
or powers to join the United States in soy,
ereignty over them. We must either hold
them or turn them back to Spain;
Consequently, grave as are the respon-
| sibilities and unforeseen as are the diff
! culties which are before us, the president
can see but one plain path of duty, the ac-
ceptance of the archipelago. Greater diff
culties and more serious complications-ad-
ministrative and Observation-Disclosures fol-
| low any other course. The president has
| given to the views of the commissioners
| the conclusion above announced, in the
! light of information communicated to the
commission and to the president since your
departure, he has been influenced by the
| single consideration of duty and humanity.
The president is not unmindful of the dis
| tressed financial condition of Spain, and
whatever consideration the United States
may show must come from it's sense OF
| generosity and benevolence rather than
| from any real or technical obligation"
Again, on November l3, instructed the
commission:
From the standpoint of indemnity both
! the archipelagoes porto Rico and the Phil
| ippines) are insufficient to pay our war ex-
penses but aside from this do we not owe
| an obligation to the people of the Philip
be whi S w not permit us 59
! We Justify ourselves in such course of
could We permit their barter to some other
sponsibiity Of duty Which we a eanno e e es
| cape. =. The president cannot believe
any division of the archipelago can bring
US anything but embarrassment in the flu
ture. The trade and commercial side. as
well as the indemnity for the cost of the
| war; are questions we might yield. They
might be waived or compromised but the
questions of duty and humanity appeal to
| the president so strongly that he can find
no appropriate answer but the one he has
| here marked out"
Pledge to the FiIipinos.
The treaty of peace was concluded on
| December 10, 1898. BY its terms the ar
chipelago known as the Philippine island.
was coded by Spain to the United States
1t was also provided that 1.-The civil rights
and political status of the native inhab-
itants of the territories hereby ceded &c
the United states shall be determined by
on December p, the following direction
was given to the commander OF oul
forces in the Philippines:
The military commander OF
the United States is enioined to make
known TO the inhabitants of the Philip
pine Islands that in succeeding to the
sovereignty OF Spain, In severing the for
mer political relations of the inhabitants
and In establishing a new political power
the authority of the United States Is tC
be eXerted for the securing of the per.
son and property Of the people of tn,
islands and for the confirmation OF al
their property rights and relations. 1
the forces of occupation to announce anC
claim In the most public manner that W,
come not as invaders or conquerors, bu
as friends, to protect the natives in theil
homes, in their employments, and II
their personal and religious rights"
Another Commission.
In order to facilitate the most humane
pacific and effective extension of author
ity throughout these islands, and to Sc
cure. with the least possible delay, tn,
benefits of wise and generous protection
Of life and property to the inhabitants
appointed in January, 1892 commits
sion, consisting of Hon. Jacob Goulc
Sehurman, Of New York; Admiral Georg,
Dewey Tso U. s. N: Hon. Charles DENLY
|
Michigan, and Maj. Gen. Elwel Otis, U
8. A. Their instructions contained tn,
following:
In the performance of this duty tn,
commissioners are enjoined to meet a
the earliest possible day in the city o
Manila and to announc by public procla
nation their presence and the mission in
trusted to them, that the military gov
eminent already proclaimed Is to b.
maintained and continued so long as ne
cessity may require, efforts will be mad
to alleviate the burdens of taxation, t
establish Industrial and commercial pros
perity, and to provide for the safety o
persons and property by such means a
may be found conducive to these ends.
THE commissioners will endeavor
without interference with the military au
thorities Of the United States now in con
troll OF the Philippines, to ascertain wha
amelioration In the condition Of the I'm
habitants and what improvements In pub
lie order may be practicable and 10
this purpose they will study attcntivei
the existing social and political stat
OF the various populations, particular
: as regards the forms OF local govern
ment. the administration Of Justice, tn
collection OF customs and other taxes, IN
means OF TRANSPORTATION. and the nee
OF public improvements. They will r.
port the results OF their OIJsery
I atoms and reflections, and will recon
mend such executive action as may fror
time to time seem TO them wise and use
| full
: THE commissioners are hereby autho,
| lied to confer authoritatIyely with an
2 person resident In the Islands from whoi
, | they may believe themselves able TO q,
] rive Information or suggestions valuabl