The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-17
BORDERING ON TREASON
AMERICANS GIVING COUNSEL TO THE
INSURGENT FILlPlN0S
AIDING ENEMIES OF COUNTRY

Some Important Letters Found Among
the Filipino Records Captured by
General Funston-A Letter From
Member of Anti-Imperialist League
Mckinley and All Connected With
Conduct Of the War Denounced as
Pirates Advised to Capture High
OmciaI and Try Him as a Pirate
Washington, August 15.-The war de-
partment has made public the Filipino
correspondence, captured some months
ago by General Funston's command in
I1uzon. 1t was translated from Span
ish under the direction of Captain
John r. NJ. Taylor, of the Fourteenth
records
There is a letter from Montague B.
Leyerson, dated at Fort Hamilton, n.
Y, July II, 1899, and addressed to Senior
G. Apacible. 1t says in part:
Dear Sir and Brother:-Our friend
Albert S. Parson, of Leedington, gave
me -sour name as one to whom should
II am a member of the Anti-Im-
perialist League of Boston, of which
George S. Boutwell, is president and
Ewing Winslow- is secretary. l have
published many articles and letters de-
nOunclng the piratical war carried on
by president Mckinley against your
people. He and General Otis and all
his4troopS are pirates upon the terri
nr~wr Of ha 49,. .lnr, r.
are not in the position of kings. Our
presidents are not in the least author
lied to make war without the consent
OF congress, as Mckinley is doing, and
all persons compromised in the war are
PIRATES. 1 should like to suggest a
plan to you. 1t is this: You should
seize some official of rank in the ser
vice Of the United States and then in
form the foreign consuls that he was to
be brought before council of war for
piracy and write to said consuls to
have representatives present at such
council of war to see that it is legal
Piracy would be shown by con-
ducting war in violation of the uSages
Of civilized war, and the proof would
consist in the fact of the consent to
killing defenseless prisoners and nom
contestants, men, women and children,
in cold blood, and in robbery by Off
GERS and soldiers from non-combatants.
Il also suggest that the Filipino con-
gress address an appeal to the people
of the United States.
Ifshall now give you the heads Of
this appeal. 1 may point out some
things which will especially influence
the people. For example, a reference
to the declaration of independence
must be inserted, but l believe
that it is also necessary for
you to mention in your appeal the
nir0I-S- do o. rn chn ho hi
war is piracy, using them to bring out
the want of Christian feeling of the SOL
diers.
you must also show that Mckinley
keeps the people of the United States
in ignorance of the facts; that he and
the members of the cabinet have de-
liberately tried to secure the ratifica-
ton of the treaty of peace with Spain
without the clause which would have
assured the liberty of the FilipinoS;
| that they deliberately lied when they
said that Agoncillo advised Aguinaldo
| to fight and that a telegram stating
| the opposite was intercepted; that the
| war was advised from Washington to
| secure the passage of the treaty.
| Another letter, dated Singapore
| June 1, 1899, from w. G. Stellar, editor
| of The Singapore Free Press, to How
| ard w. Brady, discusses conversations
which the writer claims to have had
with Consul Pratt who was succeeded
| about that time by Consul Moseley al
| Singapore. There also was some sug.
| gestion that Pratt favored the Filipino
| cause, and the discussion related tc
| conversations that Consul Pratt is said
to have had with the Filipinos. St
| Clair throws doubt upon Pratt's tall
| with FfhpinoS, but says Dewey's inter.
| view with Aguinaldo is the important
| matter.
Another letter is from Apolinaric
| Mabin, and addressed to Aguinaldo
| 1t is without date and relates almos
wholly to suggestions regarding an at
| tack upon Manila.
A letter dated Paris. June 20, 1893
from PHILIPPE Agoncillo to G. Apacibl
and I. Santos at Hong Kong, says tha
all Europeans feel superiority to tn
yellow races, and for that reason theT
can be no autonomy between tn
United States and the Filipinos H
also says that the political tactics 0
Fflipinos was to prolong the war, avoi,
armed Intervention and third, at
foment the actions Of the democrati
party in the United States which ad
vocates our independence"
An extract from a newspaper dis
patch dated Magdelena, Lacuma, De
cember 25. 1899. says:
"A circular is being passed froT
hand ITO hand containing a sumnlar-
4
some leading men in the United State
said during the month Of September
in favor Of our cause"
A letter dated Manila, 1898, withou
the month being given, signed by i
Sandico and addressed to Agu1naIdo
advises the establishment of commit
tees in all the outskirts and suburbs
and Ito revive secretly the Katipunan
armed with knives" 1t says: "w
should avoid conflict until this is al
organized"
A letter dated Hong Kong, Novem
ber 6, 1893, written by CzsApacfble t
Aguinaldo, discusses the z3urchase o
arms in Chinese and japanese ports.
There Is also a paper with notes il
the handwriting of Paterno and Buen
camino. and addressed to Apacible
Agoncillo and Ponce. The date is Sal
Jose, Nuevaecija, May 9th, 1899. I
says: In Manila there a commission
from the United States proceeding t
arrange a suspension of hostilities il
order that We may be able to reorga
| niZe ourselves somewhat and re-stoc
our small arsenals with ammunition.