The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-16
One of those Captured by the
General Made Public.
Written by a Man Named Lever
son in Boston.
SENT TO A FILIPINO.
Advises Arrest of u. s. Officer
For Piracy.
Suggestions for an s@Address'
to the People.

Washington, Aug 16-The war de-
partment has made public the Filipino
! correspondence captured some months
ago by General Funston's command in
1uZon-
There is a letter from DIR. Montague
r. Leverson. dated at Fort Hamilton,
n. Y, July II, 1899, and addressed to
Senior G. Apacible. 1t says:
Dear Sir and Brother; Our friend
Albert S. Parson, of Lexington, gave
me your name as one to whom l should
write as a representative Filipino
4 am a member of the Anti-Imper-
ialist League of Boston, of which Geo
s Boutwell, is president and Erwin
Winslow is secretary. have published
many articles and letters denounc1ng
the piratiCal war carried on by PreSl-
dent Mckinley against your people. He
and Geenral Otis and all his troops are
pirates upon the territory of the ma
tives. Our presidents are not in the
position of kings Our presidents are
not in the least authorized to make war
without the consent of congress, as
Mckinley is doing, and all persons
compromised in this war are pirates
[ should like to suggest a plan to
you. 1t is this: You should seize some
one of official rank in the service OF
the United States and inform the for
| eign consuls that he was brought be-
fore a council off war for piracy and
write to said consuls to have represent
| atives present at such council OF war
to see that it is legal.
Piracy would be shown by conduct
ing a war in violation of the uSages of
civilized war, and the proof would con-
Sist in the fact of the consent to killing
defenSeleSS prisoners and non combat
ants men, women and children in cold
blood, and in robbery by officials and
soldiers of On-combatantS.
If I were not an old man Of more
than SO years, 1 would willingly ala
you in your just defense
Il also suggest that the Filipino con-
gress address an appeal to the people
of the United States. 1 shall not give
you the heads of this appeal merely
point out some things which will espe-
cially influence the people. For eX-
ample: A reference to the Declaration
of Independence must be inserted, but
I believe that it is also necessary for
you to mention in your appeal the point
l have made above to show that this
war piracy, using them to bring out the
want of Christian feeling for the SOL
diers.
you must also show that Mckinley
keeps the people of the United States
in ignorance of the true facts; that he
| and the members of the cabinet have
deliberately lied to secure the ratiflca-
ton of the treaty of peace with Spain
without a clause which would have as
Sured the liberty of the F1IplnoS; Chat
| they deliberately lied when they said
| that Agoncillo advised Aguinaldo TO
fight and that a telegram stating the
opposite was intercepted The war was
advised from Washington to secure the
passage of the treaty Do not fail 10
insist upon the atrocities before men
toned, and especially the assassination
in could blood of women and children
and the sacking of property of nom
combatants perpetrated by officers and
soldiers, especially by a captain named
Otis, who is believed to be a relative OF
the general who not only took no steps
for the punishment of the assasslnS,
but who did not even reprimand them
IF you can prove that women have
been violated, put that also in your
statement.
you should offer to prove all these
atrocities before a commission com
posed of three Americans named by the
congress of the United States ana three
Filipinos named by the Filipino con-
gress and presided over by a person OF
some other nation, chosen by the United
StateS-he must not be an EngliS Imam,
for they are all associated in crime.
IF the publication of any portion Of
this letter will be Of any service you can
use it, but 1 think it would be more
prudent to keep it secret
DO not forget to speak of the Ameri-
can squadron which blOckaded your
coasts, bOTnbarded them without warn
ing to the nOn-cOmbatantS and peaceful
towns where war would never have
been thought of, but where now the
greater part of the inhabitants, who
formerly were friends of the United
States have taken arms to avenge the
deaths of their wives and sons.
Also speak of the refusal of the
United States and Great Britain to re-
which was decided upon in the con-
ference of the commissioners at The
Hague, and which the United States
are now using, although their use was
denounced as barbarous by the other
commissioners at The Hague.
ASK the people of the United States
if they think that they are Christians,
and ask them how they can reconcile
their pretended religion with their pres
ent conduct toward Mckinley and his
war.
'.This horrible war is a nightmare
for me. It may be folly for me to per
nit myself to be affected by it, but its
horror, the eternal infamy of it for my
country, whose people are preparing a
state of slavery for another. prevents
me from sleeping.
Il can say nothing more, but that it
would be we'll to let the people know
that steps are being taken to introduce
militarism into the United States. some
examples of which can be shown from
the conduct of General Merriam in
Idaho. Very sincerely,
MONTAGUE r. LEVERSON."