Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-07-07
FILIPINOS FREED
AMNESTY PROCLAMATION ISSUED
BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
All of the Minor Offenders w no Conn
ujtted Acts Violating the Rules
of War Through Ignorance
Thereof or Upon Orders OF SUI
merton Officers are Exonerated.

Washington, July 4.-The president
| has formally declared the restoration
of peace in the Philippine archipelago,
and has placed the islands under com
plete civil control and has extended
general amnesty To the Fillplnos VINO
have been in rebellion. These three
things. mark ing one Of the most impor-
tant chapters in the Philippine history,
we've accomplished through the issue OF
three separate orders and proclamatl"ns
one by the president over his own
signature. extending amnesty; one by
Secretary Root, by the president order.
relieving Gen. Chaffee from his duties
as military governor, ana third, winch
takes the shape of a general order, adj
dressed to the entire army of the Unit
ed States. in which Secretary Root takes
occasion to express the president : high
appreciation of the work il has accomp-
lished, both in Cuba and in the Philip
pines The amnesty proclamation fol-
lows:
wv hereas. many Of the inhabitants
OF the Philippine archipelago were in
the instruction against the authority
and sovereignty of the kingdom of Spain
AZ diverse times from August, 1895, un-
til the cesson of the archipelago to the
United States of America and since
such cession, many persons have until
recently resisted the authority and
sovereignty OF the United States; and
Wv hereas, during the course Of The
instruction against the kingdom of
Spain and the government If the United
States. the persons engaged therein, or
those in sympathy with and abetting
them, committed many acts in violation
of the laws of civilized warfare, but it
is believed that such acts were generally
committed in ignorance OF such laws
and under orders issued by the civil or
military insurrectionary leaders; and,
"W Whereas. it is deemed to be wise
and humane. in accordance with the
beneficent purposes OF the government Of
the tnited States toward the Filipino
people. and conducive to peace, order
and loyalty among them, that the doors
of such acts who have not already
suffered punishment shall not be held
criminally responsible, but shall be re-
lieved from punishment for partiripa-
ton in these instructions, and of the
unlawful acts committed during the
sourse thereof bya general amnesty and
pardon.
"Now, Therefore, Be it known that
|, Theodore Roosevelt, president of the
United States, by virtue Of the power
and authority vested in me by the con-
stitution. do hereby proclaim and de-
clare without reservation or condition.,
except as hereinafter provided, a full
and complete pardon and amnesty to
all persons in the Philippine archipela-
go who have participated in the insur-
rections aforesaid, or who have given
laid and comfort to persons participating
in said instructions for the offenses of
treason or sedition. and for all offenses
political in their character. committed
in the course of such instructions pur-
suant to orders issued by the civil or
military authorities. or which grew out
of internal political feuds or dissentions
between Filipnos and Spaniards. or the
Spanish authorities. or which resulted
from the internal political feUds or dis
sentions among the Filipinos themselves
during either of said instructions.
"Provided however, that the pardon
and amnesty hereby granted shall not
include such persons committing crimes
since May |, 1902. in any province Of
the archipelago and at the time civil
government was established, nor shall
it include such persons as have been
heretofore finally convicted of the
crimes of murder. arson or robbery, by
any military or civil tribunal organized
under the authority of Spain or of the
United States of America, but special
application may be made to the proper
authority for pardon by any person be-
longing to the exempted class, and such
clemency as is consistent with humanity
and Justice will be literally extended:
and. further,
provided that this amnesty and
pardon shall not affect the title of right
OF the government of the United States
or that of the Philippine Islands, to
any property or property rights hereto
fore used or appropriated by the mill
tary or civil authorities Of the govern
ment of the United States or that of
the Philippine islands organized under
authority OF the United States by way
OF confiscating or otherwise.
Then follows the oath of allegiance
prescribed to be taken, and after that
the order relieving General Chaffee
from his duties as military governor
Following this is the general order OF
Secretary Root to the army.