The Proclamation of Independence
The Dictatorial Government decided that the proclamation of
Independence should take place on the 12th June, the ceremony in
connection therewith to be held in the town of Kawit. With this
object in view I sent a Commission to inform the Admiral of the
arrangement and invite him to be present on the occasion of the
formal proclamation of Independence, a ceremony which was solemnly
and impressively conducted. The Admiral sent his Secretary to excuse
him from taking part in the proceedings, stating the day fixed for
the ceremony was mail day.
About the end of that month (June) the Spanish gunboat _Leyte_
escaped from the Macabebe river and reached Manila Bay, where she
was seized by General Torres' troops. She had on board part of the
troops and volunteers which were under the command of the Filipino
Colonel Sr. Eugenio Blanco, but on being sighted by an American
gunboat she voluntarily surrendered. Admiral Dewey delivered to me
all the prisoners and arms on board the vessel, which latter, however,
he took possession of; but after the fall of Manila he demanded that
I should give back the prisoners to him.
On the 4th July the first United States military expedition arrived,
under command of General Anderson, and it was quartered in Cavite
Arsenal. This distinguished General called on me in the Filipino
Government House at Cavite, an honour and courtesy which I promptly
returned, as was right and proper, seeing that we were friends,
of equal rank, and allies. In the course of official intercourse
General Anderson solemnly and completely endorsed the promises made
by Admiral Dewey to me, asserting on his word of honour that America
had not come to the Philippines to wage war against the natives nor
to conquer and retain territory, but only to liberate the people from
the oppression of the Spanish Government.
A few days before the arrival of this military expedition, and others
that followed under command of General Merritt, Admiral Dewey sent
his Secretary to my Government to ask me to grant permission for
the stationing of American troops in Tambo and Maytubig, Paranaque
and Pasay. In view of the important promises of Admiral Dewey, above
mentioned, the Dictatorial Government consented to the movement of
troops as proposed.
During that month (July) Admiral Dewey accompanied by General
Anderson visited Cavite, and after the usual exchange of courtesies
he said--"You have had ocular demonstration and confirmation of all
I have told you and promised you. How pretty your flag is! It has a
triangle, and is something like the Cubans'. Will you give me one as
a memento when I go back home?"
I replied that I was fully satisfied with his word of honour and of
the needlessness of having our agreement in documentary form. As to
the flag he wanted, he could have one whenever he wished.
The Admiral continued: _Documents are useless when there is no sense
of honour on one side, as was the case in respect of the compact
with the Spaniards, who failed to act up to what had been written and
signed. Have faith in my word, and I assure you that the United States
will recognize the independence of the country. But I recommend you to
keep a good deal of what we have said and agreed secret at present. I
further request you to have patience if any of our soldiers insult
any Filipinos, for being Volunteers they are as yet undisciplined_.
I replied that I would bear in mind all his advice regarding
cautiousness, and that with respect to the misconduct of the soldiers
orders had already been issued enjoining forbearance, and I passed
the same remarks to the Admiral about unpleasantness possibly arising
through lack of discipline of our own forces.