In July of 1869 a new Governor-General arrived in Manila. He was a
soldier who could prove his valor by wounds gained in many successful
battles which had brought him to the rank of Lieutenant General. The
nobility of his family, almost as distinguished as royalty, gave him
precedence among aristocrats. Wealth, too, he had. Yet he was Manila's
first democratic governor.
Unusual were the circumstances of his coming and epoch-making were
the events of his administration.
The Philippines had been loyal to the royal family of Spain during
the Napoleonic wars and the withdrawal of their representation in
the Cortes, which occurred at intervals for a third of a century, had
not disturbed that loyalty. Yet now there had come a governor-general
who represented a government in power through the expulsion of their
sovereign. It was revolutionary, and the excitement over the news
was increased by De La Torre's reversal of all precedents.
The stately guard of halberdiers was dismissed and the highest official
of the land mixed in society unceremoniously. A proclamation announced
him to be at the people's service at all hours for whatever complaints
they might have, and deeds promptly followed his words.
The alleged outlaws, who were really persons who had been wronged in
the land troubles, were pardoned and from their number under their
former chief was organized a corps of rural guards which speedily
brought a theretofore unknown tranquillity.
No wonder the Filipinos gave to the new administration an honor unknown
to his predecessors, the spontaneous tribute of a popular serenade.
Twenty-one months passed and De La Torre was replaced by Izquierdo, for
whom he conscientiously compiled an explanation of his administration
that the new authority might intelligently carry on the work. But
reaction came, those who had applauded De La Torre for that reason
found themselves in disfavor.
As a precaution Governor De La Torre had had all foreign mail examined
and the list of men of liberal ideas thus obtained was the basis of
the persecutions which followed the executions and wholesale exiling
nominally connected with Cavite.
An old man, he retired to his family estates, once broad but sadly
shrunken through his years of liberality. There from Pozorubio he
wrote his defence against the charge of being responsible for the
uprising of Cavite.
Contrast the brave words of the Governor-General upon his first coming
to the Philippines, and his expressions after the conclusion of his
office when he was upon the defensive.
"As good, honored and loyal, you are recognized as our brothers. * * *
I shall indicate to you the salient features that will characterize my
administration, which I hope will be as my character dictates, foreign
to all kinds of repression, because command is more pleasant when it is
chosen by those who are under the necessity of being affected by it."
And on the defensive: "I have governed, with justice and, honesty,
conformably to the special laws of that country, without consenting
or permitting the slightest alteration in them, and what is more,
without permitting in the newspapers of Manila any discussion nor
even any allusion as to whether or no it were desirable to alter or
modify those laws."
Yet that was the most liberal period of Philippine history under
Spanish rule. Twenty odd years later another liberal Governor of the
Philippines defended himself against the charge of too great humanity
by telling of how many men he had ordered shot.
Sorry indeed was Spain when a De La Torre had to save himself with his
countrymen in the Peninsula by exaggerating his despotism and a Blanco
found his only defense in magnifying his brutality. There's a contrast
with the present régime which marks 1898 as the beginning of different
days, and the men of the old era are entitled to the charitable
consideration which belongs to those who come out of great tribulation.
Biographical details and incidents of De La Torre's administration
would detract from the one great lesson which paints the past
in its true colors and reveals how the Filipino people found
themselves without hope and came to resort to the weapon of despair,
insurrection. The outcome of the events of 1869 was the origin of
the events of 1896.