bitions of the more
powerful_, in order that the most faultless justice may illuminate
and render effective indefinitely the progress of humanity.

Given under my hand and seal in Bacoor, in the Province of Cavite,
this 6th day of August 1898.

_Emilio Aguinaldo_,

_The President of the Revolutionary Government._

The accompanying Act of Independence, dated August 1, 1898, and couched
in the flowery language of the preceding edicts and proclamations,
was signed by those Filipinos who had been appointed local presidents
of the townships in the provinces referred to. The allusion to "the
ambitions of the more powerful" could well be understood to signify
an invitation to intervene in and counteract America's projects, which
might, hereafter, clash with the Aguinaldo party's aspirations. At the
same time a group of agitators, financed by the priests in and out of
the Islands, was straining every nerve to disseminate false reports
and create discord between the rebels and the Americans, in the hope
of frustrating their coalition. But, even then, with a hostile host
before Manila, and the city inevitably doomed to fall, the fate of
Spanish sovereignty depended more on politicians than on warriors.

In the absence of a Spanish Ambassador at Washington the French and
Austro-Hungarian Governments had accepted, conjointly, the protection
of Spanish subjects and interests in the United States on terms set
forth in the French Ambassador's letter to the Secretary of State in
Washington, dated April 22, 1898. In August the city of Santiago de
Cuba was beleaguered by the Americans under General Shafter; the forts
had been destroyed by Admirals Schley and Sampson; General Linares,
in command there, had been wounded and placed _hors de combat_; the
large force of Spanish troops within the walls was well armed and
munitioned, but being half-starved, the _morale_ of the rank-and-file
was at a low ebb, and General Toral, who succeeded General Linares,
capitulated. The final blow to Spanish power and hopes in Cuba was the
destruction of Admiral Cervera's fleet outside the port of Santiago de
Cuba. Cuba was lost to Spain. No material advantage could then possibly
accrue to any of the parties by a prolongation of hostilities, and on
July 22 the Spanish Government addressed a Message to the President
of the United States (Mr. William McKinley) to inquire on what terms
peace might be re-established between th