he first fear was that the Colony might revert to
Spain, but that idea was soon dispelled by the news of the stipulations
of the Treaty of Paris. Simultaneously Aguinaldo's revolutionary army
was being pushed farther and farther away from the capital, and it
was evident, from the mood of his fighting-men, that if the Americans
remained in possession of the Colony, hostilities, sooner or later,
must break out. The Americans officially ignored the Aguinaldo party as
a factor in public affairs, but they were not unaware of the warlike
preparations being made. Secret anti-American meetings were held at
places called clubs, where it was agreed to attack simultaneously
the Americans inside and outside the capital. General Pio del Pilar
slept in the city every night, ready to give the rocket-signal for
revolt. Natives between 18 and 40 years of age were being recruited
for military service, according to a Malolos Government decree
dated September 21, 1898. In every smithy and factory bowie-knives
were being forged with all speed, and 10,000 men were already armed
with them. General E. S. Otis was willing to confer with Aguinaldo,
and six sessions were held, the last taking place on January 29, six
days before the outbreak. Nothing resulted from these conferences, the
Americans alleging that Aguinaldo would make no definite statement of
his people's aims, whilst the Filipinos declare that their intentions
were so well understood by the American general that he would listen
to nothing short of unconditional submission.

The following manifesto, dated January 5, signed by Emilio Aguinaldo,
clearly shows the attitude of the Revolutionary Party at this period:--

_To My Brethren the Filipinos, and to All the Respected Consuls
and Other Foreigners_:--

General Otis styles himself Military Governor of these Islands,
and I protest one and a thousand times and with all the energy of
my soul against such authority. I proclaim solemnly that I have
not recognized either in Singapore or in Hong-Kong or in the
Philippines, by word or in writing, the sovereignty of America
over this beloved soil. On the contrary, I say that I returned to
these Islands on an American warship on the 19th of May last for
the express purpose of making war on the Spaniards to regain our
liberty and independence. I stated this in my proclamation of the
24th of May last, and I published it in my Manifesto addresse