ng to General Otis a lengthy philosophical
epistle on the principles involved in the question, but as General
Otis did not care to continue the correspondence, General Jaramillo
sought to bring pressure on him by notifying him that the s.s. _P. de
Satrustegui_ would be detained 48 hours in order to learn his decision
as to whether that vessel could call for the prisoners. As General
Otis did not reply within the prescribed period General Jaramillo
went to see him personally and ineffectually opened his heart to him
in very energetic terms, which General Otis complacently tolerated
but persisted in his negative resolution, and the interview ended
with the suggestion that General Jaramillo should obtain Aguinaldo's
consent for a vessel carrying the American flag to enter the ports
and bring away the prisoners.

About this time an incident occurred which, but for the graciousness
of General Otis, might have operated very adversely to the interests
of those concerned. In September, 1899, a Spanish lady arrived in
Manila saying that she was the representative of a Society of Barcelona
Ladies formed to negotiate the liberation of the prisoners. She brought
with her a petition addressed to Aguinaldo, said to bear about 3,000
signatures. But unfortunately the document contained so many offensive
allusions to the Americans that General Jaramillo declined to be
associated with it in any way. No obstacle was placed in the way of
the lady if she wished to present her petition privately to Aguinaldo;
but, apparently out of spite, she had a large number of copies printed
and published broadcast in Manila. General Jaramillo felt it his duty
to apologize to General Otis and repudiate all connexion with this
offensive proceeding, which General Otis very affably excused as an
eccentricity not worthy of serious notice.

On September 29 the Spanish commissioners, Toral and Rio, again started
for the insurgent capital, Tarlac. The proposal for vessels to enter
the ports under the American flag was rejected by Aguinaldo's advisers,
Pedro A. Paterno and Felipe Buencamino, and negotiations were resumed
on the money indemnity basis. The Aguinaldo party had already had sore
experience of the worth of an agreement made with Spanish officials,
and during the discussion they raised the question of the validity of
their powers and the guarantee for their proposed undertakings. The
real difficulty was that America might object to Spain officially
m