aking any compact whatsoever which must necessarily involve a
recognition of the Philippine Republic; and even as it was, the
renewed suggestion of a payment of millions of dollars was a secret
negotiation. The Spanish commissioners started by proposing that
Aguinaldo should give up 80 per cent. of the prisoners on certain
conditions _to be agreed upon thereafter_, and retain the 20 per
cent. as guarantee for the fulfilment of these hypothetical terms;
moreover, even the 20 per cent. were to be concentrated at a place to
be _mutually agreed upon,_ etc. The artfulness of the commissioners'
scheme was too apparent for Paterno and Buencamino to accept it. The
commissioners then presented the Insurgent Government with a voluminous
philosophical dissertation on the subject, whilst the Filipinos sought
brief facts and tangible conditions. The Filipinos then offered to
address a note to the Spanish Consul in Manila to the effect that
the prisoners who were infirm would be delivered at certain ports
as already stated, and that he could send ships for them on certain
terms. Still the commissioners lingered in Tarlac, and on October 23
the Filipinos made the following proposals, which were practically
an intimation to close the debate.

1. Recognition of the Philippine Republic as soon as the difficulties
with America should be overcome.

2. The payment of seven millions of pesos.

These conditions having been rejected by the commissioners, Aguinaldo's
advisers drew up a document stating the reasons why the negotiations
had fallen through, with special reference to the insufficiency of
the commissioners' powers and the inadmissibility of their attitude
in desiring to treat with Aguinaldo individually instead of with
his Government, for which reasons the Philippine Republic formally
declared its resolution definitely to cease all negotiations with the
Spanish commissioners, preferring to deal directly with the Spanish
Government. Not satisfied with this formal intimation the commissioners
asked that the conditions of the liberation already granted since
January to the invalid prisoners should be modified, and that they
should be handed over to them--the very persons already declared to
be insufficiently authorized. In response to this importunity the
requisite passports were immediately sent to the commissioners to
enable them to quit the Philippine Republic's seat of government and
territory forthwith.

Apart from the moral