positive rights guaranteed by
the Treaty of Paris, and would put, consequently, the Holy See in
conflict with Spain ... Such a measure would be, in the eyes of the
Filipinos and of the entire Catholic world, the explicit confirmation
of all the accusations brought against the said religious by their
enemies, accusations of which ... the evident exaggeration cannot
be disputed. If the American Government, respecting, as it does,
individual rights, does not dare to interdict the Philippine soil
to the Spanish religious ... how could the Pope do it? The Holy See,
in accord with the diocesan authorities, will not permit the return
of the Spanish religious ... in the parishes where their presence
would provoke troubles."

The Holy See's counter-proposal was cabled to the Secretary of War,
who, in his reply dated July 14, which was tantamount to a rejection of
it, remarked: "The lay Catholic population and the parish priests of
native and non-Spanish blood are practically a unit in desiring both
to expel the friars and to confiscate their lands ... This proposed
confiscation, without compensation for the Church lands, was one of the
fundamental policies of the Insurgent Government under Aguinaldo." As
an alternative, the Secretary of War accepted the proposal of the Holy
See to send a new Apostolic Delegate, with necessary instructions to
negotiate the affair amicably. Therefore, in transmitting this reply
to Cardinal Rampolla on July 15, Gov. Taft closed the negotiations
by stating: "I have the honour to request ... that the negotiations
concerning the various subjects touched upon in the proposals and
counter-proposals be continued in Manila between the Apostolic Delegate
and myself, on the broad lines indicated in this correspondence.... I
much regret that we cannot now reach a more precise agreement...."

The receipt of this last communication was courteously acknowledged
by Cardinal M. Rampolla on July 18, 1902, and Gov. Taft then continued
his journey to the Philippines. [276]

Monsignor Chapelle's mission had entirely failed to achieve its
purpose, and he retired from the Islands on the appointment of the
new Apostolic Delegate, Monsignor Giovanni Battista Guidi. Bora
on April 27, 1852, this prelate was a man of great culture and a
distinguished linguist, who had travelled considerably. From Rome he
proceeded to Washington, and, with the United States _exequatur_,
he entered Manila on November 18, 1902, and died th