erty of our country in order to secure its progress and place
it on a level with other civilized nations; and with this assurance I
have taken the liberty to address you this letter, begging of you to
accept the commission which in the name of our government I have the
honour to confer upon you. You are authorized thereunder to establish
in all the 'Rancherias' of Mindanao and Jolo, a civil and military
economic-administrative organization, in accordance with the decrees
which I enclose herewith, and after having established the same,
I request that you make a report to our Honourable President of the
Philippine Republic, Sr. Emilio Aguinaldo, of the result thereof
and of the number of the force with their arms and ammunition, in
order to ascertain whether they would be sufficient to prevent the
invasion of the enemy and whether there is any necessity of sending
reinforcements of arms to said Islands for this purpose. If in this
war, which I consider to be the last, we secure our independence, and
with the opposition of our brothers in that region, with yourself at
their head, we are successful in preventing the enemy from gaining a
foothold, the grateful country will always render a tribute of homage
and gratitude to your memory.

"God preserve you many years.

"May 31, 1899. "_Baldomero Aguinaldo_,

"Lieut. Gen. Superior P. M. Commander of Southern Region.

"To _The Honourable Sultan Raha Halon_"

--P.I.R., 810-4.

[338] Spanish for "mountain people."

[339] P.I.R., 512. A 5.

[340] Extract from a letter to Apacible of the Hongkong junta dated
February 26, 1899:--

"It is also said that the Cantonal Government of Negros has wished
to make a treaty with the Americans, some members of that government
having come in American transports to confer with General Otis. We
are not aware of the conditions of the arrangement, because the Negros
people have thus far not wished to put themselves in communication with
us; we only know by news more or loss reliable that the capital of that
island has been occupied by the American forces without opposition.

"Of Mindanao we know absolutely nothing; we also are ignorant of what
has been the lot of our agents in America."

[341] "Of the Visayas and Mindanao we know nothing positive as yet, it
is whispered that the Americans have succeeded in occupying Negros and
Cebu against the will of the inhabitants. Iloilo continues the struggle
energetically. It does not matter that