d.

It contains the following statements:--

"The true patriots have organized a committee to which I belong,
naming Aguinaldo as President and Agoncillo as Vice-President. The
latter and three others have commenced diplomatic negotiations
with the Admiral and American Consul, and we infer that they are
trying to make colonies of us, although they said they would give us
independence. The Committee deemed it advisable to simulate belief,
at the same time equipping ourselves with arms.

"We have accepted arms offered by the Admiral which will be disembarked
in the Philippines by the squadron.

"A part of our forces will aid the Americans by fighting with them
in order to conceal our real intentions, and part will be held in
reserve. If America triumphs and proposes a colony, we shall reject
such offer and rise in arms.

"A separate expedition will disembark at whatever point may be
considered suitable.

"Jose Alejandrino embarked with the American squadron in order to
give secret instructions to the Chiefs.

"Be very cautious about this exceedingly delicate point; you will
communicate with prudent and intelligent chiefs who will recognize
the gravity of the subject." [74]

Here, then, in a faked-up letter on which Basa's initials were forged
in order to gain the prestige of his name for this treacherous plan,
we have definitely set forth the purpose of the Filipinos to deceive
the Americans by allowing a part of the Insurgent force to fight with
them, and then to attack them.

Reference has already been made to Agoncillo's advice to Aguinaldo,
given under date of August 26, 1898, to the effect that friendly
relations should be maintained with the Americans until the diplomatic
negotiations at Paris should end; that an effort should be made
to find out the future status of the islands "by deceitful means,"
and that confidence should never be put in the Americans.

Aguinaldo put the whole matter in a nutshell in a postscript to this
letter, saying:--

"You should issue an order commanding that all our chiefs should
employ a policy of friendship toward the Americans until our status
is defined; but said order should be confidentially given. Try to
mislead them." [75]

Bray also very strongly advised awaiting the results of the Paris
conference. [76]

Blount claims that the Filipinos hoped that the Treaty of Paris
would leave their country to them as it left Cuba to the Cubans,
[77] and adds that having