16th, the following was received:--

"'_Malolos, Bulacan_, September 16, 1898.

"'_The Commanding General of the American Forces_:

"'_My Dear Sir_: Referring to your esteemed communication, dated
the 13th instant, I have the honour to inform you that I have given
appropriate orders that my troops should abandon their most advanced
positions within some of the suburbs, and that they should retire to
points where contact with yours would be more difficult, in order to
avoid all occasion for conflict.

"'I hope that by these presents you will be fully convinced of my
constant desire to preserve amicable relations with the American
forces, even at the risk of sacrificing a part of the confidence
placed in my government by the Philippine people.

"'A consideration of my many occupations will serve to excuse me for
not having answered with the promptness desired.

"'Your very respectful servant,

(Signed) "'_Emilio Aguinaldo_.'

"On the evening of the 15th the armed insurgent organizations withdrew
from the city and all of its suburbs, as acknowledged by their leaders,
excepting from one small outlying district. This certain agents
of Aguinaldo asked on the previous day to be permitted to retain
for a short time, on the plea that the general officer in command
[180] would not obey instructions, and they proposed to remove his
men gradually by organizations and thereafter to punish him for his
disobedience. The withdrawal was effected adroitly, as the insurgents
marched out in excellent spirits, cheering the American troops." [181]

I have given the facts thus fully for the reason that this is the one
instance I have found in which a promise was made, fortunately in the
form of an offer which was not accepted, and then withdrawn. It has
seemed to me that the reasons why General Merritt should never have
made it, and why General Otis could not possibly have renewed it,
should be fully set forth.

On September 7, 1898, General Otis had cabled to Washington that
Admiral Dewey and he considered conditions critical, and that
the number of armed Insurgents in the city was large and rapidly
increasing. He stated that on the 8th he would send a notification
to Aguinaldo that unless the latter's troops were withdrawn beyond
the line of the suburbs of the cry before September 15 he would be
obliged to resort to forcible action and that the United States would
hold Aguinaldo responsible for any unfortunate consequences whi