enough of tears and desolation. This wish
cannot be ignored by the men still in arms if they are animated by no
other desire than to serve this noble people which has thus clearly
manifested its will.

"So also do I respect this will now that it is known to me, and
after mature deliberation resolutely proclaim to the world that I
cannot refuse to heed the voice of a people longing for peace, nor
the lamentations of thousands of families yearning to see their dear
ones in the enjoyment of the liberty promised by the generosity of
the great American nation.

"By acknowledging and accepting the sovereignty of the United States
throughout the entire Archipelago, as I now do without any reservation
whatsoever, I believe that I am serving thee, my beloved country. May
happiness be theirs.

"_Emilio Aguinaldo_. [424]

"_Manila_, April 19, 1901."

This announcement of Aguinaldo, published in Spanish, Tagalog and
English, undoubtedly hastened the end of the war, but it did not lead
to immediate general surrender, for as Taylor has very truly said:--

"A force like Aguinaldo's could not be surrendered. It had been torn by
internal dissensions and the bonds of discipline had always been very
lax. It had originally been held together by a lively expectation of
the advantages to be obtained from the pillage of Manila. That hope had
disappeared, and the leaders had become the lords of life and property
each in his own province. It was a force which could disintegrate,
but which could not surrender. Only armies can do that. Forces over
which their leaders have lost all except nominal control when beaten
do not surrender. They disintegrate by passing through the stages of
guerrilla warfare, of armed bands of highwaymen, of prowling groups
of thieves, of sturdy beggars who at opportune moments resort to
petty larceny." [425]

Aguinaldo's forces now passed through these several stages. Some of
his more important subordinates had previously been captured or had
surrendered. Others, still remaining in the field, now acted on his
advice, more or less promptly. A few remained obdurate for a time,
but as a rule not for long, and soon there remained in the field only
a very limited number of real military leaders, like General Malvar in
Batangas and General Lukban in Samar, and a very considerable number
of bandit chiefs, some of whom had posed as Insurgents. The forces
of the latter were now materially and rapidly augmented by men w