masses,
and as the great and powerful North American nation has offered its
disinterested protection to secure the liberty of this country, I again
assume command of all the troops in the struggle for the attainment
of our lofty aspirations, inaugurating a dictatorial government to be
administered by decrees promulgated under my sole responsibility and
with the advice of distinguished persons until the time when these
islands, being under our complete control, may form a constitutional
republican assembly and appoint a president and cabinet, into whose
hands I shall then resign the command of the islands.

"_Emilio Aguinaldo_.

Given at Cavite, May 24, 1898."--P.I.R. 206.6.

[57] "The great North American nation, the cradle of genuine liberty
and therefore the friend of our people oppressed and enslaved by
the tyranny and despotism of its ruler, has come to us manifesting a
protection as decisive as it is undoubtedly disinterested toward our
inhabitants, considering us as sufficiently civilized and capable of
governing ourselves and our unfortunate country. In order to maintain
this high estimate granted us by the generous North American nation
we should abominate all those deeds which tend to lower this opinion,
which are pillage, theft, and all sorts of crimes relating to persons
or property, with the purpose of avoiding international conflict
during the period of our campaign."--P.I.R., 43. 3.

[58] Of this extraordinary occurrence Taylor says:--

"Invitations to the ceremony of the declaration of independence
were sent to Admiral Dewey; but neither he nor any of his officers
were present. It was, however, important to Aguinaldo that some
American should be there whom the assembled people would consider a
representative of the United States. 'Colonel' Johnson, ex-hotel keeper
of Shanghai, who was in the Philippines exhibiting a cinematograph,
kindly consented to appear on this occasion as Aguinaldo's Chief of
Artillery and the representative of the North American nation. His
name does not appear subsequently among the papers of Aguinaldo. It
is possible that his position as colonel and chief of artillery was a
merely temporary one which enabled him to appear in a uniform which
would befit the character of the representative of a great people
upon so solemn an occasion!"--Taylor, 26 A J.

[59] P.I.R., 451.4.

[60] P.I.R., 451.4.

[61] See p. 50.

[62] "They are aware that a Government has been established