of their business, and were so excited by the prohibition of the
indulgence of their passion for looting and revenge, that they fired
several volleys in the direction of the Americans. The way they were
prevented from executing their purposes is stated in the 10th chapter
of this volume,--"The Official History of the Conquest of Manila." The
Filipino forces were excluded from the city unless unarmed, and
Aguinaldo made various claims to high consideration, asserting that
the Spaniards could have escaped from the city if it had not been for
his army. He was, in his conversations before the destruction of the
Spanish fleet, and while he was on his way to Cavite, a professed
friend of the annexation of the Philippines to the United States,
and constantly a very voluble creature. The American Consul at Manila,
writing from Manila Bay, opposite to the city, May 12th, 1898, said:

"These natives are eager to be organized and led by United States
officers, and the members of their cabinet visited me and gave
assurance that all would swear allegiance to and cheerfully follow
our flag. They are brave, submissive, and cheaply provided for.

"To show their friendliness for me as our nation's only representative
in this part of the world, I last week went on shore at Cavite with
British Consul, in his launch, to show the destruction wrought by
our fleet. As soon as natives found me out, they crowded around
me, hats off, shouting "Viva los Americanos," thronged about me by
hundreds to shake either hand, even several at a time, men, women,
and children striving to get even a finger to shake. So I moved half
a mile, shaking continuously with both hands. The British Consul,
a smiling spectator, said he never before saw such an evidence of
friendship. Two thousand escorted me to the launch amid hurrahs of
good feeling for our nation, hence I must conclude."

Nov. 3, 1897, the American Consul at Hong Kong gave this account of
Mr. Agoncillo, who is an interesting person because of his celebrity
for insistent and vain letters written at Washington, and his flight
to Canada when the Filipinos attacked the Americans at Manila:

Mr. Wildman to Mr. Day.

No. 19.]

Hongkong, November 3, 1897.

Sir: Since my arrival in Hongkong I have been called upon several
times by Mr. F. Agoncillo, foreign agent and high commissioner, etc.,
of the new republic of the Philippines.

Mr. Agoncillo holds a commission, signed by the president, members