ty of the
executive to possess and hold the Philippines.

"That the inhabitants of the Philippines will be benefited is my
unshaken belief.

"No imperial designs lurk in the American mind. They are alien to
American sentiment."

There is a directness of purpose and precision of statement about
this that bears the stamp of sincerity, is impressive with the power
of authority, and shines with the spirit of patriotism.

CHAPTER XXIX

The Aguinaldo War of Skirmishes.

The Filipino Swarms, After Being Repulsed with Slaughter, Continue
Their Scattering Efforts to Be Assassins--They Plan a General
Massacre and the Burning of Manila--Defeated in Barbarous Schemes,
They Tell False Tales and Have Two Objects, One to Deceive the People
of the Philippines, the Other to Influence Intervention--The Peril of
Fire--Six Thousand Regulars Sent to General Otis--Americans Capture
Iloilo and Many Natives Want Peace--The People of the Isla of Negros
Ask That They May Go with Us--Dewey Wants Battleships and Gunboats,
Gets Them, and Is Made an Admiral--Arrival of Peace Commissioners,
with Their School Books, Just Ahead of the Regulars with Magazine
Rifles--The Germans at Manila Salute Admiral Dewey at Last.

The activity of the Aguinaldo insurgents was persisted in, while their
commissioners were on the way to us, and ours to them. While Congress
was in a reactionary state owing to political games, and many members
tearful on the side of the barbarians, there was a desperate conspiracy
to massacre the white people of Manila and destroy the city by fire;
and fighting was going on along our extended lines, the Filipinos
shooting at Americans from the jungles. On February 15th the California
Volunteers abandoned Guadalupe church and retired to San Pedro Macati,
and the Filipinos held ambuscades near the Pasig River. It was reported
that on the night of the 14th the retirement of General King's advance
posts upon San Pedro Macati had evidently been construed by the rebels
as a sign of weakness, as they pressed forward along both sides of
the river, persistently harassing the occupants of the town.

The rebels poured volley after volley into San Pedro Macati from
the brush on the adjacent ridge, but without effect. General King's
headquarters, in the center of the town, was the target for scores of
bullets. The rebels were using smokeless powder and it was extremely
difficult to locate individual marksmen.

The heat was intense and