prominent officers had obtained
leave to pass the Sabbath with their respective families.

General Pantaleon Garcia was the only one who at such a critical
moment was at his post in Maypajo, north of Manila, Generals Noriel,
Rizal and Ricarte and Colonels San Miguel, Cailles and others being
away enjoying their leave.

General Otis, according to trustworthy information, telegraphed to
Washington stating that the Filipinos had attacked the American
Army. President McKinley read aloud the telegram in the Senate,
where the Treaty of Paris of the 10th December, 1898, was being
discussed with a view to its ratification, the question of annexation
of the Philippines being the chief subject of debate, and through
this criminal procedure secured the acceptation of the said Treaty
_in toto_ by a majority of only three votes, [7] which were cast
simultaneously with a declaration that the voters sided with the
"Ayes" on account of war having broken out in these Islands.

This singular comedy could not continue for a great length of time
because the Filipinos could never be the aggressors as against the
American forces, with whom we had sworn eternal friendship and in
whose power we expected to find the necessary protection to enable
us to obtain recognition of our independence from the other Powers.

The confusion and obfuscation of the first moments was indeed great,
but before long it gave place to the light of Truth which shone forth
serene, bringing forth serious reflections.

When sensible people studied the acts of Mr. McKinley, sending
reinforcement after reinforcement to Manila at a time after an
armistice was agreed upon and even when peace with Spain prevailed;
when they took into account that the despatch of the Civil Commission
to settle terms of a treaty of amity with the Filipinos was being
delayed; when, too, they knew of the antecedents of my alliance
with Admiral Dewey, prepared and arranged by the American Consuls of
Singapore and Hongkong, Mr. Pratt and Mr. Wildman; when they became
acquainted with the actual state of affairs on the 4th February knowing
that the Filipinos were awaiting the reply of Mr. McKinley to the
telegram of General Otis in which he transmitted the peaceful wish of
the Filipino people of live as an independent nation; when, lastly,
they riveted their attention to the terms of the Treaty of Paris,
the approval of which, in as far as it concerned the annexation of the
Philippines, was g