ed to attend
mass. One of the unfortunates died, and the priest denied him rights of
burial, ordering that his body be thrown upon the ground and left to rot
in the sun before his dwelling. The brother of the man in his
exasperation organized a mob, captured the priest, killed him, and
exposed his body for four days. Thus was formed the nucleus of a rebel
army. The insurgents in their mountain fastnesses gained their
independence and maintained it for thirty-five years, until they secured
from Spain a promise of the expulsion of the Jesuit priests from the
colony.

Other revolutions followed in 1823, 1827, and 1844, but all were
suppressed. In 1872, the most formidable outbreak up to that time
occurred at Cavite. Hatred of the Spanish friars was the cause of this
uprising also. Spain had promised in the Council of Trent to prohibit
friars from holding parishes. The promises were never carried out, and
the friars grew continually richer and more powerful and oppressive. Had
the plan of the insurgents not been balked by a mistaken signal, no
doubt they would have destroyed the Spanish garrison at Manila, but a
misunderstanding caused their defeat. The friars insisted that the
captured leaders should be executed, and it was done.

[Illustration: A NATIVE RESIDENCE IN THE SUBURBS OF MANILA.

Every cottage, however humble, is surrounded by tropical trees and
flowers. The interiors are remarkably clean and cheerful. Bamboo enters
largely into the construction of all native houses and they are
generally covered with thatch.]

THE LAST STRUGGLE FOR LIBERTY.

In 1896, the insurrection broke out again. Its causes were the old
oppressions: unbearable taxes, and imprisonment or banishment, with the
complete confiscation of property of those who could not pay; no justice
except for those who could buy it; extortion by the friars; marriage
ceremony so costly that a poor man could not pay the fee; homes and
families broken up and ruined; burial refused to the dead, unless a
large sum was paid in advance; no provision and no chance for education.
Such were some of the causes that again goaded the natives to revolution
and nerved them with courage to achieve victory after victory over their
enemies until they were, promised most of the reforms which they
demanded. Then they laid down their arms, and, as usual, the
Governor-General failed to carry out a single pledge.

Such was the condition, and another revolt, more formidable