l be blessed by Heaven, by men and by our children.

"Viva America with the Philippines!!!" [31]

The letters were undoubtedly given to Aguinaldo for delivery on his
arrival. They were never delivered, and it is reasonable to suppose,
espeeially as Basa, who was a man of importance and means, was a
member of the group who desired annexation to the United States, that
Aguinaldo took the letters along in order to avoid a rupture with him
and then quietly suppressed them. Obviously, however, he sent or gave
a copy of the first one to Pratt, presumably without the written words:
"Viva, for America with the Philippines!"

And now comes a bit of evidence as to what occurred at Singapore
which I consider incontrovertible.

Aguinaldo returned promptly to Hongkong and on May 4, 1898, a meeting
of the junta was held. The minutes of this meeting, [32] signed by
each of the several Filipinos present, form a part of the Insurgent
records which have come into the possession of the United States
Government. They state among other things that:--

"The temporary Secretary read the minutes of the preceding meeting,
which were approved. The temporary President reported that D. Emilio
Aguinaldo had just arrived from Singapore and it became necessary
for him to take possession of the office to which he has been elected."

After the transaction of some further business Aguinaldo was summoned,
appeared at the meeting, and was duly installed as President. Then:--

"The President described the negotiations which took place during
his absence in Singapore with the American Consul of that English
colony. Both agreed that the President should confer with the Admiral
commanding the American squadron in Mirs Bay, and if the latter
should accept his propositions, advantageous, in his judgment, to
the Philippines, he would go to said country in one of the cruisers
which form the fleet for the purpose of taking part in the present
events. And as he did not find the Admiral, he thought it well to
have an interview with the American Consul of this colony on the day
of his arrival, but was not satisfied with such interview.

"Considering the critical conditions in the Philippines at present,
he begged the committee to discuss the advisability of his going to
said islands with all the leaders of prominence in the last rebellion
residing in this colony, in case the Admiral gave them an opportunity
to do so."

Note that there is here absolutely not