he arms of Spain. The
Spanish officers knew they could not save Manila from the hands of the
Americans while the command of the sea by our fleet was indisputable
and we had unlimited reserves to draw upon to strengthen the land
forces, irrespective of the swarms of insurgents pressing in the
rear and eager to take vengeance for centuries of mismanagement
and countless personal grievances. It was the acknowledgment of the
Spanish Captain-General, when he received the peremptory summons from
Merritt and Dewey to give up the city, that there was no place of
refuge for the women and children, the sick and the wounded; and yet
it was insisted that the honor of Spain required bloodshed--not much,
perhaps, but enough to prove that the army of Spain was warlike. When
the American army had been reinforced so as to have 8,000 men ready to
take the field, General Merritt and Admiral Dewey had a conference and
agreed to send the Spaniards in authority a formal notification that
in forty-eight hours they would bombard and assail the defenses of
the city of Manila if it were not surrendered. The Spanish reply was
that the Americans could commence operations at once, but there was
no place where the women and children, the wounded and the sick could
go to find a place of security. This was tantamount to a declaration
that the Spaniards were sliding into a surrender, but wanted to make
a claim to the contrary.

The residence of the Archbishop is within the walled city and a very
substantial edifice, the stone work confined to the lower story and
hardwood timber freely used in massive form instead of stone. His grace
was seated at a small table in a broad hall, with a lamp and writing
material before him. He is imposing as a man of importance and his
greeting was cordial to kindliness. He said his acknowledgments were
personally due the American people for the peace of mind he had enjoyed
during the occupation of the city by the army of the United States,
for its establishment of order and the justice in administration
that relieved good citizens from oppression and alarm. He was glad
to have Americans know his sensibility on this subject, and wanted
me to convey his sentiments to the President.

When asked what it was that caused the insurgents to be so ferocious
against the priests and resolved on their expulsion or destruction he
said the rebels were at once false, unjust and ungrateful. They had
been lifted from savagery by Cathol