of the severance of family ties.

It will be said of the affirmation that, the avowal of the possession
of the Philippines as a responsibility without end would be a peace
measure, and anything else make for war, does not take into account
the attitude of the Philippine Dictator, by proclamation, General
Aguinaldo, and his followers. We desire to speak with respect of the
General, for he has shown in trying times, under strong temptations,
the presence in his character of personal integrity in public matters,
and reference is made to his refusal to consent to the division among
insurgents alleged to be leaders, of the money paid by the Spaniards
for the disarmament of the rebels, when two years ago there was an
agreement upon the terms of a truce. This money transaction has
been referred to as the sale of their cause by Aguinaldo and his
associates, as if they, as individuals, had pocketed the usufruct
of the bargain. The money was paid by Spain as an earnest of her
sincerity, the Captain-General representing the force and good faith
of the kingdom, in granting reforms to the Philippines. On condition
of insurgent disarmament the people of the island were to be allowed
representation in the Spanish Cortes, the orders of the Church were
to be removed from relations to the Government that were offensive
to the people. There was a long list of articles of specification
of the reforms that were to be granted, the usual liberality of
words of promise always bestowed by Spain upon her colonists. The
representatives of Spain denied nothing that was asked; and to
give weight to the program of concessions, there was paid in hand to
Aguinaldo, through a transaction between banks in Manila and Hongkong,
four hundred thousand dollars, the first installment of eight hundred
thousand dollars agreed upon. [1] The Spaniards probably understood
that they were bribing the insurgents and paying a moderate sum to
cheaply end the war; and it did not cost the authorities of Spain
anything, for they exacted the money from the Manila Bank of Spain,
and still owe the bank. Aguinaldo's understanding, acted upon,
was different. He accepted the money as a war fund, and has held and
defended it for the purchase of arms, and resumed hostilities when all
promises of reform were broken, and nothing whatever done beyond the
robbery of the bank to bribe the rebel chiefs, which was the Spanish
translation. Of course, it was claimed by the enemies of Agu