r freely an exact opinion.

1. The Negrillos and mountain Zambales have not, because of their
former wars, before the arrival of the Spaniards in this land,
at present any just title to war against the settled and peaceful
people of these islands. This is proved, for, although in those former
times force ruled, and injustice held full sway, and meant different
things to each individual, and no distinction was made--as, where
two persons quarrel with words, and injure each other equally, there
is no satisfaction other than to stop, and there is no distinction in
the injury--now, after the pacification of the Indians in settlements,
these wars ceased for many years; for which reason the old animosities
do not furnish any just pretext for war to either Negrillos or Zambales
against the Ilocos, Panpangos, etc. _Item_: Since those petty wars
ceased, the Panpangos, etc., and all the others have not incited the
Negrillos or Zambales to war; nor have they done them any injury,
either personally or in their lands. Therefore the present action
of the Negrillos and mountain Zanbales in committing assaults on the
highways and killing as many as they have killed, has no just pretext
of war from their neighbors.

2. Second, we assert that the Batanes, Panpangos, Pangasinanes, Ylocos,
and other tribes living near the Negrillos and mountain Zambales, have
a just pretext for war against the Negrillos and mountain Zanbales--a
proof of which is admitted in the fact of the murders, robberies,
attacks, and assaults on the highways, made without any just pretext,
as we have said in the first conclusion. Therefore, on the contrary,
the injured ones have a just pretext against them.

There appears to be no doubt regarding these two conclusions, for
they are most certain according to natural reason and to all law. The
whole difficulty is whether the injuries committed, the present harm,
and that which with some reason is feared (which will be greater each
day)--considering also the condition of the Negrillos, and the sort
of country in which they live--whether all these together constitute
sufficient pretext for an expedient so severe as war; and if fire
and sword are necessary.

To answer this doubt, we must admit that, with the diversities and
natural features of countries, and with the characteristics of the
peoples therein, is entwined most intimately the _jus gentium_, as
we call it. Accordingly, in some lands some things are regarded