the fullest extent its obligations in this regard.
It will therefore be the duty of the commander of the expedition,
immediately upon his arrival in the islands, to publish a proclamation
declaring that we come not to make war upon the people of the
Philippines, nor upon any party or faction among them, but to protect
them in their homes, in their employments, and in their personal and
religious rights. All persons who, either by active aid or by honest
submission, cooperate with the United States in its efforts to give
effect to this beneficent purpose will receive the reward of its support
and protection. Our occupation should be as free from severity as
possible.

Though the powers of the military occupant are absolute and supreme and
immediately operate upon the political condition of the inhabitants, the
municipal laws of the conquered territory, such as affect private rights
of person and property and provide for the punishment of crime, are
considered as continuing in force, so far as they are compatible with
the new order of things, until they are suspended or superseded by the
occupying belligerent; and in practice they are not usually abrogated,
but are allowed to remain in force and to be administered by the
ordinary tribunals substantially as they were before the occupation.
This enlightened practice is, so far as possible, to be adhered to on
the present occasion. The judges and the other officials connected with
the administration of justice may, if they accept the authority of the
United States, continue to administer the ordinary law of the land as
between man and man under the supervision of the American commander
in chief. The native constabulary will, so far as may be practicable,
be preserved. The freedom of the people to pursue their accustomed
occupations will be abridged only when it may be necessary to do so.

While the rule of conduct of the American commander in chief will be
such as has just been defined, it will be his duty to adopt measures
of a different kind if, unfortunately, the course of the people should
render such measures indispensable to the maintenance of law and order.
He will then possess the power to replace or expel the native officials
in part or altogether, to substitute new courts of his own constitution
for those that now exist, or to create such new or supplementary
tribunals as may be necessary. In the exercise of these high powers the
commander must be guided by his j