Military Government of the Philippine Islands
After the appointment of a civil Governor-General, the procedure developed that as parts of the country were pacified and placed firmly under American control, responsibility for the area would be passed to the civilian.[14][15][16] The battle started when Dewey's ships bombarded Fort San Antonio Abad, a decrepit structure on the southern outskirts of Manila, and the virtually impregnable walls of Intramuros.The United States will pay to Spain the sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) within three months after the exchange of the ratifications of the present treaty.In 1898 Andrew Carnegie, an industrialist and steel magnate, offered to buy the Philippines for $20 million and give it to the Filipinos so that they could be free of United States government.On January 1, 1899, news had come to Washington, D.C., from Manila that American forces, which had been sent to Iloilo under the command of General Marcus Miller, had been confronted by 6,000 armed Filipinos, who refused them permission to land.I denounce these acts before the world, in order that the conscience of mankind may pronounce its infallable verdict as to who are the true oppressors of nations and the tormentors of human kind."[32]: 356–7 After some copies of that proclamation had been distributed, Aguinaldo ordered the recall of undistributed copies and issued another proclamation, which was published the same day in El Heraldo de la Revolucion, the official newspaper of the Philippine Republic: "As in General Otis's proclamation he alluded to some instructions edited by His Excellency the President of the United States, referring to the administration of the matters in the Philippine Islands, I in the name of God, the root and fountain of all justice, and that of all the right which has been visibly granted to me to direct my dear brothers in the difficult work of our regeneration, protest most solemnly against this intrusion of the United States Government on the sovereignty of these islands.I equally protest in the name of the Filipino people against the said intrusion, because as they have granted their vote of confidence appointing me president of the nation, although I don't consider that I deserve such, therefore I consider it my duty to defend to death its liberty and independence.The next day, the government officials were surprised to learn that messages to Otis to deal mildly with the rebels and not to force a conflict had become known to Agoncillo and had been cabled by him to Aguinaldo."[27] The Filipino committees in London, Paris, and Madrid around that time telegraphed to President McKinley: "We protest against the disembarkation of American troops at Iloilo.January 8, 1899, 9.40 p.m., "In consequence of the order of General Rios to his officers, as soon as the Filipino attack begins the Americans should be driven into the Intramuros district and the walled city should be set on fire."[38] On January 31, 1899, the Minister of Interior of the revolutionary First Philippine Republic, Teodoro Sandiko, signed a decree stating that President Aguinaldo had directed that all idle lands be planted to provide food for the people in view of impending war with the Americans.[39] Worcester gave General Otis' account of the opening of active hostilities,[40]: 96 On the night of February 2 they sent in a strong detachment to draw the fire of our outposts, which took up a position immediately in front and within a few yards of the same.Other sources name the two specific US soldiers involved in the first exchange of fire as Privates William Grayson and Orville Miller of the Nebraska Volunteers.While commissioners were appointed to negotiate with General Otis, secret societies were organized in Manila pledged to obey orders of the most barbarous character to kill and burn.The spark was applied, either inadvertently or by design, on the 4th of February by an insurgent, willfully transgressing upon what, by their own admission, was within the agreed limits of the holding of the American troops."[43] On June 2, 1899, the Malolos Congress enacted and ratified a declaration of war on the United States, which was publicly proclaimed on that same day by Pedro A. Paterno, the President of the Assembly.Peace feelers from members of Aguinaldo's cabinet failed in May when the American commander, General Ewell Otis, demanded an unconditional surrender.McKinley had appointed a five-person group, headed by Dr. Jacob Gould Schurman, president of Cornell University, on January 20, 1899, to investigate conditions in the islands and to make recommendations.We cannot from any point of view escape the responsibilities of government which our sovereignty entails; and the commission is strongly persuaded that the performance of our national duty will prove the greatest blessing to the peoples of the Philippine Islands."[52] Between September 1900 and August 1902, it issued 499 laws; established a judicial system, including a supreme court; drew up a legal code; and organized a civil service.[50][58] On July 2, 1902, the Secretary of War telegraphed that the insurrection against the sovereign authority of the U.S. had come to an end, with provincial civil governments established, and so the office of Military Governor was terminated.[8] On July 4, Theodore Roosevelt, who had succeeded to the presidency after the assassination of McKinley on September 5, 1901, proclaimed a full and complete pardon and amnesty to all persons in the Philippine archipelago who had participated in the conflict.
SpanishGreat SealE pluribus unumHail, ColumbiaManilaTagalogEnglishLanguages in the PhilippinesMilitary-occupiedtransitional governmentPresidentWilliam McKinleyTheodore RooseveltWesley MerrittElwell S. OtisArthur MacArthur, Jr.Adna ChaffeeWilliam Howard TaftMartial lawPhilippine CommissionCapture of ManilaTreaty of ParisInsurrectionCapture of MalolosTaft CommissionOrganic Act enactedPhilippine pesoCaptaincy General of the PhilippinesFirst Philippine RepublicInsular Government of the Philippine IslandsPhilippinesUnited StatesCommander-in-ChiefUnited States Armed ForcesArthur MacArthurBaliuag, BulacanBattle of Manila (1898)Spanish–American WarPasig RiverIntramurosFermín JáudenesBattle of ManilaFort San Antonio Abadsouthern outskirts of ManilaPhilippine–American WarTreaty of Paris (1898)Puerto RicoAndrew CarnegieTreaty of WashingtonCagayan SuluSibutuGregorio del PilarIloiloProclamation of Benevolent AssimilationUS Department of WarexpiredFelipe AgoncilloTeodoro SandikoBattle of Manila (1899)Malolos CongressPedro A. PaternoSchurman CommissionWinsor McCayJacob Gould SchurmanCornell UniversityPedro PaternoAntonio LunabicameralPhilippine AssemblyManila Grand Opera HousePlatt AmendmentSpooner AmendmentThomasitesPhilippine Organic Actexecutive orderPhilippine LegislatureUnited States Bill of RightsGloria Macapagal ArroyoMiguel MalvarBatangasTanaunPhilippine ConstabularyUnited States Military GovernmentPhilippine RepublicMalolos ConstitutionMalolosBulacanPresident of the United StatesPresident of the PhilippinesEmilio Aguinaldo(unofficial)Prime Minister of the PhilippinesApolinario MabiniNational AssemblyPhilippine Republican ArmyHistory of the Philippines (1898–1946)Second Philippine RepublicCommonwealth of the PhilippinesAgoncillo, Teodoro AndalConstantino, RenatoOtis, Elwell StephenTaylor, John R.M.Vice President of the United StatesGovernor of New YorkAssistant Secretary of the NavyNew York City Police CommissionerPresidencytimelineFirst inaugurationhistoric siteSecond inaugurationForeign policySquare DealBooker T. Washington dinnerNewlands Reclamation ActTransfer Act of 1905Antiquities ActPelican IslandDevils Tower National MonumentMuir Woods National MonumentUnited States Forest ServiceUnited States Reclamation ServiceNational Wildlife Refuge SystemRoosevelt ArchConference of GovernorsNorthern Securities Company breakup