* * * * *

(Signed) " Martin Delgado,

“Governor-General-President.”

—­P.I.R., 881. 4.

[399] “On April 10, 1899, General Delgado wrote that, benignity having failed, rigorous methods would be used to enforce collections and that if the people did not pay—­

“’I shall, with great pain, see myself under the necessity of withdrawing all my forces to the mountains and leaving them [the pueblos] to the fate which God will decide upon,’ which of course meant that he would leave them to the mercy of the bandits who stood ready to descend upon them.”—­P.I.R., B., 4.

“This threat was not an idle one.”—­Taylor, 67 HS.  E-L.

[400] “Santa Cruz, Laguna, July, 1899.

“Hon. Sr.  Emilio Aguinaldo....

“There was a notorious bandit here who was the terror of the province with his gang; I had him arrested and shot and the robberies ceased.  Murders were being committed; I had the murderers caught, shot one of them, and there were no more murders; officers of the reserve would consider themselves kings in their towns, they would shoot the local presidentes and commit other unlawful acts; I disarmed them, and tried the most celebrated one, called Arcadio Castillo, alias Bancucane, who attempted to escape and was killed.  With the death of these persons order has been completely reestablished in this province.  Several had rifles that were used only for robbery and after two or three trials all turned over their rifles, and the arming of the battalion was completed.

* * * * *

(Signed) “Juan Cailles.”

—­P.I.R., 7 & 8.

[401] “Regional Revolutionary Government of the Visayas.

“Office of the President.

“Kabatuan, March 16, 1899.

“To the Honourable President of the Philippine Republic,

“Senor Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy,

“Most Distinguished President: 

* * * * *

“In order to avoid the distress which the knowledge of the abuses which are already unbearable, daily committed by the troops of Senor Diocno, will cause you, this government has hesitated to communicate them to you, but, as there is almost a reign of terror here, it feels that it must inform you of them in order to remedy them.  The death of private individuals and assaults committed in the towns are daily reported as having been committed by the troops of General Diocno.  Of the numerous companies of Senor Diocno, only two under the orders of General Araneta fight against the enemy, the remainder are the terror of the town and it is a week since Sr.  Diocno went to Capiz without telling any one what he was going to do.

“In view of the facts pointed out, the soldiers of this General constituting a constant danger to the town, this government asks you to order General Diocno to turn over his rifles to us to kill Americans with and to enable the towns to recover their former tranquillity; this government asks this of you, relying upon the well-known justice with which you act and it wishes for you many years of life for our liberty and our independence.