"--P.I.R. 206.6.
[57] "The great North American nation, the cradle of genuine liberty
and therefore the friend of our people oppressed and enslaved by
the tyranny and despotism of its ruler, has come to us manifesting a
protection as decisive as it is undoubtedly disinterested toward our
inhabitants, considering us as sufficiently civilized and capable of
governing ourselves and our unfortunate country. In order to maintain
this high estimate granted us by the generous North American nation
we should abominate all those deeds which tend to lower this opinion,
which are pillage, theft, and all sorts of crimes relating to persons
or property, with the purpose of avoiding international conflict
during the period of our campaign."--P.I.R., 43. 3.
[58] Of this extraordinary occurrence Taylor says:--
"Invitations to the ceremony of the declaration of independence
were sent to Admiral Dewey; but neither he nor any of his officers
were present. It was, however, important to Aguinaldo that some
American should be there whom the assembled people would consider a
representative of the United States. 'Colonel' Johnson, ex-hotel keeper
of Shanghai, who was in the Philippines exhibiting a cinematograph,
kindly consented to appear on this occasion as Aguinaldo's Chief of
Artillery and the representative of the North American nation.
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