Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/716

 684 The Philippines demanded by America. [i898 A peaceful occupation of the city, under the provisions of the protocol, would have excited little feeling. The report of its capture by force of arms, with some casualties, was received in the United States eight days after the signing of the protocol. The effect was visible and pronounced. It gave a decided impulse to annexationist sentiment. The question began to be popularly discussed as one, not of taking the islands, but of abandoning them ; and the tendency to retain them was powerfully reinforced by the growth of a missionary spirit, which discerned in the course of events a providential opportunity to promote the welfare of the natives, an opportunity the neglect of which, because of preconceived notions of national interest, would constitute a selfish and censurable violation of duty. Nevertheless, President McKinley, in his instructions to the American Peace Commission, of September 16, 1898, went no further than to say that the United States could not accept "less than 1 ' the island of Luzon. During the following weeks, however, much con- sideration was given to the subject both at Washington and at Paris ; and on October 28 the American commissioners were instructed that the President could see " but one plain path of duty the acceptance of the archipelago." The American commissioners therefore presented, on October 31, a proposal for the cession of the whole group, but stated that they were prepared to insert in the treaty a stipulation for the assumption by the United States of any existing debt incurred by Spain for public works and improvements of a pacific character in the islands. At the next con- ference the Spanish commissioners submitted a counter-proposal, in the form of an argumentative memorandum. In this document they contended that the protocol of August 12 did not justify a demand for the cession of the whole group ; and that the capture of Manila by the American forces, after the signature of that instrument, though in fact before news of its signature was received in the islands, was, in view of the agreement for a suspension of hostilities, unlawful. On this ground they maintained that the treaty of peace ought to provide for the immediate delivery of Manila to the Spanish government, the immediate release of the Spanish garrison, the return to the Spanish government of all funds and public property taken by the American army since the occupation of the place, as well as of all taxes collected prior to its restoration ; and they even demanded an indemnity for the damage occasioned by the detention of the Spanish troops as prisoners, to which they ascribed the spread of the Tagal insurrection in Luzon and its extension to the Visayas, and the ill- treatment of Spanish prisoners, civil and military, by the natives. They concluded by inviting the American commissioners to present a propo- sition concerning " the control, disposition, and government " of the Philippines which should conform to " the stipulations of Article III " of the protocol. To this counter-proposal the American commissioners made a detailed reply. Obviously the principal point at issue was the