Let us examine with some care the history of the Wilcox-Sargent trip, and see if we can gain further light from other sources relative to the condition of public order in the territory which they traversed.

I propose, for the most part, to let the captured Insurgent records speak for themselves, as it is fair to assume that Insurgent officers were at no pains to represent conditions as worse than they really were.  In view of the fragmentary character of these records, we may also assume that the complete story would be still more interesting and instructive than the one which I have been able to reconstruct.

Messrs. Sargent and Wilcox were almost everywhere hospitably received, and were entertained with dinners and dances after the inimitable fashion of the hospitable Filipino everywhere.  They gained a very favourable impression of the state of public order in the provinces through which they passed for the reason that from the very start their trip was strictly personally conducted.  They saw exactly what it was intended that they should see and very little more.  Their progress was several times interrupted for longer or shorter periods without adequate explanation.  We now know that on these occasions the scenery so carefully prepared in advance for them had become a little disarranged and needed to be straightened up.  Facts which I will cite show that most shocking and horrible events, of which they learned nothing, were occurring in the territory through which they passed.

For a considerable time before their departure American visitors had been carefully excluded from the Insurgent territory, but the Filipino leaders decided to let these two men go through it to the end that they might make as favourable a report as possible.  How carefully the way was prepared for American visitors is shown by the following telegram:—­

“San Pedro, Macati,

“July 30, 1898.

“To the Local Presidente of Pasig: 

“You are hereby informed that the Americans are going to your town and they will ask your opinion [of what the people desire.—­Tr.] You should answer them that we want a republican government.  The same answer must be given throughout your jurisdiction.

(Signed) “Pio Del Pilar,

“General of the Second Zone.” [241]

Now General Pilar had an uncomfortable way of killing people who did not obey his orders, and under the rules of the Insurgent government he was abundantly justified in so doing.  His suggestions as to what visiting Americans should be told or shown would be likely to be acceded to.  Certainly this seems to have been the case in the present instance, for on the same day General Noriel reported as follows:  [242]

“President R. G., Bacoor, from Gen. Noriel, Pineda, July 30, 12.10 P.M.:  I inform your excellency that some commissioners of the American admiral are making investigations in the region around Pasay as to the wishes and opinion of the people as to the government.  To-day I received a statement from some, giving the answer:  ’Free government under American protectorate [copy mutilated, two or three words missing here] the President.’”