people, unprovided with arms, would be the victims of the demands and
exactions of the United States; but, provided with arms, would be able
to oppose themselves to them, struggling for independence, in which
consists the true happiness of the Philippines. And they finished
by saying that it made no difference if the Spanish government did
demand the return of the P400,000, and if the demand were allowed
in an action, since the object of the sum would be obtained by the
Admiral furnishing the Filipinos the arms which they required for
the struggle for their legitimate aspirations."

Here, then, was a definite plan to obtain arms from the Americans to
be used if necessary "against those very people" later.

"The President, with his prestige in the Philippines, would be
able to arouse those masses to combat the demands of the United
States, if they colonized that country, and would drive them, if
circumstances rendered it necessary, to a Titanic struggle for their
independence, even if they should succumb in shaking off the yoke of
a new oppressor. If Washington proposed to carry out the fundamental
principles of its constitution, there was no doubt that it would not
attempt to colonize the Philippines, or even to annex them. It was
probable then that it would give them independence and guarantee
it; in such case the presence of the President was necessary,
as he would prevent dissensions among the sons of the country who
sought office, who might cause the intervention of European powers,
an intervention which there was no reason to doubt would be highly
prejudicial to the interests of the country.... What injury could
come to the Philippines, even if we admitted that the Admiral would
not give arms to the President on account of his refusal to sign a
document prejudicial to the country, after he had taken all means