YUSAY TO POBLADOR, MARCH 1, 1899

Exhibit 1234.

[Original in Spanish. Unsigned Document. P. I. R., 920 2 ]

KABATUAN, March 1, 1899.

In the present state of affairs, having, as one would say, the enemy, which is the American people, at the door, this Government, although well convinced of the attitude which it should observe before he who presents himself as an enemy, believes it, however, of vital interest, of the utmost importance, to consult the will of the people in a matter wherein perhaps the fate of the country hangs. Certainly not through weakness, but because it understands that in these supreme moments it should once more with greater reason consult the popular will in a case as serious as it is critical. In a word, the Government, in the presence of the enemy has adopted, with the concurrence of the army, the attitude of resistance; but, in order that this decision may bear the stamp of true popuhrity, has thought advisable to convene the local presidentes of the pueblos of this province for a matter of so much transcendency. And to this end said local presidentes were convened in a mass meeting which took place in Santa Barbara and Kabatuan on the 23rd and 24th of last February. In said meeting, presided over by the undersigned, the spirit of these pueblos, which is determined at all costs to oppose the American invasion, was made known, and it was resolved to create an Assembly of Delegates of representatives of the pueblos, who will speak for, assist and support, them in the solution of the difficult problems which the country is facing; in short, that said delegates will stand as a symbol of close union between the people and the Government in view of the imminent danger in which our sacred independence is.

In order to realize such a grand and patriotic idea the Government would have liked to have had represented in said meeting all of the provinces of the Visayas; but unfortunately it was not so; special circumstances of some moment, arising from the lack of time and of the urgcncy of the matter which was about to be discussed, forced this Government, although much to its regret, not to issue any more letters of convocation than to the local presidentes of this province.

You will inform yourself as to the object of said meeting by the record of proceedings, a copy of which I transmit, and with the assurance that your district will adhere to what has been resolved in the same, the Government confers on you the special commission to proceed to the division into groups of the pueblos of that district, with the concurrence of the local presidentes of the same, and when the division is made the local juntas which each group shall form, shall proceed to the election of a delegate or representative. I beg to advise you that the greatest spontaneity should govern in the election, in order that in that manner the elected one shall have the entire confidenee of the pueblos which he is to represent, informing you that the person to be elected must be one who holds no present official position.

The always increasing necessity that the Government should hear the authoritive voice of the people has bound it to make the decision of fixing the opening of the Assembly for the 14th of this month; and if the want of time should prevent the delegates or representatives of that district from attending said opening, that will not be an obstacle to their coming after said date to take part in the discussions of the business which wiII be submitted to the Assembly, for which it is a necessary condition that the elected citizen shall have his residence in the pueblo where the Government is. The maintenance of each representative shall be borne by the pueblos electing him.

God preserve you many years for our liberty and independence.

[JOVITO YUSAY] Chief of the Administrative Commission.

To Señor PERFECTO POBLADOR,
General of Division.