MEETING IN SARA, OCTOBER 6, 1899

Exhibit 1271.

[Original in Spanish. D.S. P.I.R., 1046.2.]

OCTOBER 6, 1899.

MINUTE.

[SEAL.]

In the pueblo of Sara, on the sixth of October, eighteen-hundred and ninety-nine, there having met in the Presidential-House the Seņores:

Councilors of Justice, Revenues and Police; the Local Presidentes and popular boards, and the persons of the highest standing of the pueblos of Sara, Ajuy, Concepcion, Santo Domingo and Lemery; and the Military Commander of this province with the officers under his orders who had been formally invited beforehand; the session was called to order by the Presidente, Isidro Garcia y Villaruel at five o'clock in the afternoon. The Presidente read the official communication from the General Headquarters of Santa Barbara and the decrees of our Honorable President Seņor Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy, which caused the aforesaid official communication, which are as follows:

"Headquarters No. 61.

"Under this date there has been published a decree of the Honorable General-in-chief, the tenor thereof being as follows:

"In the General Headquarters of Santa Barbara, on the 21st of September, 1899, at half-past twelve in the afternoon, a delegation of the military element, bringing with it an armed force, composed of the entire garrison of this post and a company of the forces on duty with our advance lines, appeared at this General Headquarters asking that the Politico-Military Government be established in this province according to the instructions of the Central Government of Luzon. Whereas, the state of affairs, through which this country in general and this province in particular are passing, is hard in the extreme and counsels the maintenance of order at all costs, in order to avoid that the latter be disturbed in the least, on account of the utmost importance thereof; as General-in-chief of the army, appointed Politico-Military Governor by the Government of the nation, I hereby decree the following:

"Only Article. The Politico-Military Government is from this moment hereby declared constituted, and I take charge of the office of Military and Civil Chief of this province.

"Given in this Headquarters of Santa Barbara, date ut supra.

"MARTIN DELGADO (Rubricated).

"I have the honor of transcribing the above for your information and the proper purposes.

"God preserve you many years for our liberty and independence. CORTEZA (rubricated), Acting Chief of the General Staff, General Headquarters of Santa Barbara, September 21, 1899. To the Provincial Presidente of the Province of Concepcion."

There is a stamp which reads: 'Staff of the Liberating Army of Visayas.'

"There is a letter-head which reads: 'Philippine Republic. Council of Government.' (There is here quoted the Decree of Emilio Aguinaldo, dated San Isidro, April 27, 1899, dissolving the Federal Council of Iloilo. -Tr.)

"I refer the foregoing to you for compliance therewith.

"God preserve you many years.

"San Isidro, April 28, 1899.

"Ap. MABINI."

"There is a seal which reads as follows: 'Philippine Republican Government, Office of the President of the Council.

"To Seņor Martin Delgado, Politico-Military Governor of Iloilo.

"The above agrees with its original which is on file in the General Headquarters, forwarded to this government, in Kabatuan, on August 8, 1899, certified to by me, the General Secretary.

"FRANCISCO SORIANO.

"There is a seal: 'Philippine Republic. Council of the Federal State of Visayas.'

"There is a letter-head: 'Philippinne Republic. Council of Government.'

"To General MARTIN T. DELGADO, Iloilo.

(GENERAL: I transmit you by order of the President, Emilio Aguinaldo, your appointment as Politico-Military Governor of that province and the prescriptions adopted by the National Government in view of the present state of affairs.

The government has become informed that the majority of the members of the Federal Council have remained in the pueblos occupied by the American forces; therefore it has believed that the time has come to dissolve the same, as the present state of the country requires the greatest possible unity between all the islands in order to repel the foreign invasion. Whenever peace is born again and national independence is assured, there might be formed a better constituted Regional Government, whenever the true represntatives of the Islands composing the Visayas group may so elect.

"We have recommended General Diocno not to withdraw his active cooperation from you and to recognize you as chief of operations while the war lasts in that province. You may, with his concurrence, place a delegate in charge of the politico-military government of Antike, or recognize the one elected by the Principales of the latter province, in either case, provisionally untll the approval of this government is given.

"The President places great confidence in your ability and loyalty, Which has already been demonstrated in a most evident manner.

"I greet you with the greatest affection and consideration.

"SAN ISIDRO, April 28, 1899.

Ap. MABINI.'

"There is a seal which follows: 'Philippine Republican Government. Office of the President of the Council.'

"The above agrees with the original which is on file in the General Headquarters and forwarded to this government, in Kabatuan, on August 8, 1899, certified to by me, the Secretary General.

FRANCISCO SORIANO

"There is a seal which follows: Philippine Republic. Council of the Federal State of Visayas."

Following the above reading the Presidente spoke in the most eloquent terms of the patriotism of those who had composed the dissolved Council of the Federal State of Visayas; and of the prudence and good sense with which the military demonstration had been conducted in asking our Honorable General-in-Chief for the establishment of the politico-military government in the province of Iloilo, according to the instructions of the Central government. Said Presidente also stated that there having been put into operation the constitution provided for in the aforesaid instructions, and considering the spirit thereof, it was a logical deduction that this province should be governed under the same organization as was at present established in the province of Iloilo; therefore, it was necessary that the mass-meeting (without prejudice to ascertaining, and respecting, the will of the local authorities and the element of the most prestige in the pueblos of Batod, Estancia, Balazan and Carlos, who had failed to attend, as to whether or not they would adhere to whatever is set forth in this minute, of which a copy shall be sent to said aUlthorities), should deliberate for the purpose of electing a military chief for the office of the politico-military government of this province, in whom could be invested the command of the same, and, with respect to the Provincial Council alluded to in the decree of April 28 last, the present Seņores councillors might continue in their offices in the judgment of said President, unless those at the mass-meeting should desire to hold new elections; at the same time the Presidente entreated those present that the election for the offices above-mentioned should be as impartial as possible, with. out regard Ito any obligations whatsoever, and that they should only consider the welfare of the pueblos, in order that united they might enter into the concert of the other provinces which have succeeded in crowning their efforts with suC'cess, which is progress.

The gentlemen attending the meeting having been informed of the object of the session, by acclamation, enthusiastically, and unanimously elected for politico-military governor of this province the same President Sefior Isidro Garcia y Villarruel, as said gentleman held the office of Lieutenant Colonel of the Reserve Army, a position which he had to select on account of his having been chosen for the office of civil provincial presidente.

The commanding military chief of this province, Seņor Nicholas, spoke in the name of the military element and himself, stating that, upon joining their votes to those of the persons attending the meeting, they recognized in Lieutenant Colonel of the Reserve Army, Seņor Isidro Garcia y Villarruel, the politico-military governor of this province.

Thereupon, the councillors, Lucio Bazan, Mateo Aldeguer, and Mariano Malapaya, presented their resignations of their respective offices of justice, revenues, and police: the gentlemen composing this meeting upon being invited by the Presidente to proceed with the election of the persons who were to fill the positions above-mentioned, all of them, with the exception of the Local Presidente of Sara and the citizen Seņor Pablo Bastarechea, unanimously again ratified their vote of confidence in the present councillors above-mentioned; by virtue whereof the politico-military Governor elect agreed that they should continue in their respective officeS until the superior approval of the government of the nation should be given.

At this stage the outgoing provincial chief, being the same who was elected to the office of politico-military governor of this province, agreed, in conformity with the aforesaid mass-meeting, to take possession of the politico-military government of the same from this time on, provisionally, and to send a copy of this minute to the Government of the Philippine Republic; and in order that the adjoining provinces might be informed hereof, to communicate the same to the respective politico-military governors thereof.

At eight o'clock at night the proceedings were terminated, when this minute was drawn up in triplicate and signed by the gentlemen present, to which I, the councillor of justice, do certify.

(Signed) ISIDRO GARCIA.

(72 signatures follow.- TR.)