LUKBAN TO LOCAL PRESIDENTES, MARCH 29, 1900

Exhibit 1325.

[Original in Spanish. Contemporary copy, P. I. R., 882. 1. ]

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS OF MATUGUINAO, March 29th, 1900.

To the Local Presidentes appearing on the margin:

The cowardly enemy continues to maraud along the coasts. They disembark from time to time to burn and sack towns and deprive the poor and peaceful inhabitants of the little they possess. You should, therefore, make numerous pits and set pointed canes, steeped in poison, in the bottom of the same (balatic), and other strategic devices as did the worthy people of Pambujan. When the enemy disembarked there 150 strong, many of them fell into those pits and the rest became so affrighted that they fled precipitously to their ship. The defense made by that town greatly demoralized and terrified the enemy.

This heroic deed clearly confirms my proclamations of February 4th last, wherein I stated that when the people want to defend their rights of which the enemy would deprive them, there is not an army in existence that can conquer them. Consequently I shall not repeat. Continue to play tricks on the enemy, be constant in war, and continue to plant rice. Thus can the weak fight the strong. All men and women that can not serve should go into the interior and cultivate rice and other edible plants and attend to the maintenance of those who are fighting in the town and in the centre.

VICENTE LUKBAN, General.