The document discusses President William McKinley's "Benevolent Assimilation" proclamation regarding the Philippines issued in 1898. The proclamation aimed to win over the Filipino people by assuring them of individual rights and justice under U.S. rule, rather than arbitrary Spanish control. General Elwell Otis sent Emilio Aguinaldo an altered version removing mentions of U.S. sovereignty. However, an unaltered copy was also distributed, causing confusion over American intentions.
The document discusses President William McKinley's "Benevolent Assimilation" proclamation regarding the Philippines issued in 1898. The proclamation aimed to win over the Filipino people by assuring them of individual rights and justice under U.S. rule, rather than arbitrary Spanish control. General Elwell Otis sent Emilio Aguinaldo an altered version removing mentions of U.S. sovereignty. However, an unaltered copy was also distributed, causing confusion over American intentions.
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The document discusses President William McKinley's "Benevolent Assimilation" proclamation regarding the Philippines issued in 1898. The proclamation aimed to win over the Filipino people by assuring them of individual rights and justice under U.S. rule, rather than arbitrary Spanish control. General Elwell Otis sent Emilio Aguinaldo an altered version removing mentions of U.S. sovereignty. However, an unaltered copy was also distributed, causing confusion over American intentions.
Droits d'auteur :
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Formats disponibles
Téléchargez comme DOC, PDF, TXT ou lisez en ligne sur Scribd
This article is about a U.S. Presidential proclamation concerning the Philippines. For 1982 book, see Bene olent !ssimilation "book#. The term Benevolent Assimilation refers to a proclamation that is about the Philippines issued on December 21, 18 8 by !"#" President William $c%inley durin& the Philippine'(merican War, )hich follo)ed the defeat of #pain durin& the #panish'(merican War" The proclamation reads in part* Finally, it should be the earnest )ish and paramount aim of the military administration to )in the confidence, respect, and affection of the inhabitants of the Philippines by assurin& them in every possible )ay that full measure of individual ri&hts and liberties )hich is the herita&e of free peoples, and by provin& to them that the mission of the !nited #tates is one of benevolent assimilation substitutin& the mild s)ay of +ustice and ri&ht for arbitrary rule",1The proclamation )as sent to .eneral /l)ell 0tis, !"#" military commander in the Philippines" 0tis sent /milio (&uinaldo a version of the proclamation that he had bo)dleri1ed by removin& mention of !"#" soverei&nty 2to stress our benevolent purpose2 and not 2offend Filipino sensibilities,2 by substitutin& 2free people2 for 2supremecy of the !nited #tates,2 and deletin& 2to e3ercise future domination"2 ,citation needed- (&uinaldo had proclaimed an insur&ent dictatorial &overnment in the Philippines on $ay 24, 18 8, proclaimed Philippine 5ndependence on 6une 12, 18 8, and chan&ed the dictatorial &overnment to a revolutionary one on 6une 27, 18 8" 8o)ever, .eneral 0tis had also sent an unaltered copy of the proclamation to .eneral $arcus $iller in 5loilo 9ity )ho, una)are that an altered version had been sent to (&uinaldo, passed a copy to a Filipino official there" The unaltered version eventually made its )ay to (&uinaldo" 0tis later e3plained, (fter fully considerin& the President:s proclamation, and the temper of the Ta&los, )ith )hom 5 )as daily discussin& political problems and the friendly intentions of the !"#"(" .overnment to)ard them, 5 concluded that there )ere certain )ords and e3pressions therein such as 2soverei&nty,2 2ri&ht of cessation2 and those )hich directed immediate occupation and so forth, )hich thou&h most admirably employed and tersely e3pressive of actual conditions, mi&ht be advanta&eously used by the Ta&alo&" The i&norant classes had been tau&ht to believe that certain )ords such as 2soverei&nty,2 2protection,2 and so forth had peculiar meanin&s disastrous to their )elfare and si&nificant of future political domination, like that from )hich they had been recently freed",2-