They were kept
in check during the night and the next day driven out of the city with
heavy loss.
This was the unhappy condition of affairs which confronted our
Commissioners on their arrival in Manila. They had come with the hope
and intention of co-operating with Admiral Dewey and Major-General Otis
in establishing peace and order in the archipelago and the largest
measure of self-government compatible with the true welfare of the
people. What they actually found can best be set forth in their own
words:
Deplorable as war is, the one in which we are now engaged was
unavoidable by us. We were attacked by a bold, adventurous, and
enthusiastic army. No alternative was left to us except ignominious
retreat.
It is not to be conceived of that any American would have sanctioned
the surrender of Manila to the insurgents. Our obligations to other
nations and to the friendly Filipinos and to ourselves and our flag
demanded that force should be met by force. Whatever the future of
the Philippines may be, there is no course open to us now except the
prosecution of the war until the insurgents are reduced to submission.
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