LUKBAN
Constitution , that they would not meddle with religious affairs , and there they are in Dagupan , Jaro and elsewhere , forcing us to submit to our ancient tyrants , the Friars , whom we hate and who hate us . And they would make us promise today too , in stacks as high as heaven itself , for the period of volunteer service is about to expire and within a few days they won ’ t have any troops . And , of course , they ’ ll go on promising us all sorts of things to see if they can get us to give up our arms , whereupon they would plunge us into the most despotic and brutal subjugation .
“ Behold their works and their conduct up to today ; at first they treated the prisoners of war well , and respected life and property ; later , when they judged us weak , they began first by burning the homes of those taking part in the revolution , and , later , those of their sympathizers ; then their sympathizers were taken out from time to time and secretly shot at midnight . And finally their prisoners were taken out and legally hanged until dead in the broad light of day , and upon the merest suspicion , the inhabitants of our fields and cities were tortured and sacked .
“ Today , however , they do not seek any pretext for firing and sacking , for torturing and killing ; today they do not seek the cover of darkness for the perpetration of their brutal outrages and repulsive crimes . Today , they also do these things for pleasure , with impunity ; and all of this the government tolerates , consents to , and if there be any outcry , even orders by terror-inspiring proclamations , giving arbitrary authorities a free hand in the perpetration of their misdeeds . The government , though it may pay but little heed to these statements , approves and assists the friars – those secular and insatiable vampires of our wealth and hangmen of our race – and carries its despotism to the extent of curbing the individual conscience and annihilating the press , which formerly enjoyed the free expression of opinion .
“ Anyone can tell what their treatment of us would be later when no longer a shot is heard in defense of liberty , and we have given ourselves into their hands , submissive and undefended . But , mind you , the spirit of justice so far shown by that government and its agents in their dealings with us , both heretofore and now , is the guarantee brought forward and offered to us by the Federal Party for the realization of their platform , so pregnant with beauteous rights and future concessions . Alas , for fellows , why trouble yourselves to deliver a treasure in the hands of persons , who as everyone can see , are squandering what is within their reach .. Why , none but a simpleton , or one who is blinded by the glitter of gold and desired personal gain , could conceive so monstrous an idea ! None but a spirit deep in the
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