“I returned to these islands, conveyed by an American man-of-war, on the 19th of May

of last year, with the firm and clear purpose of fighting the Spaniards in order to
reconquer our liberty and independence… I for the first time unfurled our sacred
national flag, as a holy emblem of that sublime aspiration; and, lastly, the American
general, Merritt, predecessor of Mr. E. S. Otis, has confirmed that same thing in a
proclamation clearly and decisively stated that the land and naval forces of the United
States came to give us our freedom and to displace the bad Spanish Government.”

Aguinaldo declared:
“I protest 1001 times with all the energy of my soul against such authority. I solemnly
declare that neither in Singapore, Hongkong, nor here in the Philippines did I ever
agree, by word or in writing, to recognize the sovereignty of America in this our lovely
country”.

He added that "all the Filipinos without distinction of classes took arms, and every
province hastened to expel from its frontiers the Spanish forces. This is the explanation
of the fact that after the lapse of so short period of time, my government rules the whole
of Luzon, the Visayan Islands, and a part of Mindanao".