Francis B. Harrison to Lindley M. Garrison

I have the honor to submit resolution of the Philippine Assembly in answer to the President's message delivered upon arrival at Manila: "We, the representatives of the Filipino people constituting Philippine Assembly solemly declare that it is evident to us that the Filipino people have the right to be free and independent so that in advancing along the road of progress it will on its own responsibility work out its prosperity and manage its own destiny for all the purposes of life. This was the aspiration of the people when it took up arms against Spain and the presence of the American flag first on Manila Bay and then in the interior of the Archipelago did not modify but rather encouraged and strengthened the aspiration despite all the reverses suffered in war and difficulties encountered in peace. Being called to the ballot box the people again and again ratified this aspriation and since the inauguration of the Philippine Assembly, the national representative body has been acting in accordance with the popular will only, thus in the midst of the most adverse circumstances, the ideal of the people never wavered and was respectfully and frankly brought before the powers of the sovereign country on every propititous occasion. On the other hand, our faith in the justice of the American people was as great and persistent as our ideal. We have waited in patience confident that sooner or later all errors and injustices would be redressed. / The message of the President of the United States to the Filipino people is eloquent profof that we have not waited in vain. We accept said message with love and gratitude and consider it a categorical declaration of the purpose of a nation to recognize the independence of the Islands. The immediate step of granting us a majority on the comission places in our hands the instruments of power and responsibility for the establishment of a stable Filipino government. We highly appreciate and are deeply grateful for the confidence reposed in us by the Government of the United States. We look upon the appointment of the Honorable Francis Burton Harrison as Governor General as the unmistakable harbinger of the new era in which we expect the attitude of the people to be one of decided cooperation and finally we believe that happily the experiments of Imperialism have come to an end and that colonial exploitation has passed into history. /The epoch of mistrust has been closed and the Filipinos upon having thwrown open to them the doors of opporutnity are required to assume the burden of responsibility which it would be inexcusable cowardice on their part to avoid or decline. /DOwing to this a few days have sufficed to bring about a good understanding between Americans and Filipinos which it has been impossible to establish during the thirteen years past. We are convinced that everry onward step while relieving the American Government of its responsibilities in the Islands will as fully demonstrate the present capacity of the Filipino people to establish of its own and guarantee in a permanent manner the safety under such government of the life, property and liberty of the residents of the islands, national as well as foreign. We do not wish to say by this that there will not be difficulties and embarassments nor do we even expect that the campaign open or concealed of the enemies of the Filipino cause will cease soon, but we feel sure that through a conservative use of the powers entrusted to us the Filippinoino people will with God's favor and the help of America emerge triumphantly from the test however difficult it may be."