Troops were at once sent out against the rebels, and the governor of Samar sent messengers to demand Sumoroy’s head. The messengers did not return, but the rebels sent back the head of a pig to the governor. The revolt spread to other islands. Soon the people of Masbate (mäs bä´tē) and Leyte, of Cebu, Caraga (cä rä´gä) and Zamboanga, were in arms. The trouble even reached Manila, and the officials there became alarmed.
Governor-General Fajardo had not dreamed that his act of injustice would work so much mischief. Now, greatly concerned, he sent General Lopez Azaldegin (ä thäl´dā gin) to Samar. This officer had all the forces that could be raised, and full authority to put down the rebels as he saw fit.
A great many battles were fought up and down Samar, and at last Sumoroy was driven back into the mountains. The Spanish carried on the war with savage cruelty. They severely punished all rebels whom they caught, and showed mercy to none. When they found that Sumoroy had escaped to the mountains, they raided his home and tortured his mother to death.
By such outrages they hoped to frighten the people into submission. By threats and torture they tried to make his people betray Sumoroy, and at last they succeeded. He was captured and turned over to the enemy. General Azaldegin had the rebel leader’s head struck off and stuck upon a pole. It was then sent about among the islands to teach the people what treatment rebels might expect from Spain.
Thus the rebellion was quelled for a time. The people had gained nothing by it, but it had kindled a fire in their hearts. This fire was not quenched; it only waited, hidden, ready to blaze up again when the right moment should come.
Summary.—The early idea of a colony was that it should be only a source of income to the mother country. This idea was held by other countries than Spain; but Spain clung to the idea long after other nations gave it up. She did not listen to the gospel of the rights of man, and in time she lost most of her colonies. Her policy in the Philippines kept the natives rebellious. For three hundred and eighty years the Filipinos were ruled by her, but in their hearts they never consented to that rule. There was one revolt after another, the people trying by this means to gain decent treatment. In 1633, angered by the efforts of friars to convert his people, the emperor of Japan sent a “present” to the priests at Manila. This “present” was a shipload of 150 lepers. After some debate the priests persuaded the governor-general to let the lepers land, and St. Lazarus Hospital was built for them. The colony was now much weakened by wars, and in 1634 a revolt of the Chinese in Laguna was nearly successful. It was only put down by native help. The great earthquake of 1645 nearly destroyed Manila, and 600 people were killed in the city. Laborers and soldiers were now so scarce that Governor-General Fajardo tried to compel the people to serve in the army and work on the arsenal at Cavite. This led to a revolt which took all the forces the Spanish could muster to put it down.
Questions.—What was the early idea of what a colony should be? How were the American colonies driven to revolt? How did Spain treat her colonies? Why did not the islands throw off her yoke? Why did the Japanese emperor send lepers to Manila? What caused the rebellion on Samar? Who led it? How was it put down?
Chapter VIII.
A NEW BEGINNING.
