THE OUTLINE OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE “LIGA FILIPINA”

Photograph of the original. Note the erasures and the abbreviations intended to be used instead of the real names in Rizal’s handwriting.

In this instance the treasonable stuff was found, official superservice asserted, in certain pillow-cases that Lucia had in her trunk. When all was done, it consisted of a brief circular or tract entitled “The Poor Friars.” Among reasoning men and enlightened systems of society, treason is held to be a crime directed against Government; other offenses may be committed by individuals against individuals, but for these the police and the ordinary criminal code are enough. The incendiary document Lucia was alleged to have brought in said nothing against the Government. This is the fact that will strike the modern reader as strangest of all. How can there be other treason or other sedition than against Government? Yet in all this document is not a word against anybody or thing except the friars and even as to the friars speaks of but one order, and that in terms adults might smile at but assuredly would never care to reread. Lest it should be thought that any part of the description of the Insular Government attempted in these pages is extravagant, here is the whole of this ferocious document:

POOR FRIARS

A bank has just suspended payment; the New Oriental has just become bankrupt.

Great losses in India. In the Island of Mauritius, to the South of Africa [sic], cyclones and tempests have laid waste [[241]]its riches, swallowing more than 36,000,000 pesos. These 36,000,000 represented the hopes, the savings, the well-being, and the future of numerous individuals and families.

Among those that have suffered most we are able to mention the Reverend Corporation of the Dominicans, which lost in this catastrophe many hundreds of thousands. The exact amount is not known because they handle so much money and have so many accounts that it would be necessary to employ many accountants to calculate the immense sums in transit.

But, neither should the friends of these sainted monks that hide behind the cloak of poverty be downhearted nor should their enemies feel triumphant.

To one and all we can say that they can be tranquil. The Corporation still has many millions on deposit in the banks of Hong-Kong, and even if all of those should fail, and even if all of their many thousands of rented houses should be destroyed, still there would be left the curates and the haciendas, there would still remain the Filipinos always ready to answer their call for alms. What are four or five hundred thousands? Why take the trouble to run about the towns and ask alms to replace these losses? A year ago, through the bad business administration of the cardinals, the Pope lost 14,000,000 pesos of the money of St. Peter; the Pope, in order to cover this deficit, called upon us and we took from our “tampipis” the very last cent, because we knew that the Pope has many worries; about five years ago he married off his niece bestowing upon her a palace and 300,000 francs besides. Therefore, generous Filipinos, make a brave effort and likewise help the Dominicans.

However, these hundreds of thousands lost are not theirs, they claim. How can they have this when they take a vow of poverty? They are to be believed then, when, to protect themselves, they say this money belongs to widows and orphans. [[242]]Very likely some of it belongs to the widows and orphans of Calamba, and who knows if not to their murdered husbands? And the virtuous priests handle this money solely as depositories to return it to them afterward righteously with all interest when the day to render accounts arrives! Who knows? Who better than they can take charge of collecting the few household goods while the houses burn, the orphans and widows flee without meeting hospitality, since others are prohibited from offering them shelter, while the men are made prisoners and prosecuted? Who has more bravery, more audacity, and more love for humanity than the Dominicans?

But now the devil has carried off the money of the widows and the orphans, and it is to be feared that he will carry away everything, because when the devil begins the devil has to finish. Does not that money set up a bad precedent?

If things are thus, we should recommend to the Dominicans that they should exclaim as Job: “Naked I came from the womb of my mother (Spain), and naked will I return to her; the devil gave, the devil took away; blessed be the name of the Lord”!

Fr[aile] Jacinto.

Manila: Press of the Friends of the Country.[9]

Government in the Philippines had sunk so low that this could be deemed seditious.

Nevertheless, for some days thereafter the trap was not sprung upon the victims. Rizal with his sister went about the city, visiting old friends. More than once he called upon Governor-General Despujol and was rather astonished to find that his footing seemed to be secure upon the dark and slippery precincts of [[243]]Malacañan. In his usual frank way he discussed with the governor-general the brand-new program of reforms, commending most of their features and hoping for the best, as was likewise his habit. Despujol, responding to all this, seemed equally ingenuous. No one would have suspected that while he stressed so much gracious hospitality he was but waiting for the most convenient season to strike to death the man before him. Rizal pleaded in behalf of his persecuted relatives. Despujol promised immunity for the father, but not for the brother or sisters. Afterward he was willing to concede even these favors. They discussed Rizal’s project of a settlement in North Borneo, and the governor-general applied his veto. For this he gave the expected reasons but never once the real one. He objected to taking people out of the colony but said nothing about the wrath of the friars if he should let their victims escape unhurt.

Rizal had long known well enough that the lack of unity among the Filipinos was chief reason why they were enslaved and to keep up this condition chief point in Spanish policy. “Divide and rule”—the good old formula of the exploiter in all ages. To combat this he proposed an organization that would bring together the most promising elements among his people; a plan for it he had with him when he landed. It included the full working constitution of a society to be called La Liga Filipina, or Philippine League, of which the objects were declared to be to better economic conditions, to spread education, to advance the Philippine youth, and to defend by legal means [[244]]persons oppressed, wronged, or unjustly accused. He now called together his friends,[10] explained the purposes of the league, and began to enroll members.

The real nature and front-parlor origin of this association[11] were of a nature to occasion in these days only a mild surprise that anybody could object to it, as may be observed from the following precepts Rizal prepared for his fellow-members:

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