The threats that Manila must be taken never ceased in the rebel camp, and they hung around with sweltering venom, cultivating grievances, like a horde of wolves and panthers, hungry and rabid.
At the beginning of February the situation at Manila was regarded as serious, but the officials saw no reason why they could not command it for a time at least. General Otis reported, in connection with some matters pertaining to the shipment home of sick Spanish soldiers, that he could hold out beyond a doubt until his reinforcements arrived, and added that as the news had reached Manila that there was every prospect that the peace treaty would soon be ratified, the effect on the natives had been satisfactory. Sunday morning, February 5, reports were received by the American press that the Filipino insurgents under Aguinaldo had attacked the American lines before Manila, and that a battle had been fought, in which many on both sides had been killed or wounded.
When news of the attack of the Filipinos was received at Washington, Agoncillo, the special representative of Aguinaldo, immediately left the capital, taking the first train for Canada. He reached Montreal February 6. In an interview at the latter place he professed not to know that an attack on the American forces at Manila had been planned by his people. Furthermore, he stated it as his belief that no attack had been made as described in the reports. His manner and somewhat evasive statements indicated that he knew more than he cared to tell. His action in fleeing from Washington indicated complicity.
One of the immediate results of the Filipinos' attack on Manila was the hastening of the ratification by the Senate of the peace treaty. At 2:45 o'clock, Monday afternoon, February 6, the Senate met in executive session, and three-fourths of an hour later the vote on the ratification of the treaty was announced. It stood 57 for, and 27 against, the absent and paired being six. The treaty was ratified by a majority of 1.
The Senators who voted for the treaty were: Aldrich, Allen, Allison,
Baker, Burrows, Butler, Carter, Chandler, Clark, Clay, Cullom,
Davis, Deboe, Elkins, Fairbanks, Faulkner, Foraker, Frye, Gallinger,
Gear, Gray, Hanna, Hansbrough, Harris, Hawley, Jones (Nev.), Kenney,
Kyle, Lindsay, Lodge, McBride, McEnery, McLaurin, McMillan, Mantle,
Mason, Morgan, Nelson, Penrose, Perkins, Pettus, Platt (Conn.), Platt
(N.Y.), Pritchard, Quay, Ross, Sewell, Shoup, Simon, Spooner, Stewart,
Sullivan, Teller, Thurston, Warren, Wellington, Wolcott.
The Senators who voted against the treaty were: Bacon, Bate, Berry,
Caffery, Chilton, Cockrell, Daniel, Gorman, Hale, Heitfeld, Hoar,
Jones (Ark.), Mallory, Martin, Mills, Mitchell, Money, Murphy, Pasco,
Pettigrew, Rawlins, Roach, Smith, Tillman, Turley, Turner, Vest.
Those who were absent and paired were: Cannon and Wilson for, with
White against; Proctor and Wetmore for, with Turpie against.
The ratification of the treaty was not a party question. Thirty-nine Republicans, ten Democrats, and eight Silver men voted for the treaty, and two Republicans, twenty-two Democrats and three Silver men voted against it.
On February 4, Aguinaldo issued the following proclamation:
"I order and command: