The story of the Philippines, for use in the schools of the Philippine Islands

The situation in the archipelago was now very grave indeed, and the authorities in Manila began to see that something must be done to meet the ever-growing discontent of the people. A little more liberty given at this time might have changed that discontent to gratitude. If the people could have believed that the Spaniards desired their good, they might have worked with the Europeans for the benefit of the whole country.

But there was lack of trust and understanding on both sides, and because of this still harsher laws were made by the Spanish in their efforts to put down rebellion. One of these laws provided for a rigid examination of all books printed in the native tongues. Such books as did not please the authorities were condemned and burned. With regard to all books printed in the Tagal language, this censorship was kept up until the end of Spanish rule.

Efforts were also made to keep the islands from closer communication with the outside world. In 1849 a royal order again forbade foreigners to go into the provinces. In this year the governor-general, Narciso de Claveria (när sē´sō dā clä vā´rē ä), organized a police force for Manila and the provinces. This force was called “The Order of Safety for Manila.” During Claveria’s term of office a very good reform was made in trading privileges. The alcalde of a province had before that had the sole right to trade with the people of his province. Under the new law, however, any Spaniard or Filipino who wished to do so might trade freely in the provinces.

The people in the islands still had serious trouble with the pirates from Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago. These pirates had regular fleets, and a military force as strong as that of the Spaniards themselves, and they had become a source of constant danger to commerce and to the liberty of the people. So great damage did they do, that for four years the government was obliged to remit all tribute in the island of Negros, one of the richest of the agricultural islands. The ravages of these pirates had made the people so poor that they were scarcely able to procure the necessaries of life.

The danger from this source at last became so great that trade between the islands was at a standstill. The merchants of Manila therefore took action in self-defense, and brought steamboats over from Europe. These were safe, as the pirates, in their slower-going ships, could not overtake them; but the towns lying along the coast were still subject to raids. In 1848 Governor-General Claveria sent out an expedition to the islands of Balanguengui, a group in the Sulu archipelago, where most of the pirates had their homes. This expedition destroyed the towns of the pirates, burned their ships, and took many captives.

Two or three years later Governor-General Urbiztondo (ur bēth ton´dō) went with an expedition against the pirates, and made a strong attack on the city of Joló. This expedition consisted of four regiments of artillery and a native battalion drawn from among the people of Cebu. This island had suffered greatly from piratic raids, and it is said that the wives of these Cebuans declared that they would not receive their husbands back again if they ran away from the foe. This threat may have had some effect, for the men fought with great bravery and gave the pirates such a severe punishment that there were no further attacks for several years.

Some years later, in 1860, when Don Fernando de Norzagaray (nor thä gä´iī) was governor-general, eighteen steam gunboats were sent out from Spain. With these the Spanish forces in the archipelago were able completely to defeat the pirates and to put an end to the outrages that had cost the islands so much in property and in lives.

In 1854 there was an uprising in Nueva Ecija (nö ā´vä ā thē’hä). This uprising was headed by a Spanish-Mestizo named Cuesta (kö ēs´tä), a young man of great ability and promise. He had been educated in Spain, and while there had been received at court, and had even been shown great favor by Queen Isabella. He had been much with members of the Liberal Party, then gaining strength in Spain, and had caught the new ideas of political freedom and human rights.

Cuesta came home with an earnest desire to help his people. He was made commandante of carabineros in Nueva Ecija, but before he had been long in command he incited his troops to rebellion. They attacked the Spanish officials in the province, and made war upon the friars. The revolt was put down, however, and Cuesta, with several others, was executed. Still others, who had been concerned in the uprising, were banished from the country.

All these things increased the anxiety of the Spanish over the situation in the Philippines. Young Filipino men were discouraged from going to Spain; students in the seminarios who desired to leave these schools and finish their education in Spain were refused permission to do so. The country was poor and was overrun with bandits. Natives guilty of minor offenses against the law were treated so severely that they took to the jungle, becoming outlaws. Everywhere oppression and tyranny ruled, with all the evils that these bring in their train.

The tobacco monopoly was killing all other agricultural enterprise, and the Chinese control of the trades and small business industries was keeping the people from earning money at these. The Filipinos had for some years realized the evil of allowing the Chinese thus to monopolize the trades and minor occupations, but they were powerless at that time to prevent such monopoly. They could not conduct this business for themselves; the Spanish had never been a trading people, and the islanders had had no chance to learn business methods from them.

The Spanish government in the islands had always been military, but in 1860 a civil government was formed for the province of Manila. Civil government is government by laws upheld by civil, or citizen, officials, instead of by military force. It punishes offenders through the courts, instead of by armed power.

In this same year, by command of the governor-general, the Parian, the great building where nearly all the Chinese in Manila were quartered, was destroyed. This act of the government was bitterly opposed by the Chinese and by some others; but it was carried out, in spite of great difficulties. The only reminder of the Parian now left is the Parian Gate, which gives entrance to the walled city near the point where the building once stood.

These years were marked, as well, by numerous severe earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. One or two new volcanoes were formed, and there were great disturbances in Luzon and the islands near by. In 1863 came the great earthquake of Manila—the severest that the country has ever known. Thousands of people were killed in the city and the surrounding country. The cathedral was destroyed, and the city was reduced to a mere mountain of ruins. Only the great wall, St. Augustine Church, and a few other structures withstood the shock.

After this, trouble deepened for the country. The treasury was drained to rebuild the city; the land was pinched to the last possible limit to raise tribute for the Crown; and the people were nearly desperate. The government could not meet its payments, but insisted upon the tobacco crop being cultivated each year; and great quantities of tobacco had to be sold to raise money for the needs of the moment. In 1864 lightning set fire to the general storehouse of tobacco and caused a loss of $2,000,000 to the colonial treasury.

In 1867 the “Guardia Civil” was formed, for the purpose of capturing the bandits who overran the country. These bandits had come to be as great a source of danger as the pirates had been, and in 1869 the peril of the situation was increased by a proclamation made by Governor-General Torre. This proclamation offered free pardon to all bandits who should present themselves to the government within three months. This was a great opportunity for the ill-disposed people of the provinces. Hundreds of them became bandits and entered upon a three months’ term of robbery and outrage, sure of pardon at any time they might present themselves before the governor. It became necessary to organize a special guard, which was called “Torre’s Guard,” to go against this great mob of outlaws.

But in spite of murmurings, discontent, and suffering among the people, the work of building up the city, and of making improvements in and about Manila, went steadily on. The palace was rebuilt, work was begun upon the cathedral, and many public works were undertaken. In 1865 a municipal school, in charge of the Sisters of Charity, was founded, and a normal school for teachers was opened in Manila under the charge of the Jesuits, who had returned to the country in 1859, after an absence of nearly one hundred years. The civil government, which had recently been formed in Manila Province, supported this school.

In 1868 Queen Isabella II. of Spain was deposed, and the government that followed her was of a revolutionary nature, founded on republican principles. While this government prevailed, an Assembly of Filipinos and Mestizos was formed in Manila. Its members, who were persons born in the islands, hoped to bring about certain reforms in the local government. They had the power of voting reforms for the colony, subject to the will of the home government. They outlined many reforms which were needed in the islands, and tried to gain for them the attention of the home government. But the influence of the conservative party, both at home and in the colony, prevailed. It was not long before the monarchy was again in power, and then this Philippine Assembly died.

The Filipinos had had a taste of self-government, and it was hard for them to go back into bondage. It was not possible that they should again submit patiently to the oppression which they had borne for so many years. The spark which Spain herself had kindled no power on earth could extinguish, and the little fire of liberty burned on, waiting for the moment when it should burst into a great flame.

Summary.—The situation in the Philippines was becoming desperate. There was lack of trust between the Spanish and the Filipinos, and this kept them from understanding or helping one another. More and more severe measures were taken by the rulers to keep down revolt. By the middle of the century the ravages of pirates along the coast had nearly killed all trade. The merchants of Manila now brought steam trading ships from Spain, and these, being swifter than the craft of the pirates, escaped capture; but towns along the coast were still subject to raids. In 1848 an expedition went against the pirates and punished them severely. Other expeditions followed up the work of that one, and at last, in 1860, eighteen steam gunboats were sent from Spain. With the aid of these the Spanish forces were able to put an end to piracy in those seas.

In 1854 there was a serious uprising, headed by a young Spanish Mestizo named Cuesta. This was put down, and a number of Filipinos who had taken part in it were executed. This uprising greatly increased the anxiety of the government in the islands. In 1860 a civil government was founded for Manila Province. In this same year the Parian, the building where the Chinese lived within the walled city, was destroyed. In 1863 a great earthquake in Manila killed thousands of people and reduced the city to ruins. In 1867 the Guardia Civil was formed, and efforts were made to capture and punish the bandits who overran the country. Much work was done during this and succeeding years toward rebuilding the city. In 1865 a normal school for teachers was opened in Manila. In 1868 Queen Isabella II. was deposed, and for a time the government in Spain was revolutionary in character. While this government was in power, the more enlightened Filipinos and Mestizos in Manila tried hard to bring about reforms at home; but the new order was short-lived, and the monarchy was soon restored to power in Spain.

Questions.—Why were the merchants of Manila forced to bring steamships from Spain? Give an account of the different expeditions against the pirates. Who was Cuesta? What was the result of the revolt which he headed? When was the Parian destroyed? When was the great earthquake of Manila? For what purpose was the Guardia Civil formed? When was Queen Isabella II. deposed? What was the character of the government that succeeded her? What effect had this government on the Filipino people?