A Century Hence

The

Philippines

A

Century Hence

»

"In the Philippine Islands the American govern-

ment has what the ever fastly

tried,

and

is

trying, to

carry out exactly patriot greatest genius in and

most revered
Rizal,

known

the

Philippines, Jose

stead-

advocated."

— From
States.

a public address at

Fargo. N.D., on
United

April 7th, 1905. by the President of the

A in sketch map, at by Dr. Kizal,

of spheres

of influence

the Pacific

the

time of writing as they appeared to "The him. Philippines

A

Century Hence,"

Most though United
Spain.
it

of the

French names that will

he

easily

recognized, is may

he noted

"Etats Unis"

cur

own

States,

"L'Angleterre" England and, "L'Espagne"

Noli

Me Tangere

Quarter-Centennial Series
Craig

Edited by Austin

The

Philippines

A

Century Hence
BY Jose Rizal

Manila

:

1912

Philippine Education
34 Escolta

Company

Copyright 1912

BY Austin Craig

Registered

in the Philippine Islands.

Introduction

Oivise that

I

was,

if

not

Cdii-

tent, at least resigned to

my

fate, for 1

had

re-

fused various propositions

which a number of that place

people

made me

to rescue

me from in Only

in these last

months,

consequence of

certain domestic affairs, having

had differences to go as

with a missionary padre, a volunteer to Cuba. to I

had sought

Don

Pio Yalenzuelacame

warn me that

1 miglit

put myself in security it because, according to him,

was possible that

they might compromise me.

As

I

considered

myself wholly innocent and was not posted on the details of the

movement
I

(besides that I

had

convinced

Sr.

Valenzuela)

took no precautions,

but when His Excellency, the Governor General,

wrote

me announcing my departure at once, leaving all

for ("!uba, 1

embarked tended my

affairs

unat-

to.

And

yet

I

could

have gone to

another part or simply have staid in Dapitan for His Excellency's letter was conditional. said — "If you persist in It

your idea of going to

128

RIZAL'S DEFENCE

Cuba, etc."

When

the

uprising occurred

it

found me on board the warship "Castilla", and
I offered

myself unconditionally to His Excellater I set out

lency.

Twelve or fourten days

for Europe, and had I
I should

had an uneasy conscience in have tried to escape

some port en
1

route, especially Singapore,

where

went ashore

and when other passengers who had passports for Spain staid over.
I

had an easy conscience

and hoped

to go to Cuba,

Fourthly.

— In Dapitan

1

had boats and

1

was

permitted to make excursions along the coast

and

to the settlements, absences

which lasted
If
L

as long as I wished, at times a week. still had

had intentions of

political activity, 1

might of have gotten away even

in the vintas

the

Moros whom would I

I

knew

in the settlements.

Neither

have built

land nor invited
Fifthly.
chief.

my small hospital nor bought my family to live with me. that I was the

— Some one has said kind of a chief is What

he

who

is ijrnor-

RIZAL'S DEFENCE ed in the plotting and

129

who is is

notified only that

he may escape?

How

he chief

who when he

says no, they say yes?

— As to the ''Liga":
Sixthly.-

— It

is

true that 1 drafted to its

By-Laws

whose aims were try, promote commerce, indus-

the arts,

etc,

by means of united action, as all have in testified

witnesses not at

prejudiced

my

favor, rather the reverse.

Seventhly

— The "Liga" never came into real
Avorking, since after

existence nor ever got to

the it, first

meeting no one paid any attention to
1

because

was exiled a few days it later.

Eighthly.

— If

was reorganized nine months

afterwards by other persons, as

now

is

said,

I

was ignorant
Ninthly

of the fact.

— The

"Liga" was not a society with is harmful tendencies and the proof that the radicals had to leave it, the fact

organizing the their purlittle

Katipnnan which was what answered poses. Had

the "Liga" lacked only a

of

V.iO

RTZAL'S DEFENCE

being adapted for rebellion, the radicals would not liave it; left it if, but simply would have modified

besides,

as

some

allege, I

am

the chief,

out of consideration for stige me and

for the pre-

of

my

name, they would have retained
Their having abandoned

the it, name

of "Liga". all, name and

proves clearly that they nei-

ther counted on their purposes,

me nor

did the "Liga"

serve

otherwise they would not have

madeaiiotlier society organized. when they had one already

Tenthly.

— As to my

letters, 1

beg of the court in that, if there are it any bitter criticisms

them,

will consider

the circumstances under which

they were Avritten. of our

Then we had been deprived warehouses, lands, and

two dwellings, all besides

my

brothers-in-law and
(»f

my

brother

were depoited, in consequence

a suit arising

from an inquiry of the Administracion de Hacienda (tax-collecting branch of the government), a case i!i wliich, according to oui' attorney

(in

RIZAL'S DEFENCE
Madrid), Sr. Linares Rivas, we

131

bad the right

on our

side.

Meventbly.

—-That I have endured exile true, but

withalleg1

out complaint, not because of the charge ed, for that

was not

for

what

had

been able to write. tary of

And

ask the politico mili.

commanders

of the district

where

L

resided exile^ my

conduct during these four years of

of the town, even of the very missionary parish priests despite

my

personal differences with one

of them.

Twelfthly. tions destroy

— All the these

facts

and considera. accusation of

little-founded

those

who have

testified against

me, with

whom
Is it

I have asked the

Judge

to be confronted.

possible that in a single night I

was able

to line

up

all

the

filibusterism, at a gathering etc., it

which which after- discussed commerce,

a gathering

went no further for wards? If the

died immediately

few who were present had been they would not have

influenced by

my words

132

RIZAL'S DEFENCE the "Liga" die.
Is
it

let

that those

who to fortued

part of the "Liga" that night founded the

Ka-

tipunan?

I

think not.

Who

went

Dapitnn

to interview

me?

Persons entirely unknown to sent, me.

Why
I

was not an acquaintance

in

whom that would have had more confidence?

Be-

cause those acquainted with
I liad

me knew

ver}' well

forsaken politics or that,

realizing

my

views on rebellion, they must have refused

to undertake a mission useless
I trust that by these

and unpromising.
I

considerations
I

have

demonstrated that neither did

found a society have I

for revolutionary purposes, nor

taken

part since in others, nor have I been concerned in the rebellion,

but that on it, the

contrary

1

have been opposed to

as the

making public

of a private conversation has proven.

Fort Santiago, Dec. 26, 1896.

JOSE lUZAL.

The remarks about

the rebellion arc

from a phoRizal

tographic copy of the pencil notes used by

for his brief speech. possession of Sr.

Thenumuscript

is note in the

Edtiardo Lete, of Saragossa,

Spain.

Respecting the Rebellion.
I

had no notice at first all

of

what was being

planned until the
1896,

or second of July, in to see

when Pio Valenzuela came him that was absurd,

me,

saying that an uprising was being arranged.
1

told

it

etc., etc.

and he
[

answered ndvised etc.,

nie that they could bear

no more.

him that they should have patience,

etc.

He added it then that he had been

sent because they had compassion of that piobubly

my

life

and re- would compromise me.

I

plied that tliey should have patience if and that

anything happened to innocence. me is I

would then prove
1,

my me "Besides, said

don't consider

but our country which
I w^ent

the one that will

suffer."

on to show how absurd was
Valenzuela
tes-

the movement. tified. — This later Pio not tell

—

IJe did

me

that

my name was

136

RIZAL'S DEFENCE siio^gest being used, neither did he its chief,

that

I

was

nor anything of that testify that I
I

sort.

Those who
1

do not know nor do

am know

the chief (which of having ever

treated

with them), what proofs do they pre-

sent of

my

having accepted

this chiefship or

that I was in relations with them or with their society? Either they have

made

use

of

my

name chief for their >wn purposes or they have been

deceived by others

who

liave.

Wliere

is tlie

who

dictates

no order nor makes any is arrangement,

who

not

consulted in any

way about against so

important

an enterprise until

the last moment, it, and

tlien,

when he decides tlie is

disobeyed?
1

Since

seventh of political July of 181*2 activity. It

have entirely

('ciised

seems some have wislied to avail

themsi^ves of

my

ntune for their

own

ends.

3
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
Los Angeles

This book

is

DUE on

the last date stamped below.

REC'D LD-URLI

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1973

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