Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

326 INDEPENDENCE CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS

of the United States to grant the Philippines immediate,
complete and absolute independence.
Approved unanimously.
February 26, 1930.
FELIPE AGONCILLO,
President, Inaugural Session.
RAFAEL PALMA,
President, Last Plenary
Session.
MAXIMO M. KALAW,
Executive Secretary.
President Rafael Palma then addressed the Congress
as follows:
SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RAFAEL PALMA DELIVERED AT THE LAST PLENARY SESSION OF THE
FIRST INDEPENDENCE CONGRESS HELD ON FEBRUARY 26, 1930
There is every reason to congratulate ourselves for the
thoughtful initiative of Dean Kalaw and other members of
the Organization Committee who have received such spontaneous and whole-hearted support from representative elements
of the country. This Congress, as originally conceived, has
served to give an organized expression to our longings for independence which we have always known to have ever burned
in the hearts of our masses, and which only needed a chance
to flame forth in a tangible and impressive manifestation.
We shall never appeal in vain to the patriotism of our people..
Those who doubt it, be they within or without.the country,
are due for a shocking disappointment sooner or later. Our
entire past belies the theory of our inferiority and incapacity
as a race. The sixteenth century found the Filipinos living