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.

FIRST PLENARY SESSION

13

the right of one, but of all, and is worth the best efforts of
civilization. As said by Montesquieu, "Countries are well
cultivated, not as they are fertile, but as they are free."
From all that I have said, it is clear that nationalism is
irresistible. You cannot smother it by force or fear, nor hinder
its natural growth by concessions and palliatives or by promoting the general prosperity and welfare of the people. Its course
is mapped out, and no force can make it deviate therefrom.
In the Philippines, we are fortunate that we can always
invoke the history and traditions of America to keep alive our
sentiments of nationalism and accelerate its onward march.
The facts still linger in our minds that the Pilgrims emigrated
to America to enjoy freedom; that the Boston Tea Party was
a protest against acts done by the British government without
the consent of the American colonists; that though few, ill-fed,
barely clothed, poorly armed and untrained for military duties,
the Revolutionary army, under Washington, continued fighting
with might and main to attain the independence of Anherica:
that the Declaration of Independence lays down the ideal of
government with the consent of the governed; that the Monroe
doctrine was promulgated to close the American continent from
colonization by European nations; that the Civil war was
fought to give life and blood to the tenet that all are born
free and equal; that the Spanish-American war was fought to
save Cuba from further atrocities; and that America participated
in the last great war to make the world safe for democracy and
to compel each nation, including the small ones, to respect the
rights of others.
I have not the least doubt that nationalism is treading its
regular path in our country, and that it will lead us to the
attainment of our coveted goal. Sooner or later independence
will come, but more sooner than later, if, instead of allowing
the regulartmovement of nationalism to continue, we do something to accelerate its onward march. If all of us are united
and act as one man, continue to wage the fight with the same
energy, enthusiasm and spirit of sacrifice that have characterized
the actions of our heroes of yesterday; if we can convince the
American people that we are determined in our decision to break