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.

LAST PLENARY SESSION

321

But, my countrymen, it is not too late. There is still left
in the depths of our beings enough strength of will to strive
together under the banner of the Sun and Three Stars, while
the radiance of our beloved flag shines on our faces that look
toward the future years-the years of national dignity and
national glory.
The Honorable Manuel L. Quezon, President of the
Philippine Senate, could not be present at the last plenary session to address the members. However, he
asked the President of the session to read the following
letter before the Congress:
LETTER OF THE HONORABLE MANUEL L. QUEZON,
PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE SENATE
Manila, February 26, 1930.
President of Independence Congress,
Manila.
MY DEAR PRESIDENT PALMA:
I request that you communicate to the Congress my profound
regret for not having been able, due to my state of health, to
attend personally its sessions, not even this closing session in
which I have been invited to speak.
To some extent I applaud this circumstance which has
prevented me from directly intervening in the work of the Congress, because the great result it has accomplished, without the
direction of the political leaders and under the exclusive call
of a group of leaders in science, in arts, in commerce, in industry,
in agriculture and in labor, but who do not serve in politics,
reveals, in an indisputable way, that the national conscience
is awake and that our aspiration to be an independent nation
follows the determination of our country to rule its own destiny with full knowledge of the responsibilities and sacrifices
that are implied.