The people of the Philippines, their religious progress and preparation for spiritual leadership in the Far East,

AMERICA ARRIVES

and a thousand times, with all the energy of my soul," proclaiming that "liberty and absolute independence" were his
unalterable objectives. The tragic mutual misunderstanding
of America and the insurgents moved swiftly to its ghastly
consequences. On February 4, I899, the conflict broke into
flamesj We shall now follow only such incidents as have a
direct bearing upon religious history.
The clever Archbishop Nozaleda, encouraged, it is said, by
American Catholic officials, held an ecclesiastical tribunal on
April 29, I899, and gave to Father Aglipay the major sentence of excommunication. The crimes with which the Archbishop charged Aglipay were: Employing the title of "Military
Chaplain of the Revolutionary Army"; claiming plenary
powers to confer with the Filipino clergy; appointing a provisional vicar-general for the diocese during the absence of
the bishop; and distributing two circulars advising the
Filipino clergy no longer to recognize the Spanish prelates.
Aglipay was accordingly found guilty of usurpation of
power.7 The irrepressible Filipino priest, with a bravado
worthy of a Martin Luther, immediately appealed to the Pope,
and actually excommunicated Nozaleda, Archbishop of the
Philippine Islands! The charge he made was that the Archbishop systematically misrepresented to the Vatican the real
condition of the Islands, and condoned the sins of the friars.
Which had really been excommunicated? Here was a
pretty knot for Rome to untie. The Pope sent as delegate to
the Philippines, Archbishop P. L. Chapelle of New Orleans,
(who, as we have above noted, had so cleverly managed the
Treaty of Paris). He arrived in Manila on the second day
of January 900o. The papal delegate, as could have been
foreseen, immediately sided with the friars against the claims
of the Filipino priests. He made matters worse by seeking
to create the impression that he represented not only the
Papacy but also the Government at Washington.8 A reporter
published an alleged interview with the Archbishop, making
him say:

'Robertson, Catholic Review, 4:326.
Le Roy, "The Americans in the Philippines," Vol. II, p. 296.