Andres Bonifacio, Letter to Emilio Jacinto, April 24, 1897

Andres Bonifacio, Letter to Emilio Jacinto, April 24, 1897
Don Emilio Jacinto Pinkian
My dear Brother:- I received your letter dated the nineteenth of the present month and took note of everything you say in it. From the time the enemy entered the town of Silang until the present day our endeavors have been limited to ameliorating the desperate plight of the people, and this is one of the reasons I haven’t written there. Before I received your letter, however, I sent you a letter through Don Antonino Guevara, of San Pedro Tunasan, and I presume the letter must already be in your hands. Therein I related to you the fate that has befallen the towns here in the district of Tanway taken by the Spaniards – Silang, Dasmarinas, Imus, Bacoor, Kawit, Noveleta, Malabon, Salinas and Tanza. Three or four of these towns were taken by the enemy without any struggle, and if selfishness and a lack of unity prevail the remaining towns might also be taken. This is the sole cause of the reverses in the towns here. As to the convention held here on the 22nd of last month, it was held because letters were received from a Jesuit and a Spaniard, Pio Pi and Rafael Comenge by name, addressed to Capitan Emilio Aguinaldo. These letters state that we will be granted a complete pardon (indulto mas amplio) or, alternatively, we can talk to them and tell them what we are seeking. Both letters were brought by the Imus people to the Magdiwang chiefs, together with a list of the conditions they want to seek from the Spaniards in order to reach an agreement. The Magdiwang people did not agree, for the reason that I was away from Tanway at that time, at Look (Batangas); besides, they attach no importance to the personages of the Jesuit and Comenge, who should not meddle in these matters. When the Imus people received the reply of the Magdiwang people, Capitan Emilio wrote secretly to the chiefs of the towns under the jurisdiction of Magdiwang about making the said agreement with the Spaniards. When the President of Magdiwang learned this, he immediately called a Meeting and sent someone to fetch me from Look, and the said Meeting was then held. Nearly everybody there agreed with me that it would wrong to reach a settlement with the Spaniards, and nobody wanted to abandon the fight. Also herewith is the numerical code to be used for letters to Hongkong; you must keep this secret from M Mamerto. This is one of the reasons why we desire to leave here, because our life is in danger not only from the Spanish enemy, but still more so from the leaders here, most of whom have wicked intentions.We have taken away everything: the printing press, the necessary books, the big map, and the tools for making cartridges.The spoons you sent for the brother and sisters of Dimas could not be given to them because they have already left in the direction of Silangan (Laguna). We have sent for your mother, who is now in Maragondon, and we are still waiting for her.
Receive the close embrace that I send you from here.
Limbon, April 24, 1897
The President of the Sovereign Nation
And … Bonifacio
May pag-asa.

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