No one had the boldness to make such a declaration. For what purpose did the United States embark in the war? It is well known here that the many difficulties which we now meet were anticipated by some of us. but no one supposed that we would ever attempt to absorb islands on the Asiatic coast or compel them into actual close communion with us permanently. Had an amendment to that resolution been offered providing that all possible acquisitions should be brought within its scope and its letter. there would have been no opposition. Remembering that Admiral Dewey says. from personal contact with the Filipinos and the Cubans. that the former are better fitted for independent government than the latter. are we not honestly bound by the spirit of our declaration to give an independent government to not only the Cuban people. but likewise to the Filipinos. and we refuse to declare that the same rule which we applied to Cuba will be applied in the case under consideration.