The cabinet and judges to be chosen from natives or Americans, or both, having regard to fitness.

The President earnestly desires the cessation of bloodshed, and that the people of the Philippine Islands at an early date shall have the largest measure of local self-government consistent with peace and good order.
"_Hay_." [452] Our proclamation of April 4, 1899, was also taken up at their request and was gone over minutely, sentence by sentence.

We were asked to explain certain expressions which they did not fully understand.
They told us that it would be hard for their army to lay down its arms when it had accomplished nothing, and asked if it could be taken into the service of the United States.

We answered that some of the regiments might be taken over and employment on public works be found for the soldiers of others.
We endeavoured to arrange for an interview with Aguinaldo, either going to meet him or assuring him safe conduct should he desire to confer with us at Manila.
They left, promising to return in three weeks when they had had time to consider the matters under discussion, but they never came back.
Shortly thereafter there was an odd occurrence.

Soon after our arrival we had learned that Mr.Schurman was a man of very variable opinions.