At all events, he wanted the help of the Americans if such a struggle was to come, and desired to know on what terms it could be had.

[90] Meanwhile the Filipinos in Hongkong who favoured annexation made themselves heard.
On July 18, 1898, Consul-General Wildman wrote from that place:-- "I believe I know the sentiments of the political leaders and of the moneyed men among the insurgents, and, in spite of all statements to the contrary, I know that they are fighting for annexation to the United States first, and for independence secondly, if the United States decides to decline the sovereignty of the Islands.

In fact, I have had the most prominent leaders call on me and say they would not raise one finger unless I could assure them that the United States intended to give them United States citizenship if they wished it." [91] We have already noted the action of Basa and the Cortez family who insisted that the Islands must remain American, [92] and that of Agoncillo, who cabled President McKinley in Aguinaldo's name and his own, congratulating him on the outcome of the war, commending the occupation of Manila, and assuring the people of the United States of the allegiance and unquestioning support of the Filipinos, [93] but it is to be feared that the sending of this cablegram was only one more move in the Insurgent game of deceit.
There were annexationists in Manila as well as in Hongkong.

[94] Indeed we know that some of the strongest and best of the Filipinos there were in favour of it.
Felipe Buencamino, writing in 1901, said:-- "In June of 1898, Don Cayetano Arellano [95] addressed to Don Felipe Buencamino and Don Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista a letter written from the town of Pagsanjan, province of Laguna, in reply to one addressed to him by those two gentlemen.

In this letter Don Cayetano outlined the idea of union with the United States and said: 'Avoid all doing and undoing, and when America has established a stable order of affairs, then it will be time enough to make laws.' Mabini, whose influence at that time was in the ascendant in Aguinaldo's government, paid no heed to this wise advice.