By this time he had gathered about him men who were trained in the law, some of whom had served the Spanish government in various capacities.

They were accustomed to the methods that had previously prevailed under the Spanish regime, and were now ready to draw up constitutions and regulations for the new government.

Mabini wrote the three organic decrees.

Copies of them were sent to the foreign consuls in Manila, and on July 15, 1898 to Admiral Dewey.
Although the title of "president" was assumed by Aguinaldo, as more likely to be favourably considered in the United States than "dictator," the tendency of his followers who had not been educated in Europe was to speak of and to regard him not as a president, but as an overlord holding all power in his hands.

The people did not feel themselves citizens of a republic, copartners in an estate; they considered themselves subject to a ruler who sometimes called himself president, and sometimes dictator.