Besides these documents were a large number of loose papers written
in Tagalog, in which were discovered many threatening phrases and the
expression of hopes in the success of an event to take place in the
near future. Masks and other masonic implements, including a heavily
made and sharply pointed dagger were also discovered.
Previous to suffering the penalty of his treason he made and signed
a public abjuration, for the copy of which see Appendix E.
Note 16. Andrés Bonifacio was the soul of the Katipunan movement;
he was the President of the "Council of Ministers of the Supreme
Popular Council." His social condition was of a low grade, that grade
from which many of the most fanatical pseudo-reformers have come;
he was a warehouseman, a porter. In this capacity he was employed
in the establishment of Messrs Fressel and Co., and was one of the
humblest of the employees.
Bonifacio was, however, very vain and quixotic. He was, too, a man
of sanguinary character, and held the people over whom he attained
ascendancy, in awe. His ambition was the cause of his ignominious
downfall and brutal murder at the hands of another self-asserted
dictator of the filipino Commune. Like most of his kind, he was
a great reader, and by those who knew him best he was likened to
Don Quixote, for like that worthy he passed many a night burning
away oil and candles, and sacrificing needed sleep in reading,
until his brain was turned and his whole mind given up to ideas of
revolutions. His favorite study was the French Revolution, from the
which he learned many lessons which he utilized in his projects, the
principal of which was the formation of a government after the style
of the French Commune. He was astute and comparatively intelligent,
and spoke the Tagalog dialect well. For the carrying out of his plans
he had agents in every nook and corner. No place where information
might be gathered or the work of propaganda done, was over-looked. The
offices of the Civil Government had their quota of his spies, as also
did the Intendencia, the Maestraza de Artilleria and the other large
centers. Nor were the Convents and Colleges overlooked, nor even the
big business Corporations.
Bonifacio enjoyed an envied ascendancy over the lower classes and
the ignorant. Like others of similar tendencies, Bonifacio knew how
to exploit the "membership". He was at one time treasurer of the
Katipunan, and upon one occasion after the examination of the books
by the president of the society Andrés was denounced as an exploiter,
the accounts being found in a very bad condition. A series of mutual
squabbles and insults passed between the president Roman Basa, and
Bonifacio, the whole affair ending up in a re-election of officers,
Bonifacio being chosen as president. This occurred towards the end
of the year 1893.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account