Ninthly.--The "Liga" was not a society with harmful tendencies and
the proof is the fact that the radicals had to leave it, organizing
the Katipunan which was what answered their purposes. Had the "Liga"
lacked only a little of being adapted for rebellion, the radicals
would not have left it but simply would have modified it; besides,
if, as some allege, I am the chief, out of consideration for me and
for the prestige of my name, they would have retained the name of
"Liga". Their having abandoned it, name and all, proves clearly that
they neither counted on me nor did the "Liga" serve their purposes,
otherwise they would not have made another society when they had one
already organized.
Tenthly.--As to my letters, I beg of the court that, if there are
any bitter criticisms in them, it will consider the circumstances
under which they were written. Then we had been deprived of our two
dwellings, warehouses, lands, and besides all my brothers-in-law
and my brother were deported, in consequence of a suit arising from
an inquiry of the Administracion de Hacienda (tax-collecting branch
of the government), a case in which, according to our attorney (in
Madrid), Sr. Linares Rivas, we had the right on our side.
Eleventhly.--That I have endured exile without complaint, not because
of the charge alleged, for that was not true, but for what I had
been able to write. And ask the politico-military commanders of
the district where I resided of my conduct during these four years
of exile, of the town, even of the very missionary parish priests
despite my personal differences with one of them.
Twelfthly.--All these facts and considerations destroy the
little-founded accusation of those who have testified against me,
with whom I have asked the Judge to be confronted. Is it possible
that in a single night I was able to line up all the filibusterism,
at a gathering which discussed commerce, etc., a gathering which went
no further for it died immediately afterwards? If the few who were
present had been influenced by my words they would not have let the
"Liga" die. Is it that those who formed part of the "Liga" that night
founded the Katipunan? I think not. Who went to Dapitan to interview
me? Persons entirely unknown to me. Why was not an acquaintance sent,
in whom I would have had more confidence? Because those acquainted
with me knew very well that I had forsaken politics or that, realizing
my views on rebellion, they must have refused to undertake a mission
useless and unpromising.
I trust that by these considerations I have demonstrated that neither
did I found a society for revolutionary purposes, nor have I taken
part since in others, nor have I been concerned in the rebellion,
but that on the contrary I have been opposed to it, as the making
public of a private conversation has proven.
Fort Santiago, Dec. 26, 1896.
JOSE RIZAL.
RESPECTING THE REBELLION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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