The governor of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, Frank W. Carpenter, duly authorized by His Excellency the Governor General, and the Sultan of Sulu, Hadji Mohammad Jamalul Kiram, together with other officers of the government, as well as various councilors of the Sultan, after due discussion of the declarations of the Governor General and president of the Philippine Commission, Luke E. Wright, and the said Sultan of Sulu, and their respective associates, in certain hearings held in Manila on July 19, 20, and 26, 1904, following the abrogation of the so-called Bates Treaty by the President of the United States, March 21, 1904, reach the following mutual understanding of the result of said hearings:

Whereas the Sultan of Sulu is the titular spiritual head of the Mohammedan Church in the Sulu Archipelago, with all the rights and privileges which under the Government of the United States of America may be exercised by such an ecclesiastical authority, and the subject to the same limitations which apply to the supreme spiritual heads of all other religions existing in American territory, including the right to solicit and receive voluntary popular contributions for the support of the clergy, rites, and other necessary lawful expenses of an ecclesiastical character.

The Sultan of Sulu, on his own account and in behalf of his adherents and people in the Sulu Archipelago and elsewhere within American territory, without any reservation or limitation whatsoever, ratifies and confirms his recognition of the sovereignty of the United States of America, and the exercise by His Excellency the Governor General and the representatives of that Government in Mindanao and Sulu of all the attributes of sovereign government that are exercised elsewhere in American territory and dependencies, including the adjudication by government courts or its other duly authorized officers of all civil and criminal causes falling within the laws and orders of the Government.

The Sultan of Sulu and his adherents and people of the Mohammedan faith shall have the same religious freedom had by the adherents of all principles of the laws of the United States of America.

In testimony of the above mutual understanding we, the undersigned, the governor of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu and the Sultan of Sulu, do hereby affix our signature in permanent record thereof.
 
 

(Signed)	Hadji Mohammad Jamalul Kiram Sultan of Sulu
(Signed)	Frank W. Carpenter Department Governor

Witnesses to the above:
 

(Signed)	Dato Rajamuda
(Signed)	Peter E. Traub, Colonel, U.S. Army District Chief, Philippine Constabulary
(Signed)	Hadji Butu Special Assistant to the Provincial Governor of Sulu
(Signed)	Dato Mohammad
(Signed)	Isidro Vamenta Department Secretary
(Signed)	Abdullah Awang Secretary to Sultan
(Signed)	Ponciano Reyes Department Attorney
(Signed)	Hadji Mohammad
(Signed)	Guy N. Rohrer Governor, Province of Sulu
(Signed)	Panglima Tahil
(Signed)	H. Gulamu Rasul Aide-de-camp of the Department Governor

 
 

[Document Source: Treaties and Other International Acts of U.S.A, edited by Hunter Miller, Vol. 4, 1836-1846]
 
 
 
 

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