New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-21

Which is the more correct Il reiei'h'o '" "
records NAV reveal. The first convention pe
tween England and the Beers was that Oh "aiiu
River in 1852. II was certainly not treaty
hetveen two sovereign Powers. IL WAS hot
called such. II purported to be merely minutes
"or n meeting between Her MaJestys
commissioners and deputies of the emil
..gr,pt farmers living north Of the Naal River.
Tho whole tone OF il Is not that OF treaty, Dut
NJ n grant by sovereign Power to IT'S supJec'S'
Tho second convention was that Of Pretoria. in
1ss1-aftcr Majuba Hill. 1t also was not III inc
form Of a treaty. but Of grant 1t ana NOT recos-
nize the sovereignty Of the Transvaal. III mere
" saws that Her Majesys commissioners
undertake and guarantee on Dehalr OF
Her Majesty. that complete Scil-So''rn-
..mcnt. subject to the suzeranty of Her Majesty
will be accorded to the inhabitants OF
.ihe Transvaal Territory, upon the following
terms and conditions; and subject to the fol-
lowing reservations and limitations
So far there was no recognition of Transvaal
jndependence There was no treaty making
There was simply the granting OF charter Us
to Canada or to Australia. There was not even
the mention Of such thing as an organized gov
eminent Of the Transvaal. But then came the
1854. which is still in force, and which, it is held
hv some recognizes the independence OF the
Roers. Let lis see what its terms are. 1t does
mention the Government Of the Transvaal
State" and It's volksraad. and refers repeatedly
70 ..the said State" There Is. however. not Il
word about the contracting parties" nor any OF
tho customary marks of Il treaty between lhde-
ncndcnt and sovereign Powers. On the con-
81 ltoia ctt hnS
..to take the representations (of the Transvaal
government into consideration, ana iel
Majesty has been pleased to direct ETC. Ana
thus the case stands to-day. Great Britain mas
never vet in terms recognized the IranSVaa'
rs an independent, treaty making Power nor
formally regarded ii other than as a province
or protcctoratc of the Empire.
1t may be. Of course that the time has now
come when the Republic is entitled to such
recognition, when it ought To be freed from BTU
ish leading strings and placed among the sover-
cigr States of the world With that view or the
cast. Americans will be quick to sympa'hlZc' us
they sympathiZc with struggles for freedom I'LL"
for self government every where. But such SYM
,,,thv will he most effective if II shall recognize
the real situation Of affairs. and Shall see III TIE
Transvaal not an independent State resisting
conquest. but tributary State seeking lnde-
pcndcncc America has taken kindly interest
IN Ircland's battle for Home Rule, and In Cuba :,
and in the like struggles Of other peoples she
will moi DENY the same interest to the people of
the Transyaal II II shall appear that their wei
faro demands the severance of the ties that have
,hus far bound them To the British Empire.
+, NAV. however. properly be insisted that all
= Ia. TrnusVu11- that Is all the
actual. permanent, civilized residents shall l"
taken into account And We cannot forget 'lat
these include Americans and Engllshmeh an"
Germans ~ we'll as Iiolandcrs. II Is one 'hihs
10 recognize a narrow ana drSpotc "l!Sar'h!'
II T. another and far different thing 10 recognize
a free and true republic.