New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-27
ANERICANS IN THE TRANSVAAL.

A change has come over the spirit Of the
Transvaal dream. When the troubles there be-
came acute and DR.. Jameson was lured into his
ill-starred raid there was considerable out
burst Of emotion not to say OF hysteria, in this
country. Public papers and public men. who
ought to have known better screamed out in
redhot passion that it was another attempt at
and-grabbing by the British Government, that
none but Englishmen were concerned in IT, that
the mutinous Outlandcrs were traitors to the
best Government under the sun, and that they
deserved to be shot or hanged-every one OF
them But now, 10 and behold These same
hot-gospellers have discovered that a number
of Americans were involved in the Johannes
burg conspiracy or, at any rate have been
arrested as consprators by the Transvaal Gov
eminent, and are in prison and in danger Of
punishment Wherefore the tune, is greatly
changed The Outlandcr uprising was holy
crusade. and Uncle Paul. Kriger is bar
barous old tyrant. and we ought at once TO send
a fleet to Delagoa Bay TO rescue the Americans
from his clutches. All OF which is just abb
surd and unreasonable as the former Trades
The Tribune certainly has no inclination 10
defend Great Britain or any other Power in I'M
warranted land grabbing In any part OF the
world But it was perfectly evident to us ut
the Outset-indccd, long before the jameson
escapade-that the British Government was not
concerned in this Transvaal disaffcction Neither
was the latter a conspiracy confined to British
Africanders and Outlanders. These were in the
majority in IT, Of course, since they form the ma
jority Of the whole white population Of the
Transvaal But II was as well known 10 us, and
to every one who would take pains to be in
formed a month ago as 1t Is to-day, that Amer
cans and Germans and Dutchmen and men Of
other natiOnalites were in II just as deeply as
the British. 1t was uprising Of the foreign
settlers in the Transvaal, without regard to
race or political affiliations and its object was
not annexation 10 the British Empire, nor the
overthrow Of the Republic, but redress for gricv-
ances that had become uncomfortable, and such
polItical ard social reform would make the
Transvaal n true Republic In fact as well as in
name Among the members OF the Johannes
burg Reform Committee who were arrested
along with Mr. Hammond the American. and
Mr.. Phillips and Colonel Rhodes. the English
men. were Messrs. Leonard. Van Hulstein
| Sauer and Auret, who are Dutch Africanders,
| or Beers. Just as much as President Kriger him
| self. and Messrs Iangerman and Mosenthal.
who are Germans 1t was preposterous to sup
| pose that Americans, Germans and Dutchmen
were conspiring to annex the Transvaal to the
British Empire
Now that the truth, long known, is perforce
acknowledged, there Is a great pother over what
Is TO be done about 1t. We take 1t for granted
that the United States Government will be
alert and energetic in maintaining the legal
rights Of its citizens. That means that it will
demand for them prompt and fair trial under
Transyaal law Nothing more than that can be
roouired If Americans have broken the law
tbev must suffer the penalty. unless the Trans
vaaI Government voluntarily pardons them. The
limited States Government might request such
pardon, but it cannot demand IT, Much as IL
NAV sympathize with Mr.. Hammond and his
comrades II can do nothing more for them IMAM
TO see that they are treated according 10 ""'
inst AS citizens of the Transvaal would DE treat
cd here That they will he treated even ihoie
lenientlv than the strict letter OF the law re-