The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-29

been frustrated, and sufficiently strong
representations from this government may
prevent its accomplishment.
Senator Stewart prepared and circula-
ted in both houses of congress to-day a pc
utiQn addressed TO President Kruger Of
the Iransvaal republic, asking him 10 par
don John Hays Hammond. The fact that
such a petition had been signed and would
be forwarded was cabled the Transvaal
orally in both houses.
Washington. April 2s.-In the House to-
day Mr.. Mahanay, rep, of New York, Of
fered a resolution calling upon the Presi-
dent to direct the Secretary of State
to interpose in behalf of John Hays Ham
mond, who is on trial in South Africa for
completely in the recent troubles in that
country and asked unanimous consent for
immediate consideration. In the course Of
a collOquy over the resolution, Mr.. Hill,
rep, Of Connecticut, said: Mr.. Speaker:
A few weeks ago wrote to the Secretary
of State in regard to Mr. Hammond, at
the request of one of my constituents. 1
received the truly un-American reply that
the state department had no knowledge
on the subject except what had been ac-
quired from the newspapers, and that its
impression was that Mr.. Hammonds in
terests were being guarded by the English
government 1t seems to be that it is high
time that the American government pro-
tected it's own citizens abroad and I am
heartily in favor OF this resolution" ZAP
plause)
Mr. McCreary suggested in view of the
character OF the matter that the resolu-
tion should be acted upon by the COM
mittee on foreign affairs. He said there
was no doubt that the Secretary of State
was doing all that was proper, but even II
he was not, the proposed resolution would
effect nOthing-n was a mere House, not
concurrent or joint resolution. The
resolution was thereupon referred to the
committee on foreign affairs.
London, April 2S.-In the House Of Com
mons to-day Joseph Chamberlain, Secre-
tary of State for the colonies. said: It
have received a private telegram, of the
accuracy of which l have no doubt saying
that five of the leaders of the so called
national reform committee at johannes
burg have been condemned to death.
thereupon cabled to Sir Hercules Robin
municate the following to President Kru-
ger: ''The government has just learned
that sentence of death has been imposed
upon the chief leaders of the reform com
mittee. The government has no doubt that
your honor viii commute the sentences.
Indeed the government has assured par
hament that this Is your honors mten-
tion."
w. ]. Galloway asked whether the law
governing such cases did not provide sim
ply for the contiscation of the property of
persons found guilty and not for the inn
position of death sentences upon them
Mr.. Chamberlain replied that he could
not answer that question, as he was in
doubt whether the condemned men had
been tried under the statute law of the
| Transvaal or the Roman and Dutch law.
Right Hon. James Bryce asked for the
names of the prisoners under death SEN
| tence, and Mr.. Chamberlain said they
were Col. Francis Rhodes, brother Of Cecil
| Rhodes; George Farrar, Lionel Phillips
| and John Hayes Hammond. The name of
| the fifth condemned man ne nad forgot
| ten for the moment. Four of them are
| British subjects, and one (Hammond)) is
an American.
tied In the lobby of the Houseeof Commons
| that Colonial Secretary Chamberlain adj
! vised the surrender of Col. Rhodes and his
comrades to the legal authorities at Preto-
ria and also advised them to enter a plea
of guilty upon the assurance that the Pre-
toria authorities would treat them with
leniency. The opposition are framing
| series of questions to be propounded to the
government with the object of forcing
| them to make revelations showing pre-
cisely what part the English government
has played in the affair.
The Globe, in an article on the condem-
nation of Rhodes, Hammond and the
others to death, says: THE news absorbs
the entire interest of the House of
Commons. The consensus of opinion
is that the condemned men are in no
real danger, but the feeling is unanimous
that in the event of the contrary there
must be instant war 1t would be impos
| sible for even the present government to
hold office for day if any other course
The fun text of the reply of President
| Kruger of the Transvaal republic to the
| invitation sent to him by Colonial Secre-
| tary Chamberlain to visit London and dis
cuss Transvaal matters is published to-
day. The letter confirms the statements
made by Mr. Chamberlain in the House of
| Commons yesterday, as well as the state
ments of the Times in regard to the char
acter of the reply, though it denies the
called admitted grievances of the Uitlan-
friendly relations it says President Kruger
is willing to postpone the question of the
revising of the London convention of 1884.
London, April %, 1:3O a. m.-Though the
news of the death sentences passed on the
five leaders of the Johannesburg move
ment was a surprise and shock to those
! here who have watched the case, politi-
| clans, inside and outside Of parliament,
| admit that the sentence is the natural
| complement of the plea of guilty. Nobody
| here believes that the sentences will be
executed. 1t is thought that under the
| law under which the accused were tried
| there was no course open to the court but
| to impose the death penalty. 1t is be-
lieved now that the arrangement between
! the prisoners and the Transvaal authori-
ties provided for the passing of the death
sentence, while at the same time the five
men knew that the president would ex-
ercise the power with which he is invest
ed and later commute the sentences.
What the general feeling among the
| Beers is towards the prisoners is a matter
of doubt. Before the trouble 1t Johannes
burg, they were all very popular, but
there was a significant incident in con-
nection with their arrest that is not gen
orally known.
jail at Pretoria number of Beers took
! to that city a beam on which some years
| previously the British had hanged sew
eral Beers for treason. When the atten-
| ton of the government was called to this
! fact a prompt declaimer of any implied
| threat to hang the prisoners was made,
! and it was asserted that the beam had
been taken to Pretoria to be used for
! building purposes:
| sir Charles Dixie, member of parlia-
ment, and Sir Donald Currie, member OF
! parliament, the Well-known owner of
/ steamships plying to South Africa, both
! of whom are personally acquainted with
| President Kruger; Henry Labouchere,
member of parliament, and Henry M.
! Stanley. member OF parliament, the Afri-
! can explorer, expressed the opinion that
| President Kruger would exercise elem
! ency and abrogate the sentence Of death.
| Elx-Prime Minister Lord Rosebery, in
| a speech at Rosedale tonight, made ali
| attack on Mr.. Chamberlain for his treat
| ment of the Transvaal difficulty. A
| greater diplomatic comedy Of errors he
! said, had never been performed. He hoped
! that the secretary Of state for the colonies
would now exercise patience and discre-
| ton and curb his tongue. Then the me-
! gotiations might be satisfactorily con-
! cluded
| Late reports received from Pretoria in
4 a