The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-05

almost pro11noU the nAnnA, VIZ tne eteaah1a OK
some end IN which they have been personally
interested. There has also been . marked Simi-
larity in the methods they have pursued, their
chief policy being always the systematic poison
ing Of the public mind in Great Britain with
false OF grossly exaggerated reports circulated
In such q manner that the slow-paced contradic-
ton Of those who arc slandered comes too late
to act as an antidote."
Many Of these misrepresentation centre
round the event which fret marks the strength
OF the antagonlsna between British authority
and the South African settler, the exodus OF
emigrant farmers commencing in 1896. which
is popularity known ns 'The Great Trek" Here
once more the writer at present under revlew
follows DIR. Thcal and denies that this move
ment Yves founded on any objection to tho free
ing Of the domestic slaves vi the settlers or on
any desire to escape the restraints Of law. 1t
was a movement originated by men of sub
stance and reputation, carried on openly and
with full notice 10 the British authorities, and
its objects were clearly stated in a document
published in 1887 by It's leader, Peter Retief.
w despair this manifesto commenced. of
saving tho colony from those evils which
threaten It by the turbulent and dishonest con-
duct Of ~Inativel vagrants who are allowed 20
infest the country in every part; nor do we see
any prospect of peace or happiness for our chill
dren in a country thus distracted by internal
connections.
1--WE complain of the continual system Of
plumber which we have for years endured from
the Kafirs and other colored classes, and par
ticularly by the last invasion Of the colony
which has desolatod the frontier districts and
ruined most OF the inhabitants.
I'VE complain OF the unjustilable odium
which has been cast upon us by interested and
dishonest persons under the name OF religion,
whose testimony is believed in England to the
exclusion OF all evidence in our favor, and we
can foresee rs a result OF this prejudice nothing
but the total ruin OF the country
The emigrants further declared their inten-
ton to uphold the principles OF liberty, to estab.
lish proper relations between muster and SER
want, while prohibiting slavery, to refrain from
molesting any people or deprivinR any ono of
property. but at the same time to prepare to
defend themselves against attack.
The final paragraph, which is not without a
certain dignity, reads rs follows:
1--WE are now leaving the fruitful land of our
birth, In which w have suffered enormous losses
and continual vexations. and are about to enter
a strange and dangerous territory; but we go
with a firm reliance on an all.seeinR, Just. and
merciful God, whom we shall always fear and
humbly endeavor to obey"
1t was under these conditions that, early in
1886, the northern movement into the I'M
known wilderness beyond the Orange River
began. A second expedition, which originated
close to what was then tho eastern and north
eastern boundary Of the colony, followed. This
party included three families OF Krngers. and
among them was a boy, then 10 years old, Ste
phanus Johannes Paulus KRUGER, now known to
the world as President OF tho South African Re-
public. After meeting with many adventures
and losing many lives in conflicts with the Mata-
beles, the farmers encamped at a spot now
known as Vechtkop, where, by flashing together
some fifty wagons drawn up In a circle, they
constructed a formidable laager, and, though
numbering only fifty grown men in all, defeated
q force OF 1000 Matabeles after an hours stub
born fighting. 1t was. however. but a barren
victory, as the enomy, after losing more than
$50 men, withdrew, carrying away with them
all the focks and herds of the farmers. amount.
ing TO 100 horses. nearly 5000 oxen, and more
than $4,000 sheep. 1t was under such hard
conditions Of life as arc implied in adventures
such as these that young Paul Krtger grew to
manhood, and for the next ten years the condi-
tion Of the settlers was one of ceaseless strug-
gle with danger and privation. From time TO
time whole families were massacred by the
Mataneles or the Zulus, and the fighting quail
ties of these brave pioneers were developed in a
series of battles that deserve to rank among the
fercest in modern history. In 1898, in the battle
of the Bloed River, on the northern border Of
Xululand, four or five hundred farmers under
Andres Pretorius completely defeated . force
of between twelve and fifteen thousand Zulus.
Then came the Sand River convention in 1882,
by which the South African Republic was rec
ognized as an independent State, and two years
later the retirement of the British Government
from the Orange Free state. In this year Paul
go no ,Ap,r,anlant ~ - fon.n " d
men, took part in an expedition against the
Chief Sechele, and, though a mere youth, he had
already, as n hunter, explored the Matabele land
AS far north as the Zambesi.
In his adventures he WAS never known to be
i'll and he has never been wounded, though his
clothes have often been perforated by assegais
or bullets, and 10 this day II Is said that the ma
tives believe him to be invulnerable. 1t is in
considering the religious. or, perhaps. 1t might
better be described as the superstitious, side of
his character that the modern reader is struck
with the appropriateness of Mr.. Poultney Bige-
lows description OF Paul Kruger as "a mag.
nifcenU anachronism." When no was about 25
years of age ne disappeared for some time, liter
ally into the wilderness, returning thence a
man of deep and earnest religious convictions.
Since that time he has believed himself to be the
special instrument Of a divine power, the leader
chosen to defend the liberty and the homes of
his people. On this subject Mr.. Stathem says:
THAI this religious feeling takes a shape which
was better known In the England of a century
ago. tho England Of the Methodist revival, than
in the England Of today, detracts nothing from
its value. II Paul kriger regards himself az
specially guided and protected by a supernatu.
raj power, the same thing Is to be said of John
Newton, the friend Of Cowper, who, beginning
mis- career as the Captain OF a SLAYER, ended it as
the veneratcd rector Of one OF London's most
noted churches. The world. the English world,
has become SO cynical and skeptical at this
close of the nineteenth century that it forgets
the estimation accorded to tho leading lights OF
evangelical religion at the close OF the eigh.
teenth. The acknowledgment OF
these lreligiousl convictions and their public
illustration and enunciation has been a habit OF
his life . " and every one who knows
Pretoria knows the church opposite the Presi,
dency, wherein upon almost every Sunday Paul
KRUGER may. be found employing both eloquence
and earnestness in throwing the light of his
own personal experiences on the lessons of III.