The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-30
B0DRS VERSUS BRITONS.
A Spirit Of Unrest Prevails in the
Transvaal.
THE RAND POST TALKS OF WAR.

The British Consul at Johannesburg
Impressed by the Personnel OF al Mass
Meeting That Presented Him with
Resolutions OF Protest.
London, Dec. 3O.-A disquieting sit
uation is developing at johannesburg.
According to the latest advices from
there the place Is seething with dis
content, as on the eve of the Jameson
raid. in consequence Of recent and pro-
posed government measures which the
Uitlanders regard as being fresh
series Of impositions. In addition
racial animosity is intensifying at the
vexatious treatment of the British-In-
dians and Cape Boys" which is arous-
ing much bitterness.
There was a serious development last
week, when a Beer policeman murdered
an Englshman named Edgar, entering
the latter's house and shooting him.
The policeman was arrested upon the
charge of murder but on the following
day the charge was reduced t5 one of
manslaughter, and the policeman was
allowed his liberty en- bail. The British
agent demanded q restitution Of the
VIAL St VI lllulut anu n lIldSS llleellIB. &.
which was attended by 5000 Uitlanders.
was held at Johannesburg on Saturday
to protest against the murder of Edgar
and to present the British consul with
strongly worded petition to the queen
reciting the wrongs of the Uitlanders
and appealing for protection and de-
mandng such other steps as may be
found necessary to terminate the ex-
isting intolerable state of affairs"
There were no speeches, owing to the
laws prohibiting political gatherings.
The demonstration was very impress
sive. The petition was presented to the
consul OIL the balcony of the consulate.
the whole multitude signifying assent
by uplifting their hands. References
to the Boer policeman ELECTED shouts
Of Lynch him!" The meeting. how
ever, was peaceful, with the exception
of slight affray with the police at its
conclusion.
The newspapers publish venomous
articles en- the subject. The Boer or
gan, The Rand Pest, discusses the pros
pect of war with Great Britain and ad-
vlses that on the first British act of
war the women and children at johann
nesburg be given "a hours to leave, and
that the whole place be then razed.
President Kruger, in III, course of an
interview. has asserted that he depre-
Gates the warlilte article published by
the Boer organ and declares that he
will prohibit a proposed anti-Jameson
demonstration.
The Johannesburg correspondent of
Tho J0ailyr JntI ,-l,
against the optimistic reports cahed
to London in the Kruger interest. says:
II have interviewed the British con-
sui. who said that the Saturday DEM
onstratinn impressed him as based upon
deep public feeling. while the deputa-
tion which presented the petition was. |
to his personal knowledge. composed
OF men of high character and standing. |
Signs are multiplying that the Uit-
lander sentiment has been aroused to |
the point of asserting claims for JUS |
tlce. The ex-reform leaders are debar- |
red, under pain Of banishment, from |
interfering in politics, but they declare |
tnat despite Pretoria terrorism they
will not keep silent much longer. The !
present temper of the community is
such that opposing demonstrations will
almost inevitably be followed by serI-
GUS riots.
II learn on high authority that dur
ing the negotiations at Pretoria re-
garding Saturdays demonstration the
British agent carefully avoided any
admission that the British government
assented to the public meeting act.
Ee even suggested that Great Britain
might test the legality OF that measure
under the London convention.
THE present position has aroused the
deepest public excitement known since
the Jameson raid, and 1t is plain that
must be done quickly to ter
inmate a humiliating and intolerable
situation"