The western recorder., 1898-07-28
GLADSTONE AND THE BoaRs
Why Tie ia ,net cir Territory to
the rsor Dutehmsn.

Why lie Ga rek cir Territory tn
the rsor Dutehmen.
After my first visit to South Africa.
when the opportunity was afforded me
OF seeing much OF those who had suf-
tered for their loyalty to England, this
feeling Of shame and indignatlon was
redoubled. says Harpor'a Weekly.
Firmly believing that Mr.. Gladstone
had acted wrongly In the retrocession
of the Transvaai. returned TO England
with the conviction that his South AfrI-
can policy was governed by motives OF
political expedlency. It was in that
frame OF rInl that met Mr.. Glad
stone. In country house. on Easter
Monday. 1856 shall never fcrEet the
hrst serious conversation had with
him. He introduced the subject by re-
ferrlng to ms recent visit to Africa.
Relieving that an opportunity had risen
not TO be miF'ed said to him. speak
Ing In the interests Of MY countrymen
and cotntrywomcn who had lost their
all by repcslng faith In England's
promise that the British nng should
never bo hauled down 50 long az the
sun was In the hsavens "Slr. | think.
Il you had hecn. rs | have been, in the
homes OF those Ensllshnsen and loyal
Dutch Hoois. who have been ruined for
no greater fault than foolish conf
dercc In Great Drita.n---1 think your
cabinet would not have surrendered the
Trnnsvaal." Taking me by the arm and
with his marvellous onyx eyes blazing
With lndlEnation, he Cnzsd out Of the
window at tho sky and the budding
trees, and srukc for nearly twenty min
uies, in n low. rich voice. lie raised
his arm with the geature with which
lion raises hls paw. ard realized for
the first time the Freatncss OF the mnn.
What he said. In eject, was this: I'VE
have given back the Trnnsvnal to Its
owners because 1t wna acquired from
them by fraud. a small country. n
mean county. country less sure OF It
self could not have done this thing
Perhaps England alone. with her 500
years Of history behind her. could have
dared to do this act. To have done II
shows the greatness. not the smallncss
Of England The common people
wished It. 'rhey hate injustice; they re-
fuse to profit by frard Tho common
ptoptt ufe OlNPgA fiEnt. lneN WNfH
right In Macedonia; they were right in
Judca." fnd then he added. with n
sweep Of his arm so vehement that |
thought he wns about to crush me:
''They are right now" lie said grent
deal more on the subject. to which |
VIII not refer. but he buraed In upon
my soul the conviction that It required
less courngo 10 destroy tho Beers than
to face the hatred and the con,umely
OF those EnRlishncn who believed that
the honor Of their country had been
outraged. Mr.. Gladstone, nevertheless,
did not convince me Of the rectitude OF
the policy he bad adopted. and on cool
reflection afterward detected much
misty II noble generality In his nrsu-
ments. However. that is not In ques.
tion at the present time. What want
to bring out IL the fact that to one who
has always b. N and still Is opposed &c
the policy OF the Transvnal rctroces-
sion Mr.. c'ids;one succeeded com.
pictely and generously. in convincing
him that his .nuch-debnted act was nm
act Of courage. not an act OF cowardlce:
the act OF great man who believed In
the possibility Of national Christianity;
not the act of mere politician who
sought to derive party gain from the
puslilanimors betrayal Of a proud pco-
pie.