Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-07


clear to us that we cannot rely on the
most solemn promises and agreements
of Great Britain when she has at her
helm a government prepared to trample
on treaties. to look for feigned pretexts
for every violation of good faith by her
committed. This is proved among other
things by the unjust and unlawful
British intervention, after we had over
come an armed and barbarous black
tribe on our eastern frontier, as also by
the forcible appropriation of the do
minfon over part Of our territory where
the discovery Of diamonds had caused
the desire for this appropriation, al
though contrary to existing treaties.
The desire and intention to trample on
our rights as an Independent and SOW
ereign nation, notwithstanding a SOL
emn convention existing between this
state and Great Britain, have also been
more than once and are now again
shown by the present government, by
giving expressions in public documents
to an unfounded claim of paramountcy
over the whole of South Africa, and
therefore over this state.
With regard to the South African
republic, Great Britain has. moreover,
refused until the present to allow her
to regain her original position in re-
spect to foreign affairs, a position
which she had lost in no sense by her
own faults. The original intention of
the conventions to which the republic
had consented under pressure and cir
cumstances has been perverted and
continually been used by the present
British administration as means for
the practice of tyranny and of injus-
tice, and among other things for the
support of a revolutionary propaganda
within the republic in favor of Great
Britain.
And while no redress has been Of
fered, as justice demands, for injustice
done to the South African republic on
the part of the British government;
and while no gratitude is exhibited for
the magnanimity shown at the request
of the British government to
British subjects who had for
feited under the laws of the republic
their lives and property yet no feeling
of shame has prevented the British
government, now that the gold mines
of immense value have been discov-
cred in the country, to make claims of
the republic. the consequence of which,
| if allowed. Will be that those who-or
| Whose OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES saved the
lcountry from barbarism and have won
it for civilization with their blood and
their tears will lose their control over
| the interests of the country, to which
! they are justly entitled according to di-
| vine and human laws. The consequence
4 of these claims, would be moreover.
| that the greater part of the power will
be placed in the. hands of those. who,
foreigners by birth, enjoy the privilege
| of depriving the country of it's chief
Treasure. While they have never shown
| any loyalty to a foreign government
/ Besides. the inevitable consequence OF
4 the acceptance of these claims would
be that the independence of the country
as a governing. independent SOW
4 ereign republic would be irreparabl.
Host. For years past British troops il
great numbers have been placed on tht
/ frontiers of our sister republic in order
4 to compel her by fear to accede to the
demands which would be pressed upor
q her and in order to encourage revolu
,ionary disturbances and the cunning
plans of those whose greed for gold j.
1.-the cause of their shameless undertake
!, ings.
| Those plans have now reached thei
lclmax in the open violence to whicl
the present British government nov
resorts. While we readily acknowledg
the honorable character of thousands o
Englishmen, who loathe such deeds o
robbery and wrong, we can not but alb
. hor the shameless breaking of treaties
the feigned pretexts for the transgres
sion of law, the violation of interna
. Ii, a - ;,,c.-