The Portland daily press., 1899-10-11
Quite Possible That Fighting Has
Already Commenced.
Kruger Has Everything To Gain by An
Instant Advance.

ly that (Here follows article IL OF the CON
vention Of London, 1884,
"This government wishes further TO OBJ
serve that the above are the only rights
which Her MAjssty's governments have
reserved in the above convention with re-
gard to the OutIander population Of this
republic and that violation only OF those
rights could give that government O
right to diplomatic representations or In
terventioui while, moreover, the reRuiat-
Ing OF all other questions affecting the DO.
sition of the rights of the Outlander pop
ulatiop, under the above mentioned con-
Vention Is handed over to chs government
and representatives OF tho people OF the
south African republic.
Among the questions, the regulating
OF which tfails exclusively within the
competenoe OF this goyernmenE and Of
the Voiksraad are included those OF fran
ohise and the representation or the people
in this republic; and, although this ex-
elusive tight or this govern ment and of
the Volksraad for the regulation of the
franchise and represen tation Of the people
Ia indisputabe, yet this government has
found occasion to discuss In friendly
fashion the franchise and representation
Of the people with Her Majssty's govern.
ment, without, however, recognizing any
right thereto on the part of Her Males
ty 8 gnyefnment.
"This government has also, by the
formulation of the now existing fran
ohise law and by a resolution with Isgard
to the representation, constantly held
these friendly discussions before Its eyes
On the part of Her Majesty's govern
ment, however, the friendly nature of these
discussions has assumed more and more
a threatening tone; and the minds OF
the people of Shis republic and the whole
OF South Africa have been excited and a
condition of extreme tension has been
created owing to the fact that Her Ma.
jesty's government could not longer agree
to the legislation respecting the franchise
and the resolution respecting reprs ssenta-
tion in this republic; and finally by your
nots Of September rs, 1899, which broke
of all friendly correspondence on the sub
Iscs and intimnted that Her Majssty's
government must now proceed to formu-
late their own proposals for the final set
tlement.
"This government can only see 10 the
above intimation from Her Majesty's
government "a new violation of the con-
ventfon of London, 1884, which does not
reserve TO Her Malesty's government the
right to uni.iateral settlement of a
question which Is exclusively q domestic
one for this government aud which has
already been regulated by this govern
ment.
son account of the strained situation
and the conseq uent serious loss and in
terruption Of trade In general which the
correspondence respecting franchise and
the representation of the people of this
republic has carried In its train. Her Ma
jasty's government have recently pressed
Tor an early settlement and finally pressed
by your intervention for an answer With
In foIty-eight hours, a demand subss-
quently somewhat modified, to your note
nf September ~, replied to by the one of
this government of September Is, and
to Jour note of September rs, 1893; and
thereafter further friendly negotiations
were broken of, this government re-
ceivinR an intimation that proposal for
final settlement would shortly be made
Although this promise was once more
repeated, the proposal, up to now, has NOS
reached this government. Even while
friendly correspondence was still going
on the increase Of troops on large scale
was introduced by Her Majesty IS govern
ment, the troops bsing stationed in the
neighb0rhood OF the borders OF this re.
public.
"Having regard to occurrences in the
history of this republic which it is un-
necessary here to call to mind. this repub.
lic felt obliged to regard this military
force In the neighboFhood of its borders
as threat against the Independence of
the South African republic, since it was
aware OF no circumstances which would
justify the presence of such a military
force in south Africa and neighborhocd
of its borders.
In an answer to an inquiry with
respect thereto, addressed to his exeellen-
cy, the high commissioner. this govern
ment. received, TO it's great astonishment,
in answer a Seiled insiuuation that from
the side Of the republic an attack was be-
ing mads on Her Majesty's colonies, aud,
at this same time mysterious reference
to possibilities. whereby this governments
was strengthened in its suspicion that the
Independence OF this republic was being
threatened.
"As a defensive measure this govern
met was therefore obliged to send a por-
tion OF the burghers OF this republic in
order to offer requisite resistance to SIM
liar possibilities
despatch from Pretoria dated Mon
day evening says:
"Owing TO the state Of the country
generally and the cad circumstances
which prevail, It has heen officially an
nounosd that there will bs no birthday
reception at the presidency.
Matters are becoming critical and many
of tle burghers In the three main COM
mandess are impatient and feel that IL is
suicidal to await the arrival Of over
whelming reinforcements from Europe
Ihe president has done his utmost TO