The record-union., 1899-10-26

again denied the statement he (the Ma
jor) would take the first opportunity of
repeating the statement to him outside
of Parliament when he could take what
steps he liked.
Sir William Vernon Harcourt, the
| former Liberal leader in the House.
said he desired to again call attention
| to the provocation of the Secretary of
/ State for the Colonies (Mr. Chamber
+, lain) during the negotiations and in his
speech at Highbury.
Mr. Chamberlain replied, repudiating
the intention to be provocative, and
saying he only intended to be plain
and free from ambiguity. He added
| that he only followed in the negotia
tions the principles observed by all
| statesmen during the past ten or TWEEN
| ty years. There was a time, he ex-
: planned, when diplomacy was regard
| ed as given to statesmen to enable them
to conceal their thoughts That might
fairly be called the "old diplomacy"
which, he said, 81 absolutely repudi-
ate. People," he continued, "are en-
titled to demand a clear expression of
| views and he asserted there was never
|
ment that President Kruger had been
in doubt
| Mr.. Chamberlain then said: "Our OBJ
1ects, methods and determination were
to carry out these objects 1t was nee
essary to impress upon President Kru-
ger the seriousness of the step he was
! called upon to take and the conse-
| quences which would follow any mis-
| take on his part 1t was not desirable
to include in an official dispatch col
| lateral suggestions and indications Of
| opinion but semi-official warning was
! frequently conveyed in a speech. A
| similar warning was given by Lord
| Salisbury to the Sultan at the Guild
| Hall banquet, and I am still absolutely
uLrepentant.
Respecting to-day's speeches, they
are simply a rechauffee of old argu-
ments from Irish members whose boast
is that they are Englands enemies, ana
| from the Radicals, who in principle op-
pose the war
| Regarding Mr.. Davitt, Mr.. Chamber
| lain said he recognized that he had
hitherto discussed the matter moder-
| ateIy and sincerely, and" he Gdded,
| i would pay the greatest attention TO
| his arguments if l did not know he
would use precisely the same argu-
ments in regard to any British war,
which are based on his enmity to Eng
land
Mr.. Chamberlain then said: What
would have been the Irish argument
in the Spanish-American War in which
| Spain showed herself infinitely less ca
| pable of defending herself than the
| Transvaal-'
Here William Redmond, ParnelIite
| member for East Glare, shouted:
THE Transvaal did not blow up your
warships''
Mr.. chamberlain continued "The
great, almost determining contest be-
tween the United States and Spain was
! fought without the loss of a single
American. We have never denied that
the Transvaal was a foeman worthy of
our steel Not only was the disparity
| in the forces in the Spanish-American
| War as great as those now engaged,
but the contention of the United States
and their right of interference arose
| from the fact that at the same distance
from their territories there was oppres-
sion, not of American citizens. but of
another race and people, and justified
the Intervention Of the United States
in the mind of the civilized world. or
at any rate, in the eyes of Englishmen
and Irishmen. But we are interfering
in behalf of our own people It is
perfectly certain that Mr.. Davitt. but
for his hatred of England, would SYM
pathize with US as he did with Amer
ica-"
Mr.. Chamberlain then replied to the
criticism of his note accepting the me-
diation of Mr.. Hofmeier the Afrikander
leader, pointing out that while he be-
lieved Mr.. Hofmeier was sincere, yet
he could not forget that when Presi-
dent Kruger made absolutely illusory
proposals for a settlement" Mr.. Hof-
meier was perfectly ready to accep.
them. President Kruger misled Mr.
Hofmeier in promising him proposals
which differed materially from those he
really presented.
There has been on the part of the
Transvaa1 crookedness altogether in
comprehensive if they desired a set
tlement," continued Mr.. Chamberlain.
I believe that from the first TO last