New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-02

the negro races. The emancipation of slavery
in the colony in 1884 was the cause or the
Great Trek" exodus. OF 1896, which led TO
the formation OF Natal the Orange Free state
and the Transvaal. One grievance Of the Beers
was that when slavery was abolished the slave
owners received as compensation orders on Lon
don which they were compelled to, cash on the
spot at ruinous rates. practically impoverishing
them. Another was that by order Of the Gov
eminent they were obliged to surrender certain
valuable lands on the Kei River. which had
been annexed. In rage and disgust the Beers
began TO go north and east into the wilderness.
Those who went north across the Naal River
were practically unmolested by the English.
They were. however. still claimed as British
subjects. and on August 81, 1915, the Governor
Of the colony issued a proclamation 70 that
effect.
THE TERRITORY ANNEXED
In 1915. after quelling a native uprising be-
You'd the Orange River. the Cape Government
formally annexed the territory between the
Orange and the Vaal under the name or the
Orange River Sovereignty. TO accomplish this
paci1cation the Government became involved
IN conflict with the Beers OF the Orange dis
trict. who were Joined by the farmers from
beyond the Vaal under the redoubtable Andres
Pretorius.
torius took advantage of the predicament OF
the British and proposed permanent pacific
settlement" and on January 10, 1872 received
from the Crown officers a guarantee that the
farmers north of the Vaal had the right 10
manage their own affairs and 10 govern them
selves according TO their own laws without any
Interference on the part Of the British Govern
rnent" Two years later. at a convention signed
at Boemfontein. Great Britain also repudiated
sovereignty over the orange territory.
spcb was the origin OF these two Boer States,
together containing about four thousand adult
males Under enlightened governments the
Orange Free State prospered. Such was not
the case in the TransvaaL Tor within It's Dor
ders there were at least four so-caled republics.
each claiming sovereign power. Finally one or
these rose above the others. and In 1919 the
volksraad passed the "Gronwet or funda-
mental law which is still nominally the constr
tuition OF the country. But 1t was not uh'iI
1864 that all the Beers north Of the Naal agreed
10 recognize NJ W. Pretorius. son OF Ahdrles'
as head OF the State. The white populallo"
then numbered about thirty thousand "a's
with the large native population were frequent
the Beers refused 10 pay taxes their papei
money was worth about one-fourth Oh lls iaoe
value and the country was going from oau u
worse.
THE BRITISH INTERVENE
In 1875 matters came 10 crisis whlch leu "
the Intervention OF the British Government III
Transvaal affairs and finally 70 the ahiieN
ton OF that State on April II. 1871 IL came
about In this way: The weakened ana u'So'
ganized republic was hemmed in by kafnrs ."
the north and Zulus the south ana NOT oniS
in danger OF determination itself but by ia'''he
TO repel the common foe Of white men, DeCa'ie
a menace 10 every civilized community IN 0ou'"
Africa. .
II was then that the British Government sem
Sir Theophius Shepstone as a speciSI coii'i"''
soner TO territories adjoining the coioh! u
Natal" TO inquire into the recent disturDah'''
He was empowered 'fn certain events 10 eNe
else the Jurisdiction OF Her Majesty over sue
territories or some of them" On his arrN"'
at Pretoria he explained 10 the EXECUTIVE Oo'H
ell OF the Transvaal that his mission We" ~
confer with the Government and people VI '"N
Transvaal with the object Of initiating ne"
state Of things which would guarantee secur.'y
for the future" After three months ihqun'
the Commissioner became convinced ''
only method Of enectualy bringing safety ~