The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-10-31

shot like dogs, every one Of them.
The omm0Dder-in-chcf Of the Trans
ynhl forces comes Of an old Frencl
Ilugiien0t family, which has long bccl
settled In South Africa. Like Mr.. Kru
ger, the general was vOrn In Cape Col
0ny md II was At Cango that he frB
saw the light OF day. He was bred ~
u farm, and In the fulness u time lik,
most other Beers. no became a farmer
himself. But other things besides
farming soon claimed his interest, and
has had no small share In the making
Of the history Of the Transyaal repub.
lie during It's eycntful career.
In duo course he became state attor.
ney to the republic. or attorney general
was m0de ylce-president Of the council
and when President Burghers found Il
: necessary 10 pay visit 10 England
Jouhgrt ruled In his absence. He waa
/ acting president, and that Is the near.
est he has ever been 10 the highest po-
/ sitlon In the republic, which he much
( coyels.
In The late 70s and the early sos, when
there was trouble between England and
the Transyaal Joubcrt was great
man, He and President Kruger came
over TO this country, and when they
returned. the former after conference
with the high commissioner Sir Bartle
Frere. formulated the demand for the
lndef endenoc Of the republic. on the
government changing hands, however,
Mr.. Gladstone wrote In 1850. 20 both
him and Kruger stating that the de-
mand could not be granted.
II viii b. long time before the mem
ory Of events Immediately subsequent
Is effaced from our minds. On Decem-
Der 1oth. 1885, Kruger. Joubert and
Protorius formed themselves into
trIumvlrate and proclaimed the republic
Independent. The result, Of course.
was war. and in that wsr Joubert COM
manded the forces Of the Beers. and by
common consent commanded them well.
The British troops were defeated at
Laing's Mex on January 18th following.
and again a; the Ingogo river on Feb
ruary Sth. Finally. on February 9th OF
that year. came the crushing British
reverse AZ MaJuba hill. the stigma OF
which smaT1s almost as much today a.
Il did eighteen years ago.
Sir George p, Colley was the British
commander and as Majuba hill over
looI,s Laing's Mex, where Joubert had
his men eneamped. he determined toI
steal up there on the night Of the 2e,h
with view TO surprising them. At.
half-past ten next morning the Beers
began their attack. and most deadly
attack II was. The contest was OF The
fierrest possible description: but the
British got the worst OF IL. Their am
munitlon ran short, and at last they
turned tail and He'd Different tales are
told OF the respective losses. Joubert
swore but that i've OF his men were
killed. though some said the NUMBER
ran to three ilglres, our loss was esti-
maied AZ $50, and certainly there was
no doubt as to the decislyeneSs OF the
Bocr victory, It secured them their
independence.
Sir George Colley fell with his face
to the enemy, At the conclusion Of the !
engagement Joubert discovered u dozen
OF the enemy In hiding, amongst whom
was the correspondent Of ons OF the
London daily newspapers. He com
manded them TO lay down their arms. /
A few words were exchanged between
Jouberl and the correspondent. and the
upshot was that the general gave him
a rass 10 the Boer camp on condition
that he saw the report before 1t was
telcgraphed Joubet knew there was
a British officer killed, but was not
sur rs to his Identity,
WHO is he?" he asked OF the cores
pondent, but the latter did not him
self know. and could only ask TO be
taken to the body, There It lay, with
the helmet covering the fact.
You have killed the bravest man on
he Held" the correspondent exclaimed'
Yes, he fought well," was admitted.
subsequently JoubeTt declared to the
OF this same newspaper
hat for three years he had been writ
nS TO England to try to prevent that
var.
Stlll, there was fairness in Joubert,
oi when the Beers started flibusterlng
n Beohuanaland, in 1884, he declared
himself unable ito mold office under a
government which so deliberately broke
aith with England and violated the
by annexing Montsioa's ter
itory."
What he can do in the way Of mobili-
alton is more than any other nation
an do, for he can fetch every man OF .
lis army from the farms, and collect
hem armed upon the same field with ;
n 4S hours! For his military purposes