The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-19
THE BOERs' FIRM REPLY.
Rejects All Now Demands and Hopes That
England Will Withdraw Them.
Special Gable Despatch TO THE sUS.

Special Cdbl, Despatch TO THE sUS.
LONDON, Sept. 1S.-The Colonial Office gives
out the following as the official version OF
President Kr0gers reply to the latest pro-
posas made by Great Britain:
After acknowledging the receipt OF Secretary
Chamberlains despatch. tho Boer reply says:
This Government wishes to state that it
learns with n feeling OF deep regret that 1t
must be understood that her Majesty's Gov
eminent withdraws from the Invitations sent
in your letter OF Aug. % and accepted by this
Government. and substitutes in its place an
entirely new proposal.
SAYS THE REPUBLIC WAS MIsLED.
THE proposal which has now lapsed was
contained in the letters OF this Government OF
Aug. 10 and Aug. u. and was induced by sug-
eestions given by the British diplomatic agent
to tho States Attorney OF the Transvaal.
These suggestions were accepted by this
Government In good faith on an express re-
quest which was equivalent to an assurance
that the proposal would be acceptable to her
Majesty's Government. 1t was In no way the
object OF this Government. nor Is 1t now. to
mako any needless recapitulatlons OF its con-
tention about its political status as an indie
pendent State. as defined In the London Con-
vention OF 1884. but only to try and put an end
to the state OF tension by meeting her Majes-
1ONeTumSub upOu y pioposdi Which IL
supposed to be constituted. both In spirit and
form. in such way ns-the Transvaal was
given to understand-would be satisfactory to
her Majestys Government. This Government
cannot disguise from itself that In making
the proposals contained in its note Of Aug. 10.
1t probably ran tho danger not only OF the
proposal being disclaimed by the South Afri-
can Republic Voksraad and people. but
that its acceptance might affect the in
dependence OF the State by. as therein
proposed. giving an immediate vote In the
leg stature OF the State to large number OF
importing UltlaEders. But this GoVernme emit
set against tina. the continuous threatening
and undoubted danger to its highly priced
Independence. arising from the claim OF
suzerainty made by her Majesty's Government.
| from the interference OF that Government In
| the internal affairs OF this Republic and from
want of an automatically working manner OF
| regulating the differences between her
Majesty's Government and this Govern ment.
| It was in consequence prepared to recon mend
| to the South African Republic Volksraad and
people to run the danger attached to the offer
made. in order to avoid the certainty OF greater
danger.
THE SURRENDER OF BRITISH sUZEBAINTY.
"Inasmuch, however. as the conditions at
tached to the proposal. the acceptance OF which
| constituted the only consideration for its offer
has been declared unacceptable. it cannot un-
derstand on what grounds OF justice It can be
| expected the Republic should be bound to
grant the proposal; and having In view the
assurance given by the Secretary OF State fol
the Colonies that he would not consider said
offer as a refusal in answer to his invitation FOL
Joint inquiry based upon the existing fran
chiss law and the scheme OF representation fo
the Witwatersrand gold fields. 1t cannot under
stand why. as soon as this invitation was 40
copied, as was done by this Government in III
note OF Aug 2. her Majesty's Government
should declare that 1t cannot any longer aRre,