The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-04

that as the Beers had once been British
subjects, they were always British sub
1ects, and that wherever they settled
became ipso facto, British territory.
Once again did the Beers night ana
lose. This time they were declared by
the British commander 10 be rebels:
their leader an outlaw, and price OF
$4,000 was set upon the latter's head.
From the Orange Free State the Afrl-
chnders next went to the country now
known al the Transvaal, at that time,
Iisl5). q fio-rnati'B-iand, where neither
white man nor black dwelt. BY the
terms OF the Sand river convention. IN
1852, England recognized the Fransvaal
as an independent community, ana
shortly afterwaTd, finding the Orange
Free State Of no use to her ana the
cost Of administration heavy volnnta5
rily handed that state over TO the Beers
living there.
IN 1870 alIuyIal gold was discovered in
the northeast Of the TransVaal, ana
number Of English and Scotch miners
were attracted there. About this time
the Beers had become involved In wars
with the Kaffir tribes Of the north, ana
were experiencing considerable difficult
ty In repelilng the frequent assaults
upon them by the latter. Taking ad-
vantage Of the situation, some OF the
foreign n1lners-the tirst UltlRnders-
sent a petition, purporting to be In the
name Of the people Of the Transvaal, to
England. asking English assistance TO
febel the invaders and administer the
Transyaai. In response to the petition
the English governor dispatched one
Theophllus ShepstOne, with n small
company OF soldiers, who proclaimed
the Transvaal English territory.
Again great amusement and indigna-
tion filled the breasts Of the Beers at
this latest action Of the British gov
eminent. and a deputntion, Among the
members Of which was Paul kfqger
the present president, was sent to LON
don to protest against the proclama-
tion. The delegation was without re-
suit the reduest that the proclamation
he revoked being refused. A delegation
was also sent TO Cape Colony, and q
similar result following, n second dep
utation went to England. Finding their
efforts fruItless the Beers took up arms,
determined that II England was to have
the TransVaal Il would at least be as
a blackened and desolate waste OF
burned houses and farms. The result
was Majuba Hill and Laing,s Mex.
Seeing that she had been deceived In
believing that the people Of the, Trans
relInuuished her claims to the country
and gave the Beers their independents
under the nominal suEerainty Of the
| British crown. Mr.. Gladstone was at
the time premier.
the most glorious pages ever written IN
English history. Instead OF determine
/ ing to be reVenged for the defeat OF a
small force of men, she generously ac-
| kIlowledged her error. / am sorry TO
see that so noble an action Is now going
to be negatlvHd by the war she is about
In 1854 gold quartz was discovered In
the southern part OF the Transvaal, and
4 Immediately large foreign population
poured into the country. These people,
said Mr.. Meirihg, did mot come with the
/ intention Of making their home there,
] but came Ms Yultures to the carrton,
and when the skeleton was picked they
would fly away again. He did not think
/ It any wonder that the Beers, with the
experience Of English policy. should
have refused to grant the franchise to
the new population, whose numbers
would enable them to control leBisla-
tIon and take the government OF the
country out OF the hands OF those to
whom 1t belonged. It was only nat
ural measure of self-prOtectlon that
was taken when the right OF franchise
| was made conditional upon long term
Of residence. The Beers asked
Only little portion Of the green
and ancient earth;
Only to SOW and sing and reap in the land
OF our birth,
and that right had been denied them
| Mt every turn. From Cape Colony to
Natal, from Natal to the Orange Free
State, from the Free State to the
Transvanl, they had encountered Brit:
| lRh aggression, had fought ana bled
and abandoned land after land and
home after home in seemingly fruit
less effort to maintain their independ-
ence. and now that she had been grant
cd them they were confronted with the
danger of being ruled by n transient
population. whose only interest In the
state consisted In the enrichment or
their private fortunes by the eNploitn-
ton of the gold deposits.
Mr.. Melring does not deny that there
has been legitimate ground for griev-
nnce in the Withholding OF the fran.
chlse to the extent which has obtained
OF recent years in the TransvnRl. There
are two political parties among the
Beers, the Conservatives and the Lib
erals, or progressive party. The latter
hns commended that the franchise act
should be broader. and that the prlncl-
ple must be acknowledged that resi-
dence entities one TO n vote. Heretofore
the latter party has always been In the
minority In the yolksrRnd. but Mt the
| elections In April last they obtained n
small majority.
The Liberals, having. then, obtained
a majority In the vollBraad, the eX-
tension Of the franchise and the intro
duction OF more liberal laws WIS about
to follow as a natural consequence. In
the meantime. however, certain men
who had their own interests to serve
began an agIt0tiOn for immediate re-
form. and made passing grievance n
preteXt for their attempt to involve
England in n war with the Transvaal.
The dynamite monopoly Is the second
most important grievance OF which the
Ultlanders complain. The Transvanl
government has granted IN exclusive
franchise to n large syndicate, COM
npsed of German and other capitalists,
10 manufacture dynamite In the coun-
try. and has forbidden the Importation
OF the article from other countries. The
price demanded for dynamite by this
ayndicate IL Is shlllinEs n case. and It 10
declared that an American company
recently offered to deliver II In the
Trnnsvaa for 50 shllllngs.
with regard to this monopoly Mr..
AIeIrlng said that II was also one OF the
matters which the progressive party
now IN the majority In the volksraad,
proposed to change hut they had en-
cuuntered the stendy opposition OF
President Kruger, who had threatened
TO resign when the popular body re-
ported in favor OF the dlscnntlnuance
Of the monopoly. The reason which