The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-10-25

was an agreement whereby the queer
as sovereign granted certain rights o.
self-government to the Transvaal, while
retaining her suzerainty.
This enveloped the British govern
ment in an atmosphere of suspicion anc
IS largely responsible for all the diff
culties since.
During the present summer tht
Beers actually granted all of England
original contentious. They have pass
ed law reducing the term Of residence
for naturalizations to seven years. The
hitch in the negotiati ons has been part
" the question of suzerainty, partly thf
British determination to have a join
British Boer inquiry into the working:
of the franchise, partly the British re
fusal to submit the other disagreement
to impartial arbitration.
The rupture came about in this man
ner::
On August 81 the Beers, having beer
assured by the British agent at PFeto
ria, Mr.. Greene, and by Sir Alfred Mil
ner that the proposals they submitted
would in no way affect the status OF
their case and would in all probability
be accepted, sent the following pro
posals:
That they would reduce the residence
for enfrauchisement to FIVE years and
institute all the electoral and repre-
sentation reforms asked by Britain on
condition (D that Great Britain should
Iromlse to not interfere again in the
internal affairs of the republic; (2) that
nothing more should be said about
"suzerainty::" (3) that all matters in
dispute should be submitted to arbitra-
ton.
That is the Beers were willing tc
run the risk of being reduced to a
minority in theiroBn republic provided
that the integrity Of the republic
should be thus guaranteed.
Mr.. Chambelain rejected these pro-
posals and put forward fresh propos
ais, making larger demands than ever
The Transvaal government then with
drew its proposals and asked that
Great Britain drop its fresh proposals
and go back to the original proposals:
The Transvaal government professed
itself ready to accept those proposals.
On Sent. % Mr.. Chamberlain sent
this reply, breaking of negotiations
and foreshadowiDg an ultimatum:
The imperial government are now
compelled to consider the situation
afresh and formulate proposals for a
final settlement of the issues which
have been created in South Africa by
the policy constantly followed for
many years by the government OF the
South African Republic (the Trans
vaal
'They will communicate the result Of
their deliberations in later dispatch.
The Beers had been stunned by the
British rejection of their proposals OF
Aug. 2l.-Mr. Greene had told them
that those proposals would probably be
accepted. He recommended them to
Sir Alfred Miner in an official note for
acceptance by the British government:
During the latter part of August and
throughout September Great Britain
pressed preparations for war in South
Africa. After Mr.. Chamberlain sent
his ultimatum, or rather foreshadow'
ing of an ultimatum, on Sept. %. these
preparations were pushed with vigor,
and Mr.. Chamberlain and other mem,
bers Of the government made war
speeches.
The Beers decided that the last hope
Of peace was gone. They waited fol
MIR. Chamberlain's promised ultlmatum
until Oct. 9. Then they sent him an
ultiaatum demanding an agreement to
impartial arbitration and the cessation
of the campaign Of military investment
of the Transvaal.
Mr.. Chamberlain's ultimatum, en-
bodying the final proposals of the Brit.
ish government which the Trausvaal
must accept'or 60 to war, was going
over the wires to South Africa while
the Boer ultimatum was on its way to
London. 1t has never been published
There is up to the present time nc
trustworthy information as to its con-
tents
Such is the story. 1t needs no argu
ment to show that England was and is
the real aggressor aud that the Boer
states are but contending for thelI
clear and acknowledged rights.