New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-06

the Partisan press publishes a remarkable historical
article The author. Samuel COrnut. is probably a
descendant Of those French Huguenots expelled
from France in consequence Of the revocation Of the
Edct OF Nantes. in 1856. by Louis XIV. He
sympathizes with those brethren Of the Pill
grim Fathers. who had already crossed the
ocean to reach a land OF liberty in America, and
writes the history OF the French Huguenots who
settled in South Africa. where he shows that they
not too well treated by the Dutch colonlsts'
with whom they finally amalgamated and
formed the Boer nation. This monograph, pub
lished in La Revue Bleue" does extend further
than the beginning Of the present century, when
the Jouberts Cronjes, Du Tots, Delezeys and other
French ancestors Of some of the present military
chiefs in the Transvaal had forgotten their native
language and become thorough Beers.
The revocation OF the Edict OF Nantes, says NJ
Cornut whose article is condensed here was at
first a source OF embarrassment 10 Holland. All
her frontier towns filled with French refugees;
II was an overflow invasion, which, added TO
the influx OF the exiled Vaudois from the Piedmont
increased the perpex!ties and anxieues OF the
Dutch Council OF the Seventeen. II offered in the
autumn OF 1857 a free passage TO the Cape Of Good
Hope TO the French Huguenots on vessel Of the
Dutch India Company. French "pasteur, Pierre
Simon minister Of the Congregation Of the Zee
rickzee Refuge, TO accompany the emigrants
They were TO enjoy the same rights and material
advantages as the Dutch colonsts; every family
was TO receive gratutousy farm and a credit
was to be opened TO them by the Dutch Company
for purchasing furniture, agricultural implements
and provisions. Moreover. they would be at liberty
to return to Europe az the end of five years II
colonization did not agree with them
The vessel which transported 10 the Cape the
vanguard Of the Huguenots wss called the Voor-
schoten. 1t left Delft Haven on December 81, 1881
The Borsenburg and the Oosterland followed re-
Psctyey on ana p 9 lg ss anS Th ina
list OF its forty passengers Is found the name or
Pierre Joubert the ancestor OF me boer a. a.
These shipments up 10 ihe year Ioo h9u' t -
about three hundred emigrants, who landed In an
p9teh settlers R the S cape Who
selves was moved 10 the extent OF starting a
the hands Of the pastor, sTnond. The Dutch Com,
pany furnished some biscuit, peas salt meat ana
a load OF timber for the building OF provisional
buildings "carraquements." The Burghers Coun,,
ell Of the Cape and that OF stelienoosch pro'tHEeG
twelve OK wagons some time later. and the nrst
convoy Of emigrants started for the interior OF the
sim the Of the Cape dId not ntend
The Huguenots. who expected to remain an 10
gether had the disagTeeable surprise OF Oei n9
settled on farms distant IRON ra cac and language
But they managed to 80 every Sunday TO the mouse
They gave TO the cultivation OF the and an ehe LIZ
unknown TO the slower Dutch. Nlneyarus, OIi tI
trees, orchards and other industries Were proHpuy
created. The exiled Huguenots in order to have
at least the illusion Of their native and nance nance
they had lived in France A traveller who visited
the colony bs s2 With beautifui but small
VINEYARDS a LanguedOc and not a hill which was
called after the districts OF the Lyohhais ana
But the colonists were not only French, but also
Huguenots-that Is. strongly indvduallsts ana pro
gressive They wanted to have an autonomous
being governed by the Consistory OF the Eape anu
by the Dutch India Company. In pubic meet
ing they resolved rather mprudenty. not 10 mar!
Holland women and an orator even exclaimed that:
King" Louis XIV they would not submit to the
oppression OF a small Governor Of the Cape 10
these protests more than one ,bai !he would
give bread to dog and to G9iiento' Ieterdam
Council Of the Seventeen granted to me Fremcn
coonists the right TO nave chuTch OF tnei o Rn;
independent Of the Consistory or the ape. pot.'
meanwhile the amalgamation Of the Huguenots
with their neghbors was proceeding; mte i az,
riages were frequent and the settlers could NOT
resist when in i7o9 the French language was inter
dic,ed I'm schools and as an official language rom
that time only two generations succeeded DeIoIe
ten their native language 10 such eAtTie
original name Of many or them was hQllanulZeu..
like that Of Cronje the Boer genera Oh tne peSe
time whose ancestors were named CroSnet. -,
Nevertheless. the Huguenots, feeling themselves
onnressed by the financial eXactiOns Of the Dulch
India Company and by the political regime Oh oiie
tricks" or emigrauons, TO the interior. " mr
the Beers were to initiate later Ihey %Sn' Of the
Kkroo and settled further inland. These France
nutch first in struggles with the naIves t tSs
assocatng themselves with thern, atbR onergy
Kind Of life of the latter and devoted their emery
r. cattle breeding on a large scale. They got ac.
cDstomed to live on isolated farms were I0S.
mon an immense extent OF land SATISFIED VIII
brrIneing with them their Bible and the sentiment
0 ImT' In Io i745 the colony reached the river
Hoery yoes 3" and in i7se the Groo Vsch RIVER The
1oors Tor they already mad that name absorbed
he Hottentot tribe OF the ko som anu i teS
| The Bushnen on the north and the kahirs on the
|