New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-13
DTTCH WHO FAVOR THE ENGLISH.
WHY FARMERS OF AIWAL NORTH
PASSED RESOLUTIONS OF LOYALTY
FEELINGS OF THE NATIVES.


FEELINGS OF THE NATIVES.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: AS I happen to know something OF
Aliwal North having been its district surgeon
for number OF years l was not at all sur
prised when | read a few days ago that the
Dutch farmers OF that district had passed res
oIution OF loyalty toward the English Govern
ment.
At the time Of my staying there-many yean
ago-business was done at that livery nttle place
bv men of many natonalities, and the Farmers
had in consequence their free choice 10 TRACE
with whomsoever they liked best. Now IN
snite of their alleged deep seated hatred nard-
" could perceive any difference in the amount
Of business on that account and II so II w@
lust as likely to be in favor Of the Engnshmen
as not.
There acted also at the same time as magis-
trote and Judge a fine old Scotchman who.
combining strict justice with mild ana peas
ant manners gave general satisfaction to black
and white, to Dutchman and Briton HIS popu-
laritv was greatly enhanced by HIS hospitality.
of which the young men of the village anu u ."'
adjacent farms frequently made use, the
more so because two or three lovey sH's' Ms
daughters, presided at the simple entertain
David de Wet. the youngest son Of the richest
farmer in the whole district, married one u
these girls This young woman soon became the
favorte Of the entire De Wet circie-a hu'"e''
Gus and influential family.
The continuous friendly contact between
Iutch and English could not fail to exercise
a wholesome influence upon the farmers Oh 'na'
district. and to put them in advance OF tneir
do Of Orange.
began to dress better, to build more substantial
houses on their farms, and by keeping pace WIN
the progress Of their English friends and neigh
bors they gradually became weather., and, ias'
but not least. they began to let their children
have a better education Although feehhg
certain pride in their Dutch origin, they have
Invested themselves greatly OF that prejudice
which unhappy still blinds the judgment OF
even the best informed OF their cousins In the
two republics.
Such are the men Of Aliwal NORTH anu I"
seems not at all likely that instead OF joining
the apparently victorious invading army 'he'
prefer. in common with the English, to project
their houses and farms and to protest their SID
cere loyalty.
And now few words about the NATIVES
We all know how England stands on that que''
ton That the Beers have still the opposi's
view is a misfortune. but nevertheless the tu'"
England's code is that of progressive cizni1"
ton, while the Beers stand where they s'o0'
one or two hundred years ago. Their law III
this respect is to-day still the same as II wss wa,
ages ago. 1t Is the Bible. and nothing Wv
the Bible, every word Of which is believed !"
by this simple people. -.
Thinking and writing about Beers and natives,
my spiritual eye falls upon that lovely spvs
Colenso. How many OF the Beers how nlsny
OF your readers. have an idea OF the meaning
OF that word? To think Of the heroism, wiz,
which It is attacked by the valorous Boer' W
ponder on the stubbornness with which II Is ur
Tended by the equally brave Briton, Is nor AZ,
II stands for more. 1t stands for the hov,s
missionary who. a second Las Casas, speh. ~.
life In educating the poor benighted nau,s,
II stands also for the noble knight who as pisnop
dared TO doubt some OF the contents OF tse
Holy Book second Calico. he was more ioIs
innate than his prototype. The Church sup
pressed him. but the State lifted him up any
protected by English law he quietly CONTINUES
his missionary work. The memory OF TINS nan
still lives in the heart OF the Zulu. Is IL hAe"
'''" DR.. II. X