The Portland daily press., 1899-09-26
New Proposals To Be
Communicated.
InsinuatiOns of Breach of Faith
Resented.

London. September 25-The officials of
the foreign office gave out this evening
the text Of the letter of the Secretary OF
State for the Colonies, Mr.. Joseph Cham :.
berlain, to British High Commissioners in
south Africa, Sir Alfred Milner, dated
September 81 The British reply expressed
regret thst Her Majesty's offer No of
September had been refused and said,
The object Her Majesty's government
had in view in the recent negotiations
has been stated in a manner which can.
not admit of Interpretation, viz, to OBJ
tain such substantial and Immediate rep.
reseutation for the Outlanders as will en-.
able them TO secure for themselves that
fair and just treatment which was prom
ised In 1881 and which Her Ma
iesty intended to secure for them
when she granted Erivieg of
self-government to the Transvaal. No
conditions less comprehensive than those
contained in the telegram of septem ber 8
can he relied on to effect thisobject. The
refusal of the South African government
to entertain the offer thus made, COM
ing as 1t does after four months of pro-
tracted negotiations, themselves the cli-
max of five years extended agitation
maAe5 1t useless to further pursue the
discussion on the lines hitherto followed
and the imperial government is now COM
PEELED to consider the situation afresh and
formulate new proposals for final settle.
ent Of the issues which have been created
In South Africa by the policy constantly
followed for many years by the govern
ment of South Africa. They will COM
munioate the result Of their deliberations
in later despatch. In later communi-
cation. dated September 20, the Imperial
government takes up the charge OF breach
Of faith insinuated by Secretary of
State Reitz, September l6. (which"
1t Is pointed out, I'VE cannot pass over
In siience.n
Mr.. Chamberlain then says. "The
proposals made by the South African re-
public. In its letters of August 10 and
August 30 were not induced by sugges.
tions given by the British agent from the
state attorney, as claimed, and that, on
the contrary the state attorney sounded
the British agent, both in writing and
In conversation, as to the conditions under
which the Imperial government would
waive the invitation to joint inquiry
and these communications resulted in
proposals made by the South African gov
ernment In those letters. 1t Is impossible
that the South African government could
have had any doubt as to the Imperial
governments answer to the conditions
named and my reply was actually the
same as the British agent had FORE
shadowed to state attorney and which
therefore they must havs anticipated in
making the proposals.''
The Imperial government also denies
that its telegram of September sth substi
tuted an entirely new proposal for the
invitation to the joint commission of In.
quiry.
The Imperial government then quotes
the despatch from South Africa of Au-
gust 10th. containing an alternative pro.
posal identical with that which the Inn
perial government Is said to have substi-
tuted and the communication then pro-
oesds as follows:
1.-The Imperial government secs no
ground for Misrepresentation on tho part
of the South African republic as to its
answer regarding non-interference and
suzerainty, as the Imperial government
had already stated that 1t would not press
for the appointments of q joint commission
Of INQUIRY. in view Of the fact that such
IN inquiry would. in the opinion OF the
government of the South African rspub-
iic prejudice the right Of full indspen-
denos repeatedly recognized by the impsr-
ial government.
LAS to the uss Of the English language
In the Volksraad the IMPERIAL govern
ment regards this as reasonable and ID as