The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-11


the Americans just rs a householder whose
premises have been entered by burglars
welcomes the police.
James Bryce on the South African War
II there Is any Englishman In active po-
litical life whose opinions have weight on
this side OF the Atlantic, 1t is the Right Hon.
JAMES BRYCE, NJ. p, well known to us as
the author OF The American Common
wealth" and OF impressions OF South AZ
RIGA" Those who desire to judge for them
selves whether England Is justified in her
attempt to coerce the Transvaal will do we'll
TO read the account OF antecedent events
which Mr.. BRYCE has contributed to the
North American Reriep. As 1t happens. his
statements and deductions are confirmed
in another article which Mr.. KARL BLIND
has written for the same periodical
Thoroughly to comprehend the relations
which had existed between England and the
Beers OF the Transvaal up to the time when
Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN practically drove tho
latter to invoke the arbitrament OF war, we
should begin with 1852, when a treaty
known as the Sand River Convention was
made with representatives OF those Beers
WIN u"tit utsohu buc lHlb
treaty guaranteed to them 1.-The right to
manage their own affairs and to govern
themselves according to their own laws
without any interference on the part OF the
British Government" Two years later
another convention was made at Bloem-
fontein, by which the Beers Giving in the
sovereignty between the Vanl and Orange
Rivers were declared to be "a free and
Independent people" and the future indie
pendence OF the country and It's govern
ment was guaranteed. From these two
recognitions OF Boer independence sprang
the two Boer republics. From that day
to this the Orange Free State has MAIN
tanned it's separate political existence,
but In April, 1877, British High Com
missioner, Sir THEoPHILUs SHEPsTosR, pro-
claimed the annexation OF the Transvaal to
the British crown.
This annexation Mr.. BRYCE does not
hesitate to dcnounce as "a high-handed
act, for 1.-THE republic had enjoyed COM
plete independence, and Britain had no
more right to annex II than she had TO
seize tho neighboring territories OF Port
ugal." SHEPsroSE's assertion that the act
had been requested by the Beers was forth
with refuted for the authorities OF the
republic entered a solemn protest, and a
memorial addressed to the British Govern
ment and praying that the annexation
should be reversed was signed by large
majority OF the citizens. To these remon-
strances Lord BEAcoNsFIELD turned a deaf
ear, but 1t was the recognition of their JUS
tice, and not the victory at Majuba Hill,
which caused Mr.. GLADSTONE to conclude
the convention OF August. 1881. with the
provisional government which the Doors Of
the Transvaal had set up.
BY this instrument Britain recognized
the Transvaal State as autonomous reserv-
ing to herself, however the control OF all
foreign relations. and expressly declaring
the suzerainty OF the Queen. The Beers not
unnaturally thought that their republic
ought to have been replaced in the position
defined by the Sand River Convention, a
position OF perfect independence; and dur
Ing the next four years, they strove to
regain II. In 1884, they persuaded the late
Lord DERBY, then Colonial Secretary, to
agree to a new convention, the articles Of
which were to supersede those Of the con-
vention OF 1881. The London Spectator has
alleged that the preamble OF 1881 was
retained. but this, as we shall see, was not
tho case. That the supersession was COM
plete was, for many years, acknowledged
by every British statesman, including Mr..
CHAMBERLAIN, until, desiring pretext for
Interpolation. he saw fit to speak Of "con-
ventions" in the plural. The truth 10, as
Mr.. BLIND points out, Lord DERBY. with
his own hands, struck out everything
referring to suzerainty from the old treaty.
The proof OF this IL contained in the Blue
Book The suzerainty was cancelled and
crossed out by him with black lines in the
preamble as we'll as In the three paragraphs
In which 1t had been mentioned. He then
offered what he himself called " new treaty,
In substitution for the convention at Pre-
torsa." To the new treaty was given new
preamble. The Transvaal deputation had
come for the express object OF getting the
suzerainty abolished and a new treaty nut
In the place OF the old one. They got what
they had come for. They had also demanded
that their country, which in the convention
OF 1881 was called the "Transvaal State, ="
should be recognized once more as an
independent South African republic"
Another decisive fact ought not be over
looked. While the Queens suzeralnty
existed between 1881 and 1884, a so-called
Resident was appointed at Pretoria to
represent the British Crown In its suzerain
capacity. In 1884, on the other hand.
the ONCE OF Resident was abolished