The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-11


their commerce and industry. to any taxes
other than those which are. or may be, i'm
posed upon the citizens Of the said republic.
This government wishes, further, to OBJ
serve that these are the only rights which
her Majesty's government has reserved In
the above convention with regard to the
outlander population of this republic, anc
that a violation only of those rights could
give that government a right to diplomatic
representations or Intervention, while.
moreover, the regulation of all other ques-
tions affecting the position of the rights
OF the outlander population under the
aforementioned convention is handed over
to the government and representatives of
the people of the South African republic.
Among the questions the regulation of
which falls exclusively within the compe-
tence OF this government and Of the Volks-
raad are included those of the franchise ana
the representation of the peopIe IN this re-
public; and, although this exclusive right OF
this government and of the Volksraad for
the regulation of the franchise and the rep
resentation Of the people is indisputable,
yet this government has found occasion to
discuss, in friendly fashion, the franchise
and representation of the people with her
Majesty's government, without, however,
recognizing any right thereto on the part
OF her Majesty's government.
This government has also, by the formu-
lation of the now existing franchise law
and by n resolution with regard to the rep
resentation, constantly held these friendly
discussions before its eyes. On the part of
ner MaJesty's government, however, the
friendly nature Of these discussions has as
sumed more and more a threatening tone,
and the minds Of the people of this republic
and the whole Of South Africa have been
excited, and condition of extreme tension
has been created. owing to the fact that her
Majestys government could no longer agree
to the legislation respecting the franchise
and the resolution respecting representation
in this republic, and finally, by your note
of Sept. Is. 1899. which broke off all friendly
correspondence on the subject and intimated
that her Majesty's government must now
proceed to formulate its own proposals for
the final settlement.
This government can only see in the
above intimation from her Majestys gov
ernment new violation OF the convention
of London, 1884, which does not reserve to
her Majesty's government the right to a
uni-lateral settlement of a question which
is exclusively domestic one for this gov
ernment and which has already been regu-
lated by this government.
."On account of the strained situation and
the consequent serious loss in and Interrupt
tion of trade in general, which the corre-
spondence respecting franchise and the rep
resentation OF the people of this republic
has carried in its train. her Majestys gov
ernment has recently pressed for an early
settlement. and finally pressed, by your in
tervention, for an answer within forty-eight
| hours, demand subsequently somewhat
modified to your note of Sept. IL. replied to
by the note of this government of Sept. Is
| and to your note of Sept 25. 1899. and there
| after further friendly negotiations were
broken off. this government receiving an In
| timation that a proposal for a final settle
ment would shortly be made.
| although this promise was once more re-
/ peated the proposal, up to now, has not
| reached this government. Even while this
| friendly correspondence was still going on
| the increase of troops on large scale was
| introduced by her Majesty's government
| the troops being stationed in the neighbor-
| hood of the borders of this republic.
Having regard to occurrences in the his
tory Of this republic, which it is unneces-
sary here to call to mind. this republic felt
| obliged to regard this military force in the
Il nefghbOrhood OF Its borders as threat
l against the independence of the South Af-
rican Republic, since it was aware of no
/ circumstances which would justify the pres
| ence OF such a military force in South Africa
| and the neighborhood of it's borders. In
answer to an inquiry with respect thereto,
| addressed to his Excelency the high COM
| missioner. this government received, to it's
| great establishment in answer, a yelled in
| sinuation that, from the side of the repub-
| lie, an attack was being made on her Maj
l esty's colonies, and at the same time a
| mysterious reference to possibilities where
| by this government was strengthened in it's
| suspicion that the independence of this re-
| public was being threatened. AS a defen-
| sive measure this government was therefore
obliged to send a portion of the burghers Of
| this republic in order to offer requisite re-
| sistance to similar possibilities"