The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-11-27

African republic, landed here at 10:45
O'Clock a. m today.
The scene at the landing place was
an animated one. The decks of all the
steamers in the Lyons basin were
crowded with sightseers. The crowds
swelled to great proportions as the
news spread through the city that the
Gelderland had entered the harbor.
a cold northwest wind, which set in
during the night, cleared away yester-
days clouds and the morning broke
fresh, but with bright sunshine. The
inner harbO was all the gayer for the
decoration of a number of French
yachts with muti-colored flags and pen.
nants, among which Boer flags were
prominently displayed.
The Gelderland was sighted several
miles out at Z o'clock in the morning
and Mr.. Leyds and Messrs. Fischer
and Vessels, an interpreter, and DR..
Van Hammel Immediately proceeded
to the Dutch warship in a steam
launch and boarded her.
a conference between the Boer lead
ers ensued while the cruiser was slow
ed down behind the island Of Chateau
diff. She remained there until 10
o'clo K when she steamed into the har-
Dor, firing 4 salute of twenty-one guns,
tt which a shore battery replied. The
Gelderland was decorated with flags in
rainbow fashion.
An outburst of cheering from those
on board the vessels in the harbor an
bounced to those waiting to receive
I.-~ NAo4 ~ hol 1nff hA No1
derland; a few minutes later the barge
of the Gelderland, with the Dutch flag
flying at her stern, an officer standing
at the tiller n a group of civilians
sitting in her stern, in the center of
which was h unmstakable figure Of
the former Boer president, was seen ap-
preaching the landing Stage.
His companions, Messrs. Fischer,
Vessels and others, were b~areheaded;
Mr.. Kruger was wearing a tall hat,
bound with deep crepe and much the
worse for wear, a thick dark overcoat
and muffler and steel trimmed specta-
cles. AS he approached the shore he
raised his hat and acknowledged the
cheering. He seemed strong and had
no need of a helping arm from the
barge to the shore.
Mr.. Kruger was borne on an ~irresist-
able wave Of enthusiasm from the
landing stage to his Motel. The broad
streets and b~OuleVardS through which
the route lay presented a perfect sea
of human beings, all gathered there
prompted by the unanimous desire tc
welcome the aged Boer statesman.
From the moment the white, 12-oar-
ed barge left the sid of the Gelderland
with Mr.. Kruger, VINO appeared to bs
in good health, sitting in her stern
surrounded by the Boer representa-
tiyes, a storm of cheering broke an6
never ceased until Mr.. Kruger entered
IT. I~-E-I T--n- r-n@& rrc
of people remained in front of TIL
building until Mr.. Kruger appeared or
the balcony where he had to remain
for sometime, uncovered. acknowledg
ing the acclamationS of his thousand:
of admirers, who continued cheering
until they were hoarse from Shouting
Replying to the addresses of vel
come of the presidents of the Paris an
Marseilles committees, Mr.. Kruge1
spoke in Dutch and in a lOw voice, ac
cOmpanying his words with energetic
movements of his hat which he helC
in his right hand He said:
81 thank the president of the Mar
settles committee and the president o
the central committee of the independ
ents of the Beers for their welcome.
thank all this population assembled il
great ~concourse to greet me. for al
though 1 have not come to seek festivi
ties, still /, nevertheless. accept wit
all my heart, these acclamations, for
know they are dictated to you by tn
emotions which are Inspired in o b.
our trials and by your sympathy for ou
cause, which is that of liberty, which
awakened you / am truly proud am
happy at having chosen as my point o
landing a port in France, to set foo
on free soil, and to be received by yo1
as a free man; but my first duty is t
thank your government for all tn
tokens of interest that again only re
-
II believe England. had h bee
better informed, would never have con
scented to this war, and since h expe
ditiOn of Jameson, who wished to Se1Z
n two republics without the necessit,
of firing a rifle shot, 1 ave never ceas
ed to demand a tribunal of arbitration
which up to now a always been re
fused.
THE war waged on us in the two re
publics reached the last limits of bar
barism. During my life I have had t
fight many times the vag of tn
tribes of Africa, but The barbarians W
have to fight now are worse than tn
others. They even urge the Kaffir
against us. They burn the farms W
worked so hard to construct, n the
drive out our women and chlldre
whose husbands and brothers the
have killed or taken prisoners, leayin
them unprotected and roofleSS, and OF
ten without bread to sat: but whateve
they may do, we will never surrender
We will fight to the end. Our grea
imperishable confidence repcses in tn
Eternal. in our God. We know on
cause is just and If the justice of me
is wanting to us He. the Eternal, VIII
is master of all peoples, and to whor
belongs the future, will never abando
us.
81 assure you that if the Transvaa
and the Orange Free State must los
their independence, it will be becaus
all the Boer people have been destroye
with their women and children"
The declaration that the Beers woul
not surrender dispelled at once any i'm
preston hat Mr.. Kruger intends I
accept a comprxnise from the BIRTHS
government. His announcement wa
greeted with a oar Of cheers an
cries of "Vive Kruger" "Vive lie
Beers" '"Vive la Liberte."
The sun was shining down on NJ
Kruger, and he held up his hat I
his eyes from the glare, whic