The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-04
HISTORIAN FRoUDE on SOUTH AZ
RIGA.

Seattle, Jan. . 1900.
To the Editor: James Anthony Froude
the great English historian. in his work.
"Short Studies on Great Subjects" printed
by Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1897,
to be found in the Seattle library. says:
my attention had been drawn especial
ly to South Africa, through what Is known
az the Langababele Disturbances In Natal.
in which two large native tribes had been
destroyed. The head Of one of them.
LAngababele himself. had been tried and
condemned by KAfir-law, the governor
presiding in the capacity Of supreme chief
The proceeding appeared to have been ar
bitrary and violent, and desired to know
the truth OF 1t. 1 resolved at the same
time to extend my tour to the neighboring
republics. Between these republics and
the imperial government a quarrel had
arisen in consequence of the British oc-
cupation Of the lately discovered diamond
fields which had previously formed part OF
the territory Of the Orange Free State.
Yet most people to whom I talk,
seem to agree that in the Orange Free
State the natives are better managed than
in any other part OF Africa. $50
IT cannot but think that It would have
been wise policy. when the Free States
were thrown off.s to have attached Natal
to them.
"In the English colonies I'm South Africa
at any rate there are a set Of people who
answer to the mean whites OF the South
ern states Of America. A large part Of our
emigrants are more or less vagabonds
whom their friends have got rid Of .
THE English in South Africa are pulpy
endogens. They may make nation some
day. but they have'a long Journey to travel
first. 80
'Tf we had said openly, when the dia-
min xHnk
stances were altered, and that 1t was no
longer convenient to leave these provinces
In their present state, they would have
grumbled, but they would have borne 1t.
But when we broke a treaty which we
had renewed only year before, and then
set to work to worry them, and pick quar-
rels with them, and made it seem as II they
had been aggressors. the stubborn Boer set
his back up. and his kindred in the colony,
1t seems will stand by him. - An
Englishman whom met at Christiania told
me he was ashamed of his country =
1T has become painfully clear to me
that the English government has been
mised by a set of border landjohbers into
doing an unjust thing.
THE English trade and speculate, but
they do not cultivate the soil.
II have heard all that the president (of
the Free state) can tell me. have seen
N
time of the sovereignty the British author
tiles themselves occupied the territory
where the diamond fields have been dis
covered, and that we then recognized 10
right to It in Waterboer or his Griquas.
"Waterboer was a native chief, not a
white man. 1t had been under the jurls-
diction of the Free State ever since the
proclamation Of independence. Another
Griqua chief has asserted some vague right
to 1t. The Free State government. wish
ing to be conciliatory. had paid this chief
sum Of money to extinguish any doubt
which might remain. The English govern
ment. in taking up Waterboers cause, have
distinctly broken a treaty which they had
renewed but one year before in very SOL
emn manner; and the colonial office, 1t is
painfully evident to me, has been duped by
an ingenious conspiracy. Duped perhaps
is scarcely the right word. Had we our
selves remained in possession of tho coun-
try, not much would have been heard of
the claims of Waterboer.'
e. BOLINK, M. D,