The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-21
Boer Delegates Given a Rousing Re-
ception and Afflicted with Mr..
SuIzer and others.
DEMAND FOR INTERVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE SPEECHES MADE
AT THE BIG MEETING.
Purity and Charity of the Burgher
EuIoHized and His Claim on Ihis
Country Emphasized.

WASHINGTON. May 2O.-An audience re-
markable for its size. sympathy and enthu-
siasm greeted the Boer ENJOYS at the re-
ception given in their honor tonight at
the Grand Opera House under the auspices
of the congressional and citizens commit
tee Long before the time for the meeting
10 omen the house was crowded TO suffoca-
ton, and many were turned away. unable
to gain admittance The interior was APP
propriately decorated with the national
tri-colors of both the United States and
the Transvaal While official Washington
was not represented in any manner there
were probably thirty members of the SEN
ate and the House occupying seats in the
auditorium and on the stage. Speaker
Henderson was in box, and others pres
ent were Senators Daniel of Virginia, Tel
ler Tfllman. Pettigrew. Mason and Wei
lington; Representatives Shafroth, Walter,
Slayden Glynn. Rupert. Gaines, Latimer,
Lentz, Sulzer, Lands, Linney Ryan,
Greene, Henry of Massachusetts. Hay, De
Almond Clark of Missouri. Miers. and
Rhea of Kentucky.
One of the boxes, ii was stated, had been
reserved for the President, committee
having been sent to the White House with
tickets of admission to the opera house,
but no representative of the Presidents Of
fetal household was hand. Chairman
Sulzer. of the reception committee, pre-
sided, and a number of addresses. all patri-
otto in character and earnestly supporting
the cause of the Beers, were made, the
speakers including Messrs. Fischer. VOL
marans and Vessels, the Boer ENJOYS, Sem
ator Wellington. Bourke Cochran, of New
York. and Mr.. Sulzer. The invocation was
pronounced by the Rev. Father Mackin, of
this city. Chairman Sulzer the first
speaker. After welcoming the ENJOYS and
emphatically stating that the occasion was
nonpartisan and nonpolitical in character,
he said in part:
'In my judgment nine-tenths of the
American people are against England in
this bloody of conquest for sordid
gain, and in sympathy with the Beers.
The best thought of England condemns the
conflict and the awakening conscience of
the British empire demands peace with
honor, in the name of humanity, Christian
ity and civilization.
SAME OLD COMPARISON.
"In 1776 the patriot fathers of this Re-
public fought England to gain our indie
pendence. The South African patriots are
to-day fighting the same country to main
tain their independence That is the only
difference. We sympathized with Poland,
with Hungary. with Greece, with all the
South American republics, with Armenia,
and with Cuba in their struggles for free
dom. Many we helped. Why, 1 ask. in
the name of all that is just and honorable,
in the name of our glorious past, should
we now refuse to lend moral support,
our sympathy and our aid to the patriots
of South Africa? Is American sentiment
dead?
England is now and always has been
the aggressor against the Beers, and COM
PEELED the Beers to strike first. The Beers
will never surrender their love of liberty.
They can only be conquered by being ex-
terminated, and England must not be per-
mitted to exterminate them and steal their
homes. Her criminal march of devastation
must and will be checked. God grant that
the English army may never reach Pre-
toria"
The three Beers were introduced in turn
by Mr.. Sulzer and each of them was
given cordial reception. Their remarks
were listened to with close attention. The
audience gave standing greeting to Com
missioner Fischer, who told his hearers
why the ENJOYS had come to this country,
and what they hoped to accomplish. His
he already has said in published inter-
views.
I'VE have come across the seas. from
two different republics said he, ito see
whether here in the hearts of the people
of q great sister republic the spirit of
more than a hundred years ago is still
alive, whether the sentiment that caused
its people TO take up arms to obtain its
freedom is strong enough to recognize the
feeling possessed by us. We come to
you as a great liberty loving people, In
whom the sense of justice and fair play
is strong and look to you to find prac-
teal scheme to obtain peace with justice.
We come to appeal to your people and
speak to you as brother republicans and
TO ask for a hearing, and hope to obtain
It, The receptions which we have been
given have been most gratifying to us
ever since we have set foot on your
shores. There is no doubt. from assur-
try, that the sympathy of the people Is
with us. We look to you to help US. If
possible. and whether we get assistance or
not, we appreciate the kindly feeling which
has been manifested for u.s."
EULOGY OF HIS PEOPLE.
Commissioner wesselss speech was
vivid picture of the Beers in their contest
for their rights, of The charity and devo-
ton which characterized their manner, and
Of the patriotism with which they all went
in to fight their battles. He felt sure the
auole1ce WOulu dOIillt l0dt the DOeT ndu
many good characteristics, and was not as
black as he had been painted. The Eng
lsh nation apparently wished to act as
judge and jury. He asked the audience
whether the Boer nation had not the right
to claim the sympathy of the United States
and of the whole world. I'VE are doing
the fighting" he said. land have kind
friends in America who will do the speak
ing for u.s."
Mr. Wolmarans, who spoke in Dutch,
said to the audience that while the ENJOYS
did expect to be alphabetically received
In this country, yet they did not anticipate
that they would receive such strong well
come as had been shown TO them in New
York city and the capital of the Nation.
He knew however, il could not be diff
ferent, because the people of this country
have the same love of liberty and sense OF
justice that the Beers had. and their SYM
pathy would be a help to them in their
struggle.
The speech OF Senator Wellington. which
came next, bristled with patriotic utter
ances and was cheered TO the echo by the
audience. The senator said that as Amer
leans we always had held all men entitled
alike TO life. liberty and the pursuit of hap
piness. IL this was true in America he
in the audiencea sked: why not in the
Philippines, also?" 10 which the senator
added mis- assent. He wished Godspeed
10 the ENJOYS in their mission and success
20 their cause. He went on TO say that
England had been our enemy at Bunker
Hill, Yorktown. New Orleans and in the
civil war, when she made an alliance With
the enemy. England was no more our
friend to-day than she hundred years
a EFA IA h