The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-16

London, March 1.-THE United States
gov Iament. at the request of Presi-
den Kruger and President Steyn, has
ofe ID to the British government its
setI.ceS as mediator. with the view Of
ringing about peace in South Africa.
Lord Salisbury has not yet replied,
but a representative Of the Associated
Press lenrnS that there is little doub
he wiH decline the United States good
sf6ces. He will do 30, however, in
terms al cordial n polite as those in
which the offer was couched.
6:1s %. n.-The United States charge
d'affaires. Henry White, saw Lord
Salisbury at the foreign office this
evening and received a formal reply
from the British government, declin-
ing the good Offices of the United
States in regard to peace. 1t is under
stood that n reasons of the premier
are Identical with those already cabled
to the Associated Press.
The interview between Mr.. White
and Lord Salisbury was very brief,
he premier combining himself to a
courteous verbal d~eclinatiOn, without
entering into details.
Berlin, March 13.-It is semi-offciaIIy
that when the Orange Free
State and the Transvaal addressed to
a number OF the larger and smaller
states a request for friendly media
ton, the German government replied
that it would willingly participate
provided the essential condition of
such mediation were present, namely,
the certainty that both belligerents de-
sired it.
kilograms from Presidents Kruger
and Steyn to the Marquis of Salisbury
were read in both houses of parliament
today and the concluding paragraph
of the British premier'S reply, saying
her majesty's government is not pre-
pared to assent to the independence
either of the South African republic or
of the Orange Free State, elected pro-
lOnged cheers.
THE CABLEGRAM FROM KRUGER,
a parliamentary paper Containing
the kilograms ent to the British gov
eminent by the presidents of the South
African Republic and the Orange Free
State and Great Britain's reply there
to was issued this afternoon. 1t first
gives the telegram sent by the two
as follows:
"Bloemfontein, March 5, 1900.
The blood and the tears of thou
sands who ave suffered by this war,
and the prospec of all moral and
economic ruin Wherewith South Africa
is now threatened, make it necessary
for both beiligerents to ask themselves
dispassionately, and as in the sight of
the Triane God, for what are they
fighting, and whether the aim of each
\ justifies all this appalling misery and
devastation. With his object and in
View OF the assertions of various Brit
Yish statesmen to the effect that this
2 war was begun and is being carried on
with the set purpose of undermining
her masesty's authority in South At
|. RIGA and OF setting up a government
of South Africa, independent
OF hes anajeSty'S government, we con-
slider it our duty to SOlemnly declare
that this war was undertaken solely as
d defensive measure to maintain the
threatened independence of the South
African Republic and is only continued
in order To secure and maintain the
cOntestabie independence of both re-
publicS as sovereign nternatiOna
states and to obtain the assurance that
those Of her majesty's subjects who
have taken part with us in this wal
shall suffer no harm whatever in per
son OF property.
On these conditions, but on these
conditions alone, are we now, as in the
past, DESTROYS Of seeing peace re-estab-
liShed in South Africa, while, if her
majestJ'S government is determined to
dcSL1VS NIt independence VI NhS ~
puhIics. there is nothing left to us and
10 our people but to p~ersevere to the
end in the curse already begun. In
spite OF the overwhelming preeml-
nence OF the British empire, we are
confident that that God who lighted
the unextinguishable fire of love of
freedom in the hearts of ourselves, and
of our fathers, will not forsake us n
will accomplish His work in us and in
our descendants.
We hesitated to make this declara-
ton earlier to yOur eXcellency as we
feared that as long as the advantage
was always on our side and as long as
our foes held defensive positions far
within her majesty'S colonies, such a
declaration might hurt the feelings and
honor of the British people. But now
that the prestige of the British empire
may be considered TO be assured by
the capture OF one of our forces by her
majesty's troops and that we ave
Whereby been forced to ~vacuat other
positions which our forces had occu-
pied. tbs difficulty is over and we car
. no longer hesitate to clearly inform
y vour government and people. in the
sight uf the whole civilized world. why
we are lighting and on what conditions
We a-A ready 10 restore peace
SAIISBURY'S REPLY.
The Marquis of Salisbury replies as
follows to the presidents of the South
African Republic n the Orange Free
State:
Foreign Office, March II.
- have the honor to a~cknowledg'
Your honors' telegram dated March 5tf
from BIoemfontein. of which the pur
port is principally to demand that ne
majeSty'S government shall recogniz'
the contestable independence OF IN
South African Republic and Free stat
as sovereign International states
and 10 offer on those, terms TO Drlh;
the war to a conclusion.
IN the beginning of October las'
peace existed between her maJest
and the two republics under conFen
lions which then were in existence. :
discussion had been proceeding 10
some months between her majesty
government and the South African he
public of Which the object was to Oh
tain redress for certain very serlou
grievances under which the BIRTHS
\ residents in South Africa were surfer