The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-20

chise, naturalization oath like that of
tho Orange Free State, the right to
vote Immediately upon naturalization,
and equitable legislative representation.
Mr.. Kruger objected that this would be
tantamount to handing the country over
to strangers, and proposed as an alterna-
tive a seven-year franchise, only partial
ly retrospective, with admission to full
citizenship at the end Of the probationary
period, made dependent on the concur
renee of q series of Boer officials. That
ended the conference. Mr.. Kruger then
went back to Pretoria, and had the
volksraad pass bill embodying the
forms of the proposition which the Brit
1sh representative had refused to enter
tain. The British government having
naturally declined to accept the reform
as sufficient the volksraad passed an
other law providing for q seven-year
franchise and permissive admission to
citizenship Of grace and not of right and
dependent as before on the voluntary as
sent Of the local authorities. The word
ing OF this law was obscure, and it was
impossible to determine with certainty
how 1t would operate. Great Britain was
willing to accept a seven In place of a
f1ve-year period of residence, but wished
to make sure whether the law which had
been passed would have the effect i'm.
|
proposed another conference. The Trans,
vaal government waited three weeks be-
fore replying, during which time it Inn
ported great quantities Of ammunition,
and made every preparation for war. At
last, on Aug. 10, 1t answered the British
note by making new proposition. It
offered a fve-year retrospective fran
chise, and increased representation upon
condition that Great Britain would sur.
render its claim of suzerainty, pledge
itself never again to intervene in the af-
fairs Of the Transvaal, and concede arbi-
tration from which all foreign elements
other than the Orange Free State should
be excluded In rejoinder the British
government declined to abandon Its claim
Of suzerainty or to give the pledges as to
non-interference In the affairs of the
Transvaal, which had been requested, but
it gave conditional and partial assent
to arbitrate and suggested another con-
ference. The Transvaal replied on Sept.
2, by agreeing conditionally to confer
ence, but at the same time withdrawing
its previous offer and insisting upon the
recognitions of the South African republic
as "a sovereign international state" On
Sept. Is. Mr.. Chamberlain revived the
Transvaal proposal of Aug. 19, leaving
the question Of suzerainty In allegiance,
accepting non-foreign arbitration and
asking that as Dutchmen In the Cape
Colony parliament were permitted to
speak Dutch, Englishmen In the yolks-
raad should be allowed to speak English.
TO this the Beers replied by withdrawing
all previous offers. and accusing the
British government of bad faith. That
ended the negotiations and the next
thing that happened was the dispatch by
the South African republic to the govern.
ment Of Great Britain Of an ultimatum Of
which the following is the text:
THE ULTfMATUM OF THE BOERS
Her majesty's unlawful Intervention in
the internal affairs OF this republic, in
conflict with the London convention of
1884, by the extraordinary strengthening Of
ders of this republic. has caused an in
tolerable condition Of things to arise to
which this government feels itself oblig-
public, but also Of all South Africa, to
make an end as soon as possible and this
government feels itself called upon and
obliged to press earnestly and with en-
phasis for an Immediate termination of
this state Of things and to request her
majeSty's government to give assurances
upon the following four demands:
ence be regulated by friendly recourse to
arbitration or by whatever amicable way
may be agreed upon by this government
and her maJesty's government:
of this republic shall be instantly with
drawn.
Third-That all reinforcements Of troops
which have arrived In South Africa since
June l, 1899, shall be removed from South
Africa within reasonable time to be
agreed upon with this government and
with the mutual assurance and guaran-
tee on the part Of this government that
no attack upon or hostilities against any
portion Of the possessions of the British
government shall be made by this repub
He during the further negotiations with
in a period of time to be subsequently
agreed upon between the governments;
and this government WILL on compliance
Herewith, be prepared to withdraw the
armed burghers of this republic from the
Fourth = That her majesty's troops
which are now on the high seas shall
not be landed in any part Of South Africa.
This government presses for an imme
date and affirmative answer to these
four questions and earnestly requests her
majesty's government to return an an
II, 1899. not later than S o'clock p. m.
It desires further to add that in the
unexpected event of an answer not salts
interval. it will with great regret be COM
PEELED to regard the action of her mai
eStyS government as a formal declara-
ton Of war and will not hold itself re-
SponSible for the consequences thereof.
and that. in the event of any further
movement OF troops occurring within the
above mentioned time In a nearer direc-
ton to our borders. this government will
be compelled to regard that also as a
formal declaration Of war I have the
honor to be, respectfully yours.
F. w. Reitz, State Secretary.
Such a communication admitted of only
one reply. 1t was tantamount to a dec
iaration of war, and the British govern
ment confined itself to an acknowledge
ment of Its receipt The Beers immedl-
ately entered Natal and the war be-
tween Great Britain and the South At
rican republic had begun.