El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-14
WILL HAVE
HIS WAY
The Powers Willing To Keep
Their Hands Off the
Lion
And LET Him ROAR
And Fight Until The South
African Republics Are
Bagged And The Eagle
Weeps

LONDON, March 1.-THE psrlismen
tary paper containing kilograms sen
to the British government by the pres
idents of South African republics ant
Orange Free State, and Great Britain
reply thereto, was issued last night
It first gives the kilograms SEM
by the two presidents TO the Marquis
of Salisbury. as follows:
"BLOEMFONTEIN, March 5.-The
blood and tears of thousands who have
suffered by this war and the prospect
of all moral and economic ruin, where.
with South Africa is now threatened,
make it necessary for both beligerents
to ask themselves dispassionately, and
as in the right of the tribune of God
for what are they fighting, and wheth-
er the aim of each justiies all this ap-
palling misery and devastation.
with this object, and in view of the
assertions of various British statesmen
to the effect that this war was begun
and Is being carried on with the set
purpose of undermining her majesty q
authority in South Africa and setting
up an administration over all of South
Africa, independent of her maiesty's
government, We c0nsid er it our duty to
solemnly declare that the war was un-
dertaken solely as defensive measure
to maintain the threatened indepen-
fsaee : -. -. ~ ~ tsepnbLc.
and it is only continued in order to Sc
cure and maintain the incontestabe
independence of both republics as
sovereign International states, and to
obtain the assurance that these are her
msjesty's subjects who have taken
part with US in this war and we shall
suffer no harm whatever in person or
property.
ssBut on these conditions alone, are
we now, as in the past, desirous of see
ing peace re-established in S. Africa:
while if her mejesty's government is
determined to destroy the independ-
ence of the repu ublics. there is nothing
left for US and our people, but TO per-
severe to the end in the course already
begun. In spite of the overwhelming
pre-eminencs of the British empire,
we are confident that God lighted
an xtinguishable fire for love of
freedom in our hearts and we believe
that he will not forsake US and that he
will ccomplish his work in us and in
our descendants. We hesitsted to make
this declaration earlier to your excel
iency. as we feared as long as the ad-
vantage was always on our side, and as
long as our forces held defensive posi-
tion far within her ma jesty's colonies,
such declaration might hurt the feel
ines and honor of the British people.
But now that the prestige of the Brit
ish empire msy be considered to be
assured by the capture of one of our
forces by her maj jesty's troops and that
we thereby have been forced to evac-
nate other positions which our forces
had occupied we feel that that difficulty
is over and We can no longer hesitate
&c clearly inform your government and
people in sight of the whole civilized
world why we are fighting and on
what conditions we are ready TO re-
store peace
SALISBURY IS REPLY.
The Marquis of Salisbury to the
presidents of the South African repub-
lies and Orange Free State.
FOREIGN OFFICE, March Ill
have the honor TO acknowledge your
honor's telegram ds sted March 5. from
of which the purport Is
to demand her msjesty's |
shall recognize the |
Independence of |
the South African repuolics |
and Free States, as sovereign |
states and to offer on |
those terms to bring the war to con-
clusion.
in the beginning of October last,
peace existed between her maj Jest and
the two repu DIGS under conventions
which then were in existence. A dis
cussion had been proceeding some
months between her majesty's govern
ment and the South African republic,
of which object was to obtain redress
for certain serious grievances under
which British residents in South
frics were suffering. In the course |
of these negotiations the South
African republic had, to the know
ledge of her msjesty's gov |
ernment, made considerable arma-
ments and the latter consequently had
taken steps to provide the correspond
ing reinforcements ts to the British gar
risons at Cspe Town and in Natal. No
nfriu cement of the rights guaranteed
oy the conventions had, up to that
point, taken place on the British side.
Suddenly at two days notice, the South
African republic. after issuing an in
;ulting ultimatum, declared war upon
1er majesty; and the Orange Free
State, with whom there had not even
,een any discussion, took a similar