The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-13
CJos. Oil in Atlanta CONSTITUTIONS

(Jos. Oil in Atlanta Constitution.)
Washington, January 2.-"General
Jouber was not a confederate and 1
am glad of it, for 1 would hate TO see
any old confederate fighting on the
side of the Beers" said Rev. DR.. J.
William Jones, of Richmond, in a re-
cent interview. 4 confess that for
one L should be sorry to know that a
confederate soldier was now in the ser
vice of the Beers fighting against the
fundamental principles for which the
confederate contended IN tue great
war between the state"
This sentence, appearing in a Rich
mond dispatch TO a washington paper
attracted my attention for the reason
that | had heard so many old confed-
crates take exactly the opposite view
of the case. These others cOntended
that the Beers in fighting in defense
of their homes were fighting for the
same principles as those for which the
southern soldiers cOntended; and in
order to ascertain whether DR.. Jones,
so well known in Georgia, had been
properly quoted, 1 wrote him asking for
his views at greater length.
What he has 10 say on the subject
will, / am sure, prove interesting read
ing. In his reply to my letter of in
Quiry he says:
HIS VIEWS ARE GIVEN.
If 1 have read Alright and under
stood correctly the real issue between
the Beers and Great Britain is simply
this: At the earnest request of this
sO-called republic a large number of
the subjects of Great Britain and other
cOuntries-making in all about 150, 900
migrated 10 the Transvaal, bought
lands and mines at enormous prices
and engaged in business with the I'M
d~erstanding that they were to become
in due time citizens of the Int en-
titled to all of it's rights and privileges.
So far, however, from accomplishing
this they AVE been denied by the
Beers the right of suffrage or the slight
est participation in the administration
of the While the heaviest
taXeS-amOuntinS in some cases almost
TO COnfiScatiOn-haVe been imposed
upon their property. Indeed, these 150,-
600 titlanders have been practically
paying all of the taxes and supporting
the government, all of offices and
emOlumentS of which have been mo-
nopOliZed by the Beers. Much has
been written about the primitive SIM
plicity and nOstentatiOuS life of Pres
ident Kruger loom Paul. and vet his
eXceIlency draws the modest salary of
$35, 900 per annum, and his sOn-in-law
recently erected a private residence
that cost $3.50, 900. These U~itlanderS,
as the foreigners are called, live in
cities which they have built, with no
voice in the municipal government, no
right to improve their eXecrable sani-
tary condition or to do anything except
to pay the enormous expense of runn-
ing the city government. They are de-
MED the right of carry any arms
whatever, while every man and boy
among the Beers is heavily armed and
drilled at the expense of the Uitlanders.
They have been denied the RICH of
holding public meetings, publishing
~ewspapers, criticising the govern
ment or it's officials, or of even petition
ing for a redress of their grievances.
DEATH SENTENCES ARE IMPOSED
When some of them were suspect
ed of COnSpiring TO revolt against this
condition of things, they We're arrested
and after a mock trial sentenced to
death, and released only upOn the pay
ment of fines varying from $25,0 900 to
500, 900 each.
Great Britain, Who glory it is that
she protects her citizens in whatever
and they dwell, was seeking by negO-
tiatiOn to alter these conditions. when
the Beers. after full preparation for
war. laid down their ultimatum, and
when it was not accepted, declared
war. rushed their legiOns into British
(tI IltIN anu DtSIcStu bIlllSl lOIlS.
The real situation, then, is not that
the Beers are fighting for their own
homes and property and rights. but
that they are fighting to hold in slavery
and live on the Uitlanders whom the
have so SrieyOusly oppressed and
wronged. and Great Britain is not wag-
ing a war of invasion and conquest
against a free people, but is seeking to
defend it's own citizens from outrage
and to restore to them the GOdgiven
rights of life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness
In a word, Great Britain is now re-
versing her position in the war of the
American revolution. and is fighting
for the principle of no taxation with
out representation and no government,
especially in a so called republic, with
out the consent of the governed
Without. therefore. going into any
discussion of the causes which led the
great war between the states but as
an ardent confederate who for four
years followed with youthful devotion
the battle flag of the c~Onfederacy. and
who. while fully accepting the situa-
ton, and yielding TO none in present
loyalty to the union yet most devotedly
believes that the cOnfederates were
right in their struggle for constitutions
al freedom. / do not hesitate to declare
that the UitlanderS. as l see it. repre-
sent the principles for which our faith
ers fought in 1T16. and for which the
cO~nfederates fought in 1S61-65. and that
I fully sympathize with Great Britain
in defending her citizens against the
tyranny oppression and wrong of these
SO-Called champion of republican free
dom.
4 am glad. then. that General Jou-
bert w&s not a confederate, and hould
regret to hear that any old cOnfeder-
ates were fighting on that side"
REVOLT OF SPANISH PRISONERS