The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-29

upon TO lead detachment of Beers. The
natives soon learned TO fear him, and the
knowledge that he was at the head OF
punitive expedition usually resulted In the
surrender of the kaffrs.
KRUGER AND JOUBERT.
1t was in these little wars with the ma
tives that Joubert became acquainted with
Paul Kruger. The two became bosom
friends. and the former thereafter forsook
the life Of farmer. though he still re-
tained his farm. for political carrier. He
was Vice President during the presidency
of Burghers, and acted as President during
the latter's absence in Europe Before this
he had been state attorney of the repub-
lie. An event that had great influence on
his career his first visit to England.
when he accompanied Mr.. Kruger. What
Joubert saw there impressed him. as he
never hesitated TO admit, with the power
of the British. but rather accumulated than
Modified his attitude of determined resist
ance to anything that he regarded as Brit
lsh aggression He was always i'm favor of
the use of force instead of diplomacy. and
on several occasions, when he was Vice
President and Kruger President. the latter
had great difficulty in depressing his more
kot-headed colleague
A notable instance of this was i'm 1872
when Joubert was one of the triumvirate-
the others being Kruger and Pretorious-
who Were planning the rebellion to over
throw British rule in the Transyaal. Kruger
had the greatest difficulty in holding Jou-
bert in check when the latter wanted to
rush hostilities before the best moment had
come in which to strike the blow of free
fight. Joubert was selected as the best man
70 have control of the Boer forces. How he
conducted the campaign. which began and
ended so disastrously for the British, is
Known to nearly every one. The battle of
Majuba hill in 1881 was his browning feat
OF generatship. He personally led the force
that dealt to Great Britain blow that she
has never forgiven. and that is supposed
by many persons to be the real cause of the
present conflict.
HOW HE ORGANIZED THE ARMY.
After peace had been arranged General
Joubert did not remain idle The terms Of
the agreement with Great Britain were not
satisfactory to a large number of Beers
Joubert included, and in view of a possible
future conflict, the army of the South
African Republic YVES organized by him.
He divided the country into seventeen
military departments, and each of these
departments int smaller divisions, with
commanders, field comets and lieutenants
of various ranks in charge. Every man,
it is said. became a trained soldier without
leaving his farm. and had his complete
equipment at home. When the summons
came every mnCni man was pledged to appear
clared Joubert had to send only seven
teen kilograms, and within forty eight
hours the entire Boer nation was i'm arms.
Besides this extraordinary perfect Or
ganization, Joubert did more than any one
else in the South African Republic to Sc
cure an immense quantity of artillery.
What the strength Of the republic in mod
ern guns is the British have found out
of the latest and most improved type.
When the jameson raiders were captured
and locked up in Pretoria Jail Joubert ap-
ptaled IN the strongest terms for their I'M
mediate execution. Not even the sugges-
ton of another Boer leader, that the raid
ers ears be cut off, was a sufficiently harsh
measure to please him. He said the
| men deserved death and ought to be sho.
as a warning to others. President Kruger
and Joubert were closeted together for a
whole night, and in the end Dom Paurs
milder counsels prevailed. Nevertheless,
| Joubert on other occasions showed more
| regard for the usages of civilization than
almost any of his colleagues, and the Brit
| ish would rather trust him to act in n
humanitarian way TO prisoners of war than
to any other Of the leaders of the burghers
When. i'm 1884, the Beers raided British
territory In Bechuanalan9. Joubert was al
most the only prominent man who refused
| TO support the movement, and his oppo-
| sition resulted in the withdrawal of the
| Beers from the territory seized On this
occasion Joubert threatened to resign UNI
less ne had his way. II positively refuse. y
ment that deliberately breaks it's coven-
| ants, and We have made covenants with
| England.
WAS HE AN AMERICAN?
Another biographer says: General Jou-
| bert is an American, having been born In
| Uniontown, Pa, in 1si1, and few men have
| had a more picturesque career or know as
much about the relation of the Transvaai
| TO the Swaizes. When fourteen years of
age he left this country and went To Hol-
| land. His taste for war was always keell,
| and when the rebellion broke out he came
| to this country and served in the navy un-
| der Admiral Dupont Later he was captIin
| of colored company under Gen. Weiszel.
After the war he returned to Holland and
| later went to South Africa. When The rule
| of the English became intolerant to the
| Dutch at Cape Colony and Cape of Good
Hope, and many of them went north to the
| Transvaal. General Joubert went with
| them. After he had assisted materially in
driving out the wild beasts, conquering the
SavageS, settling the country, discovering
and developing the diamond fields the En-
| glish suddenly discovered that they had a
claim to this far-away country. He was
| only plain Boer. or farmer. when his fell
! low-subjects determined to resist the Brit
1 ish. In 1884, at the head of a handful of
| Dutch farmers. he met the British army
| at Majuba hill and put it to flight after
| great slaughter. This secured liberty for
| the Beers. and they accordingly look upon
1 General Joubert. now Vice President of the
| South African Republic, as the Washing
ton of their country. General Joubert Wis
| tied this country in the latter part of 1890
| for the purpose of arranging an exhibit at
| the worlds fair for South African products.
While i'm New York the Holland Society
| arranged many receptions and dinners in
his honor.
| Still another biogrpaher says: "Joubert
| was born at 1105 Arch street, Philadelphia.
| Pa. The narrow three STORY building has
| been altered somewhat since it was occu-
| pied by the Joubert family, hut it remains
| to-day practically as il was at the time of
| Jouberts birth. Before coming to Phia-
| delphia the Jouberts had lived a short time
| i'm Holland. The elder Joubert was "A
| Frenchman, but he fell in love with girl
| i'm the south of Holland and soon after
| their marriage they emigrated TO America. .