The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-10
THE BoER COMMISSIONERS.
Their Ofncial Status Here-A WARNING '"'"'
Case Of Citizen Genet

the Secretary OF state ! 10 ho'0'' :.
should not give them an Official nearing IL "
be objected that this would DE 10 ieooSmNo
them as the representatives OF an ihuepene,n'
State. the reply is that Great Britain heise'' mas
recognized the South African kepuohc ever
since 1854.
Up to 1881 the Transvaal was a crown co'ony
OF Great Britain. The convention Oh 'ha' wear
provided that Great Britain should UNDERTAKE.
and guarantee that complete seli-soVerhhieht,
subject to tho suzerainty OF her Majesty wiz
be accorded to the inhabitants oil the irahsVaai
territory"
In 1884 a new convention was entered INTO.
which it was agreed should be substituted
for that Of 1851 and which recognized the people
Of the Transvaal a. THE South African Repuo-
lic." The preamble Of this second convention
recites that the convention of 1881 contains
certain provisions which are inconvenient. and
Imposes burdens and obligations from which
the said State is DESTROYS TO be relieved The
convention of ISIS. mits all reference to or
reservation of the snzerainty Of Great Britain.
and The logical conclusion Il that this 'suze-
r%ainty" was one OF the burdens and obligations
which the new convention was intended to
relieve, and did relieve.
When Great Britain acknowledged her former
colony as 1.-THE South African Republic she In
vestedit with all the attributes OF an independent
nation, among which Is the power to make
treaties and carry on negotiations with other
nations. 1t Is true that the convention OF 1854
provided that The South African Republic will
conclude no treaty or engagement with state
or nation other than the Orange Free State, "
But that was a mere contract between the
norties ,ha, ,bs south African Republio would
nor uso w,,bor, ,ha consent of Great Britain
,ha ,owor ub;oh q, rossossed NJ n renublic of
making ,rea tics with other nations. So far
from heinu a denial of the power Il was an ac-
knowledpnentofi # on the mart of Great Britain.
Troa,ios have of,en been made between SOW
erejpn nations which contained similar proyi-
sions. I'm, il has never been contendod that they
denrived the parties of the mower inherent in
,bem NJ sovareions Whenever they saw ft TO
vol, to euch o,reenents they did 90 and though
those violations were sometimes followed nv
war this only nroves that the acrrieyed nation
sought IN nuni.h the other for tho exercise of
,he novor In v~iol,,ion of IFS agreement Every
nation musi indigo for itself as TO the proprietv
or such n violation. but Tim, Il n question Of
morality and or policv. and NOT of mower,
II then the South African Rcpublic secs nt
in spito of It's agreement with Great Britain ,o
open negotiations with the United States and
sends commissioners Ia us for TINT purposc
uron vhnt urinciple of international law shall
we refuse TO hear them? To hear them involves
Ms in no obligation 10 acccde to their reoues,
After they hayn stated their case and mazda
their onplication We may grant il or refuse /,
A. seems best.
The conduct OF Great Britain during the late
Spanish war was such rs 70 eutitle her 10 our
gratitude She was our only moved friend
during that wor and IN renov her rriandshin
,bor Lv an unrrio,d,v ,to,rornrce Il, tbo s,rrg.
,ho NOW o,iny a, bo, woo, b,r and tho poors
IL ...L ..,., Ia, ~.
- ,... -
'" '''' '''o
mont that we nre ready to tender our good Of
fees whenever il NAV be wiling to receive
them, and they have been Courtpously declined
by il Whether We should 20 further Is very
questionable It is true that the gallant strug-
gle made by these brave Beers in behalf OF their
national existence has aroused the admiration
and sympathy of a great many Of our people.
II is also true that some of them of Dutch
descent are connected bv ties of blood with The
Bner-. while others carry in their hearts the in
hcrited hatred Of England enCendered by CEN
turio, of oppression. But what we shall do in
this mattcr should be determined not merely by
sentiment. nor by the affection or rrvnngeful
feelings Of fraction, Of our population. but b,
considerations Of our duty. our interest and onr
policy rs a nation.
find in TuL Sry's London correspondence
tho following statement.
" i'""Hn"', u"'has,' " Nv s"t"e W Nme'ca
:. " ~. ,H' . -. u =" !"
'"A, =, :. -, ", app'a'
-, MI. md S,nrcy tn :, ron, h.na :. ,ha, ,o
.,rcnVth ~ ,be,r cause and m. na,r,,l svmr,,hioso =,
the masses viii make nossib,c The creation n, . gr.a,
wave Of public feeling which VIII ,weep over Inc
country and compel any Goycrnmen, To how toll
ihc co''Se h''c '"u'c"'eu "o"'u DO u most
improper ana un'or'hh"'e one lor Inc Boer
ou"i''H''he'' W pn',"o' 'hel are anthor-
i"eu 10 man Any ''"'i' COMMUNICATION 10 the
l m''u H'a'''' ."'N Nno.'u make II 10 their
oHlc'N REPRESENTATIVE AZ washington. Inc
poop" u, '"'s country nave u''esa''d 10 The
ire''ueht anu congress ana nor TO mass meet
lnSN '"'"n,S VI 'onul''I"S 'nlr rela'lohs with
lo'''S" """'"H, NV y" 'sli"'e 'he anthorltIes
'hu7 urI'sa,eu !" 10 insult 'helr principals,
Inc rre'on Ni'lIA.cr 'ehet maze ms mistake
WIEN ne 'a.'o '" ''As country III l'9J' On his
arrival At harlrS'"h ne was received with ac-
c''"'r''ohH NV '"S JouiHtN 10 rNI'au''phla was
u p'r'''' oNa'oh hu' "Neh ne undertook to
ue'y Ihe ADMINISTRATION because II refused TO
coIhpIN WIN MS uehldhuS' ana threatened 10