The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-18

believe that no people can understand
what 1t is to struggle for freedom ex-
cept a people which has gained its free
dom by such a struggle. We. have been
told to avoid the pitfalls of party
cliques, and we can say that we are as
ignorant of party cllqueS as when we
arrived. The reception that has been
given US comes from all classes of peo-
pie. We cannot think that the mission
to seek peace for our country-peace
with honor-Wil be unsuccessful. We
hope we shall attain the objects of our
mission and we are encouraged in our
hope by the splendid reception we are
given everywhere. You, Mr.. Mayor,
would not receive US as you do if you
thought us unworthy.
This reception by you is an honor
which we win remember. The small,
liberty loving people will think the bet
ter of their big brother. We think we
will come well out of the struggle. We
have been told that 80 per cent. of the
people of America sympathize with us
We want to convert the other 10 per
cent. by simply telling the truth. We
hope that a free people will not have
appealed to you free people in vain"
Alderman Kennedy then read an ad-
dress prepared on behan of the mu-
nicipal assembly, welcoming the dele
gates.
Then Mr.. Van Rennesslar introduced
Delegate Vessels, who said:
Each member of this committee has
a part to perform. The part assigned
to Mr. Fischer is speech making. We
have other duties which we will not
mention now. We have come to tell
the free people of America that we
mean to win, and to retain our freedom,
if not today, tomorrow, if not tomorrow,
we will keep on fighting for it the next
fight for our liberty. We did not want
to fight, but we had to. We ought to
be worth some consideration to the
United States because we are one free
people appealing to another. We do not
/ ask you to fight for us, but we ask you
/ to say to England stop and we think
/ that if America said the word the war
| would be stopped. We are doing our
! own fighting, but you can hardly caIl it
! a war. 1t is like a little boy trying to
defend himself when attacked. If we
/ are beaten America will probably be
ashamed in future years if the question
should be asked What has happened
to your little sister?'
Delegate Wolmarens, who spoke in
| Dutch, gave history of the Transvaal
| trouble from the beginning. He said:
We never sought the war. It was
thrust upon US. We We're robbed of our
| independence in 1877 and regained it in
/ 1881. BY the cooperation of small but
/ we'll disposed party in England, of
! which Mr.. Gladstone was the head, we
got the convention Of 1884 which gave
US our independence without Suzerain-
The question was not disputed until
after the Jameson raid. We have tried
to have all of our disputes arbitrated
/ This has been refused by Mr.. Chamber
lain and Sir Alfred Miner. We are
gratified at the way America. has sub
scribed for the widows and orphans OF
the Beers. We want to prevent the
making of more widows and orphans by
dunn dunn bullets or otherwise"
Before you leave" said Mr.. Van
Wyck, Il want to express to you my
sincere sorrow at the death of General
Joubert. ] knew him when he visited
this country and he told me all about
the previous trouble. I hope you Will
convey to his widow my deep sorrow
Again 1 wish you God speed. May yOU
be successful in your mission
The members of the municipal assem-
bly, who were present were each in turr
introduced to the delegates. Then &
group of women were introduced an6
Mr.. Fischer said he relied on the Wo-
men of America to help along thai
sympathy for the struggling Beers
which was now so sorely needed.
As the ENJOYS left the city hall, they
were shaken by the hands. by persons
on all sides.
crowd set up a cheer and Mr.. Fischer
standing on the steps of the city hall
delivered a brief address in which ht
said the people of the Transvaal anC
the Orange Free State were struggling
| for their liberty and wanted the sym
| pathy of the people of America. TheI
they We're escorted to their carriages.
took several minutes to extricate tn,
carriages from the crowd which pressed
around and shook hands with the dele
gates.