The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-04
ENGLISH VIEW
OF THE BOER WAR.
To Right the Wrong and Uplift the
Down-1rodden.
NOT OF ENGlAND's SEEKING
The English agent Put Up With
Abuse and Insult That No Other
Representative w lid
Have Borne.
NOT OF ENGLAND's SEEKING

Inc EIafneS mas received Inc 1pi!oWlnS
letter from Mr.. James N Spreull, giving
the English view Of the Boer war:
/ am u native of your city who has
spent many years abroad, but regularly
receive American papers and have been
very much surprised that any American
should say (for do not bel!eve) he has
symEathies for the Beers.
A letter from America which fell into
my hands put determination in me to
write TO your paper. The sentence which
took exception to being some features
OF it Ghe war; are not clear TO us, and
so the full justification of it docs not
clearly appear I have pleasure in writ
Ing in defense of the war, my only OBJ
lection being that / shall not be able to
carry on an animated debate with your
readers. But first let me say that some
Americans with n puerile hatred for
England and without investigating the
cause Of the war. have pronounced their
opinion, Viz: That England is land
grabbing, etc, to thoushtlcsSiy give such
an opinion is TO my mind criminal, but
will YOU excuse me il ] say on this occa-
sion that the subject is too grave ito give
them the notoTicty which no doubt they
desire
1T would, perhaps, be we'll to trace the
early history of the Beers and the causes
of their great trek The slaves had been
suddenly enancipatcd and placed upon u
perfect political equality with their for
1ner proprietorS. Agents of the Imperial
Government had appraised the slaves,
generally at less than their market value
-two-tifths Of this valuation being the
share apportioned no the Cape out of
the twenty million pounds sterling voted
by the Imperial Parliament, had been
offered to the proprietors as compcnsa-
ton, if they chose to so to London for it.
otherwise they could only dispose Of
their claims at heavy discount. Thus.
in point of fact, only about one-third of
the appraised amount had been rccciv-
ed. TO all Shareholders this had meant
a great reduction of wealth, while 10
many OF those who were in debt IL was
equivalent 10 the utter deprivation of
property.
Again, the missionaries desired that
the blacks should he collected together
in villages, teach them the first step in
civilization. to labor honestly for their
maintenance. and add to that oral in
structon in the doctrines of Christianity"
Already" said they. latter only a few
years training, many blacks can read
we'll. or better than the ordinary colo
for civilization Unfortunately, the
missionaries, Nanderkemp and Read, were
deceived into believing 4 great number
of charges Of cruelty made against va
Tious colonists. which a little observation
would have shown in most instances to
be groundless: and thcreupon they lodg
ed accusations before the High Court of
Justice. In 1911 between seventy and
eighty cases came before the Circuit
fny- Srin r1,nr 1,-,, l1x-- 20
fly on the frontier which did not have
some relation brought as a criminal be-
fore the judges ito answer TO a charge
of murder or violent assault Several
months were occupied in the trial and
more than q thousand witnesses We're eX
,anlined, hut in every instance the most
serious charges were proved to be with
out founda ton. Only few convictions.
and those of no very outrageous crines,
resulted from these prosecutions, which
kept the entire colony in ferment until
long after the circuit was closed.
WEIRD BEcIEFlCIAL.
The substitution, in 1927, Of the English
for the Dutch language in the Colonial
Courts of law was certainly felt as a
grievance. The alteration, in 1872 of the
system of land tenure, the redemption,
in 1Se5, of the paper currency at only
sc hundredths of its nominal value. and
the abolition, in 1927, of the Courts Of
Ianddrost and Heemraden. unquestion-
ably caused much dissatisfaction, though
all of these measures are now aGrnlted
by everyone 20 have been beneficial.
During the winter of 1886 preparations
for emigration We're being male Ter TIE
Eas;crn and Midland Districts, and as the
middle of the year 1887 there were over
1000 wagons between the Caledon and
Vaal rivers The Eoers then commenced
the work of carving out new countries
for themselves, hut think it would be
of little interest following their petty
fcuds, but ! shall rather draw your at
tention to the broader issues.
The South African Republic had been in
existence as an independent State for
twelve years when it reached that con-
dition of Insolvency which appeared to
invite. or at least Justify, annexation as
the only alternative to complete ruin and
chaos. And there Were few, even among
the most uIcompromising supporters of
the Beers, who seriously attempted to
show that the Transvaal had any pros
pect OF proloneing its existence as an in
dependent State for more than few
months.
Men had refused to pay taxes. The
Beers, spread over ayvast country. We're
stunned by party discomfort The rcpu11-
lie owed f2l5.o0o grounds sterlingl, which
1t had no means of paying. Its creditors
were clamorous, there was no public
opinion to support or save the Govern
1nent. Into this chaos entered Sir The
ophilus Shepstone. Three thousand out
of eight thousand voters actually signed
petitions in favor of annexation.
President Burgers read an address to
the Rad to the following:
II would rather be a policeman under
strong government than the President
of such a State. 1t is you-you members
ofthe Rad and the Boers-who have lost
the country: you have ill-treated the ma
tives. you have shot them down. you
have so,E them into slavery, and now you
have 10 pay the penalty" .'Do you know
what has recently happened in Turkey?
Because no civilized government was car
ried on there, the Great Powers intcrfer-
ed and said Thus far and no further
and IL this is done to an empire, Will q
little republic be excused When it mis-
behaves" Our people have deetnerated
from their former position: they have
become demoralized. To-day a bill for
1.lco pounds sterling was laid before me
Tor signature. but I would sooner cut
OF my right hand than sig!, that paper.
for have not the slightest ground to ex-
poet that when the bill becomes due there
VIII be a penny to pay it with. The
5 Great Powers. with all flair s,~>,, .,,.r