Willmar tribune., 1900-01-10
AN APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE,

DEAR COUNTRYMEN-It is in ac-
cord ance with resolution, nnanim-
otsly adopted at a meeting of Afri-
G lnder and Bond Members of Parlia.
ment, that we address you as follows:
Notwithstanding the most strenuous 8
efforts made by our clergymen, our
l'inisters, our party in Parliament,
our Bond branches, and our women,
by means of respectful petitions, pub
| G meetings, and by other means to
preserve the invaluable blessings of
peace for South Africa, the much
dreaded war has virtually broken out.
Her majesty's forces will soon be
involved in a bloody war with the
burghers of the Transvaal and the
Free State, who are one with us in re-
ligiOn, language, and descent.
There are bu, few Colonial Afri-
c;tnders who are not bound to the in
habitants of both Republics by ties of
relationship, intimacy or friendship
This makes war still more painful to
you and us, and much more calamit-
Gus to South Africa than it would
otherwise be.
It is not our object to inquire to
whom all this misery and calamity
which await our country, owing to the
existing circumstances, are due
Enough acrimony exists without such
Inquiry. Much more does it hefit US
which fills the heart of our people
With a desire to do something in aid
Of our kinsme and friends beyond the
Orange and Vaal rivers, by giving it
an opportunity to express itself in
or 1aoeifi "a in, xr0,.1] Il
deed.
Africanders do in this sorrowful time?
Join in the work of warfare with the
weapons? The law and our duty as
British subjects forbid this, even
should other circumstances not op-
pose such a course of action.
But what neither the law nor the
duty of the subject forbids, and what,
moreover, agrees in every respect
with all principles of religion and
humanity, is the offering of help to
the wounded, TO the widows and the
orphans.
If you are in earnest in your ex.
pressions of sympathy with your
'rothers aud sisters in those parts
you will make sacrifices in favor OF
those men who will be wounded or
mutilated on the field of battle, and
f r the sake of those wives and chill
dren who will be robbed of their only
support in life by sword or bullet.
With that object in view we entreat
you to subscribe to the appended list,
| and to do so with unstinted liberality
When the war is concluded there
will be hundreds, perhaps thousands
of widowe and orphans left quite up.
provided for. It is chiefly on their
ehalf that our party in Parliament
appeal to you. Large sums of money
| will be needed to provide them, even
to a slight extent, with the necessaries
If life.
Let each one, therefore, contribute,
and not only trihe, as if it were for
an ordinary matter, but to the utmost
of his or her means; even though he
or she should have to deny himself or
herself some pleasure or other for a
long time to come. 49,.
Provision will be made to prevent
the abuse of your donation
Mr.. G. G.. de Villiers has kindly un.
dertaken the duties of Hon. treasurer
of the committee. ....-
Give liberal'y and speedily. Open
subscription lists in each district and
each Field-cornetcy, and appoint col
lectors to call upon each inhabitant to
solicit contributions, so that no per.
son be omitted. :s@c -. ''-s. =
Convinced that we have not appealed
in vain, and trusting that an all-wise
Providence may see fit speedily to ter
inmate the calamity of war in South
Africa, we subscribe ourselves with
duo respect, your obedient servants,
Cape Town, October 10, 1899.
N. F. DEWAAL, M. l.. A.
>,'> Jos. N. HOFFMAN, M. l., A.
j. II. HoFMEYR,
49, THos. P. THERON, M. L. A,
d. j, A, VANZY1., NJ. L. A,