Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-18


SIR ALFRED MINER AND AFRI-
kANDER MEMBERS.
Memo. of Interview with Governor.
Wednesday. Oct 4, 1899.
Attended Caucus meeting IL a. nj.
NO Ministers present-Intcralio strong
desire expressed that the petition to
Queen should be published. and WAS
asked any reply Observation-Disclosures
to see Walrond as to whether petition
been received and replied to-go to
Government House before noon-ask
for Walrond-sce Walrond-tells me
answer been received and will COM
municate it to me Within quarter Of an
houf--asks me to wait-Ciovcrnor
comes in--tells me that reply received,
ana unfavorable-that the Government
considers time quite gone by to APP
Font commSsion-uSks me where l
shall be TO receive reply-I reply at the
liouse'-he says may expect 1t in ten
mnutes-l say, why is it too late. the
Iransvaal has accepted the Commits
sion?-hc says, yes but the Govern
ment cannot now revert 10 the position
of August 2nd--i say why not. surely
the counter proposals were never in
tended 10 supersedc the Government
dispat they were made OH the dis
tinct understanding that the offer re-
manned open. He replied, well l my
self think that a bona ndc misunder-
standing has occurred. but he said 1t
Is useless To discuss ii. the time for
that has long gone by.-lie asks me
to sit down, and we sit down-Long
conversation cnsucs,-I say the posi-
ton is dreadful, can nothing be done,
thousands of honest hearts will be
brokcn?-he replies. British Govern
ment determined not to so back to the
inquiry stagc,--he says he fears imme
diate hostilltics. but he is now wiring
Steyn and Stcyn replies putting blame
on British Government. and charging
them With responsibility il Boer
attack.-I reply, is that unreasonable
seeing what Government is doing?-
The red coat is where he has never been
before i'll South Africa-he replies. that
our men are thirty miles from the Dor
der at Glencoe and the Beers are on
the boundary.-I say | ain not refer
ring to Natal but to the Western bor-
der,-and can you reasonably expect
the Beers TO wait until they are swll-
lowed up,-1 say, surely something can
still be done. they have wise men and
We have wise men,-I then said to his
ENcellency.-"but does your Excel
lency realize the awful horrors of war
In this country?''-he says 1t will be all
right after 1t is over,-I say, that's the
mistake. 1t is not the actual war fear
so much as the terrible after elects
This country won't he fit to live in.
English and Dutch will never come to-
Gethcr again,-he says, oh yes they
Will, IL Is the war | fear and loss of
life.-I reply. the dead will feel no lon
ger. it is the living arter,-this, country
will be a hell. | say. surely all this
could have been neutrality-suspicious. and
progress are all on our side. why force
hurried issue?-he says. we are de-
tcrmncd to settle the quest ton once and
for all.-He says. why all this arming
going on, this must be stopped, II reply
because Guardsman and Officer, Col
oncl Robert White, told his superiors
before the raid that they Uhe Bocrs)
were an easy prey to the first conner
along, and that is why. and very fool
ish they would have been not to be SO
tarmed). but ] said none of us like the
forts, and Consuls and Ambassadors
and that would all so in timc.-I further
say that this is putting an awful
strain on the loyalty of our Colonists,-
he said he pited men like Fraser and
BrounSer. the others were different
l SAID change places. and Supposing
the Transvnal and English republic
and the conditions changed here. would
YOU or could you prevent Engiishmen
from helping TO defend their brothers
and parents being shot? About now.
BelSravc OF some one rame in hurried
ly and left. after handing the Governor
a slip of paper, I stood up and Cover
nor moved TO where I sat on the sofa
he did not let me go,--I said could
never have dreamed of Africa coming
TO this.-GOvernor replied. well YOU are
all saying it is the capitalists, he said
that is what ] feel very much. II Is
untrue. am not in favor of CAPITALISTS
reply. why then has Rhodes and Co
captured all the leading English news
papers, Times" included, and nearly
all English Cape papers. and why are
they spending all this money misiead-
ing observation-disclosures Is Rhodes the
Raider. backed UP by England and re-
gardcd as the great empire builder of
our Empire in Africa.-I said. the sim
pie Boer he looks at plain facts and
does not regard political refincment-It
Is these suspicious rs TO independence
that renders him logged. IF only he
could be certain his independence we're
not assaulted peace might be secured.
lie replies that they are moving over
forces and joining an issue. saw.
what can you expect after the last dis
patch telling them that II by Friday
last they don't give In they will hear
something else.-thev are bound to be-
iieve you'll said. I cannot understand
all this vague limiting that the Dutch
are disloyal. l know them well and /
have never heard word of dsloyalty
know their deep reverence for the
Queen, and their love of the Constitu-
tion.--Three years ago it was all Ger
man intrigue, and now To poison Eng
fish minds 1t is Dutch disloyalty. and II
vague idea of republlcanism working
outwards from the Transvaal-it is
new vague untrue assertion. He. rising,
replies. well. Mr.. Moltcno II is no use,
| am determined to break the dominion
of Africanderdom,- -thereupon I left.
feeling utterly hopelcss.-went 10 the
House but no reply before lunch and
none up to 3.l5 so wrote again to Wal
rOpl TINT rarbopc b.. r,,is.