The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-04-19

I
anro to beur' upon Il Tiny republic to
| influence change OF certain domestic
policies, which are In no sense y part
| OF the business OF that empire. For
the Beers TO comply with the demands
Of the British government would have
| meant Tho sacrifice OF every vostigc OF
essential sovereignty belonging to the
Transvaal as an independent republic.
1.-THE question Of the natural iZatiDn
OF foreigners in tho South African re-
public Is no more tho business Of the
British government than are natura.
liz alton laws Of the republic of Mexico
q matter Of concern to the republic OF
the u 1ited States OF America. 1t il
one OF tnose questions Of Internal policy
that pertains only 10 the Transyaal
government.
"rhe Beers have been greatly abused
by tho British because it is alleged
they began the war. In other words,
the Beers were too hasty: they would
not wait until all the British troops
had arrived in South Africa. Who
ever heard Of such nonsense ? That
great civllized nation OF 100000, 900 Of
people arc complaining because the
people OF the two little republics, who
do not number all told more than 30O,-
0OO people, including men, women and
children, Insisted upon issuing their
ultimatlon and then proceeded to give
battle before the British hosts should
arrive. While on the Boer side. ali
told, there were not moro than 80, OUO
| men and these had but u lew inferior
| cannon aud no bayOnets or swords 8t
all. Practically the only arms tney had
were Maus.r ritl 20.
One BOer to ten British. Aud yet
the Beers were not trained soldiers
Only simple, p,ain farmers ; like the
thousands OF rugged farmers in our
own country. THcy are just plain,
co anon people, precisely the same kind
OF people that Abraham Lincoln loved.
AS citizsns Of the greatest republic
ia the world, with wnicn side should
We sympnthizu: say our symputhtes
should go out to that brave little band
Ol patriots who are struggling to keep
alive forever the fires OF liberty upon
the affairs OF those two young re.
publics.'
HOW SpION kOP WAS WON.
Mr. Davis described The storming OF
Spl0n kop by tho Buers, after the
Brltish had occupied it, aud his own
visit to the battle field seven days
later.
"Whcn the fight began" he said,
- giant Beer, in the prime Of strength
u
small BJcr tiig; in Il short time he
fell to risc no more. Then an Old
white haired veteran picked up the
banner and, waving it, urged his com
rades on. With tiowing hair and
Has ing eyes the old man rusned on,
out suddenly q shell laid him low ere
the little Nag touched the ground,
however, IL barcfooted lud, only
thirteen years Of age, VINO had been
ii ighting in his shirt sleeves, lcaped like
u pantncr TO the Old mans side and,
snatchiug the flag from his grand
fathers norvelcss hand, raised it alofl
and pushed on. ~ mighty shout arose
from the Bocrs rs they saw that ga;-
liant decd, and with renewed courage
they made d fearful charge, following
the flag they rushed like. an avalanche
over the British trenches and Spion
kOp was wOn.'
General Burgers, the BUer cOmman
der, had made repeated attempts to
secure cessation OF artillery lire that
tho dead might be buried. but for
several days without success. Finally
General Bnllcr accepted the Bocr pro-
posal to bury the. British dead and
offered to nay The Bill.
General Burgers regarded this
reply as an insult Mr.. Davis asserted,
- but, nevertheless, concluded TO bury
tGe British dead. Then visited the
top OF Spion's kop and saw there the
most horrible sight that could be i'm
agincd. Upon every hand were he'll
NETS, belts, cantccns, bayonets and
wearing apparel scattered about cover
ed with cIottcd blood. We saw feet
and hands protruding through the
ground, all swollen and skin burst as
under, while the rest Of the body was
covered with thin coating Of earth.
The explanation was that these poor
British soldiers had been buried by
their comrades under only q few inches
OF Cirt. In other places we saw scores
Of dead British soldiers lying on the top
Of the ground just where they had
fallen, no attempt having been made
to bury them.
Gas we descended from the Hill we
met the Beers going up TO bury the
neglected by their own comrades and
commanders, who amuse themselves
by calling the Doors savagcs.
Brave were the ancient Greeks OF
Athens and Sparta, who, with their
allies, stood up to battle and to die to
defend themselves against Asiatc
invasion. Brave was Alexander the
Great and his Macedonians on the
battle field OF lssus, where they won
VlCLOFy again OPCF-WIC ming DuQ3.
Brave WAS the struggle OF the Tyrolcsc
against the lcgions Of Napoleon.
Brave the stand made by the Swiizors
for liberty against tho Hapsburg.
Brave tho wonderful charge OF
PiCketts men and the equally brave
defense OF the union troops on the
crimson heights OF Gettysburg. Brave
were the heroic dead who fell at
Salamis and Marathon. Brave, indeed,
were the famous 300 at Thermopylue.
But equally brave, gallant and chival-
rous are the humble peasants Of the
veldt, who, defending the passes OF
Drakonsberg, or seeking death, climb
ing tho rugged sidos Of Spion's kop,
willing to die, If need be, to save thoir
beloved republics from the British
| yoke Of 0ppr ossion.
These men have the same spirit
! that prompted the farmers to face
! death for liberty at Lexington green :;
that nerved tho arms of Americans at
| Saratoga, Bunker Hill and Brandy.
wine; That warmed tho hearts OF
Washington and his shivcring patriots