Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-13
TEXT Of THE NOTES
n i ~
Peace Negotiations $, Between President
Kruger and Lord Salisbury.
READ IN PARLIAMENT TODAY
Former Asked That the Status of
the WA. Be Defined,
GREAT BRITAINiS L. REPLY

LONDON. March IRA parliamentary
paper containing the kilograms sent to the
British government by the presidents of
the South African Republic and the Orange
Free State and Great Britain's reply there
to was issued this afternoon. 1t first gives
the telegram sent by the~two presidents to
the Marquis of Salisbury. as follows:
:BLoEMFONTEIN, March 5.-The, blood
and the tears of thousands who have suf-
fered by this war and the prospect of all
moral and economic ruin wherewith South
Africa 1s now threatened. make it neces-
sary for both belligerents to ask them
selves dispassfonately and as in the sight
Oh the Iriune God for what are they fight
ing and whether the aim of each justifies
all this appalling misery and devastation,
with this object and In view of the asser-
ions or various British statesmen to the
erect that this war was begun and Is be-
ing carried on with the set purpose of I'M
ae 81 mining her majestys authority in South
$3.50 tt,tIa ana OF setting up adj
nlnistration over all of South Africa
independent of her majesty's government,
W. we CONSIDER It our duty to solemnly de-
oidio .iae inns war was undertaken solely
as defensive measure to maintain the
@ ehed independence of the South Afri-
Eau teepueie, and is only continued in OF der
10 secure and maintain the incontestable in
dependence of both republics as sovereign
International states and to obtain the as
surance that those. of her fmajepty's sub
1ects who have taken part with us In this
war shall suffer no harm, whatever in Der.
son or property On: these conditions but
on these conditions alone are we now as
ID .he past, DESTROYS of seeing peace re-
estaonshed In South Africa; while If her
niaJesty's government is determined to de-
stfoy the Independence of the republics
there Is nothing left to- us and to our peo-
pie but to persevere to the end in the course
already begun.
Relieve Deity is With Them.
"In spite of the overwhelming pre-emi-
nence of the British empire we are conf
dent that that God who lighted the unex-
t'nguishable fire of love of freedom in the
Eearts Of ourselves and of our fathers will
rot forsake US and will accomplish His
work in US and in our descendants We
hesitate to make this declaration earlier to
your excellency, as We feared that as long
as the advantage was always on our side
ana as long as our forces held defensive po-
sltions far within her, majesty colonies
such a declaration might hurt the feelings
and honor of tho British people.
But now that the prestige of the British
empire may be considered to be assured by
the capture of one of our forces by her
maJestys troops and that we have thereby
been forced to eyacuate other nosittons
wnch our forces had occupied. that diff
Guilty Is over and We can no longer hesitate
to clearly inform your government and peo-
pie In the sight of the whole civilized
world why we are fighting and on what
conditions We are ready to restore peace"
Lord saiisbury's Reply.
The Marquis lof Salisbury to the presi-
dents of the South African Republic and the
Orange Free State: III F.
FOREIGN OFFICE, March, Ill have
the honor to acknowledge your honors' tel
egram, dated March g. from Bloemfontein,
of which :
mand that her ,majesty's government shall
recognize the Uncomfortable independence
of the South African Republic and Free
state as sovereign International states and
to offer on those terms to bring the war to
a conclusion. .-.E'7
existed between her majesty and the two
republics under conventions which then
were in existence. A discussion had been
proceeding for some months between her
maJesty's government and the South Afri-
can Republic, of which the object was to
obtain redress for certain very serious
grievances under which the British resi-
dents in South Africa were SUFFERING
I'm the course of these negotiations the
South African Republic had. to the knowl
edge of her majestys government, made
considerable ornaments, and the latter had
consequently taken steps to provide CORE
spending reinforcements Of the British gar
risons at Cape Town and in Natal. No IN
frtngement of the rights guaranteed by the
CUlFeHllOIlS Hduy up 10 lIdC taken
place the British side.
Suddenly. at two days notice, the South
African republic. after issuing an insulting
ultimatum, declared war upon her ma
jesty; and the Orange Free State, with
whom there had not even been any dis
cussion, took similar step.
British Domain Invaded.
Her majesty's dominions were imme-
diately invaded by the two republics. Siege
was laid to three towns within the British
frontier. large portion OF two colonies
was overrun with great destruction of prop
erty and life, and the republics claimed to
treat the Inhabitants OF extensive portions
OF her majesty's dominions as If those do
| minions had been annexed to one or the
other Of them
I'm anticipation Of these operations the
South African republic had been accumulat-
ing for many years past military stores on
against Great Britain
Your honors make some observations of
| negative character upon the object with
| which these preparations were made. L do
not think 1t necessary to discuss the Ques-
tiOns You have raised.
! But the result of these preparations, car
| ried with great secrecy, has been that
| the British empire has been compelled to
| confront invasion which has entaued
| upon the empire a costly war and the loss
| of thousands Of precious lives. This great
! calamity has been penalty Great Britain
has suffered for having Of recent years ac-
| quiesced to the existence of two republics
| I'm view of the use to which the two re-
| publics have put the position which was
| given them and the calamities their unpro-
voked attack have inflicted on her males
tvs dominions. her majesty's government
| can only answer your honors' telegram by
saying that they are not prepared to as
| sent to the iTdepehdence either Of the
South African republic or the Orange Free
| State" .oy Epid
|